"Mr. Justice Supreme," she called, "may I make an appeal?"
Drayton turned with a gesture of protest. "Viola," he said earnestly, "go back to your brother. You can do nothing for me."
"And do you think we would let you die alone?" she whispered fiercely.
Mr. Justice Supreme gazed down upon her, and as he looked his loose old mouth spread in a ghastly smile. A gleam brightened his lecherous old eyes.
"Are you the young lady who is destined to assume the title of Loveliest? My nephew has spoken to me of you. He spoke very highly-very highly indeed. My own eyes confirm his claims for your fitness. Your examination is next on the list, I believe, and I assure you that you need fear nothing from your rival. You will make many friends, my child, and you must count me as one of the first."
At the words, Lady Green-eyes, standing by Trenmore, gasped and turned very white beneath her rouge. Even before the high priest had finished, however, her green eyes were flashing. A surge of real color backed the artificial on her thin cheeks. With catlike quickness she had comprehended the situation. As though he had grown suddenly loathsome, she drew away from Trenmore.
"So!" she spat out. "You were planning to betray me, were you? After all I have done for you, you meant to put that sly puss of a sister of yours in my place! You were planning to have me thrown in that very pit I saved you from such a little while ago! And I thought you were honest. Because you were so big and strong I took you for a real man! Bah! You are no better than the rest of these swine-you are no better than Mercy or Clever or any of the others!"
Her voice had steadily risen until every eye in the hall was focused upon them.
Trenmore could say nothing. His face was suffused by a deep, burning flood of painful color. At this moment what had looked right and just enough when Cleverest proposed it appeared in a different light. No matter if the woman had planned a disagreeable future for Viola, she had also unquestionably saved the girl from a choice between death and dishonor; saved himself and Drayton from immediate destruction.
What miasma of treachery existed in this ancient city that he, who prided himself on his loyalty, had become so horribly infected?