"All the wealth I possess against you—as my wife!"
She laughed scornfully and shuddered, but did not reply.
"Are you afraid?" he cried, tauntingly.
"What a fate!" she replied with trepidation in her tone. "But I accept it, even it!"
She turned her back on him after a look of such withering contempt as one might cast on some reptile, and took her former seat, when again she was startled by his voice. Its mock caressing tones caused her to clench her firm white hands and bend forward as if tempted to strangle the viper, that had dared to place its glittering coils in her path.
"It now remains but to name the champion, just to prevent the wrong bird from fluttering into the nest," said Benilo, addressing the company.
"The champion! The champion!" they shouted, breathing more freely, since the expected lightning did not strike.
"Fill the goblets!" Benilo exclaimed, and in a moment the wine was poured, the guests arose and gathered round the central figures.
Benilo raised his goblet and turned to Theodora, wincing under her look of contempt.
"The champion is to be my choice and to be accepted unconditionally?" he questioned.