'I am not mad, noble man; but speak the truth, and speak it plainly. Thy wife deceives thee. She is vile!'
'Curse your gray locks! I will smite you where you stand if you do not retract those blackened lies!'
'Listen, Proconsul: I will not withdraw what I have said, but will further tear the veil from off thy deluded eyes. I have known her long, and watched her well—the reason, mine. I have followed in the groove of her life; but, to come to the present, thou hast been from Ephesus, leaving thy beautiful Nika behind—leaving thy soul's happiness with her. How has she repaid thee? How! By giving her love to——'
'Silence, thou reptile of hell!' And he sprang forward, clutching the woman by the throat.
Her face grew dark and her eyes started; her mouth twitched convulsively, as if she essayed to speak.
Maddened with fury, Varro still clutched her with the grip of death, holding her out at arms' length, glaring at her like a tiger with its prey.
With one supreme effort the woman gathered together her dying strength sufficiently to enable her to thrust her hand into the folds of her dress and draw forth a tablet and hold it out towards him.
Instinctively he relaxed his grip, and the witch cried out:
'Read! Read!'
He grasped the tablet, opened it, and saw the signature of Nika.