she acknowledged the receipt of the gold, which he handed her in a stout
linen bag.

But his purpose was not fulfilled, for suddenly, flaming with passionate
wrath, she thrust the purse aside, groaning: "Not an obol of the accursed
destruction of souls shall come back to Hanno, nor even into the family
store. Until his heart and hers stop beating, the most indissoluble.
bond will unite both. She desires to ransom herself from a lawful
marriage concluded by her father, as if she were a captive of war;
perhaps she even wants to follow another. Hanno, brave lad, was ready
to go to death for her sake, and she rewards him by bringing shame on his
head and disgrace on us all. Oh, these times, this world! Everything
that is inviolable and holy trampled in the dust! But they are not all
so! In spite of Grecian infidelity, marriage is still honoured among our
people. But she who mocks what is sacred, and tramples holy customs
under foot, shall be accursed, execrated, given over to want, hunger,
disease, death!"

With rattling breath and closed eyes she leaned farther back against the
cushions that supported her; but Bias, in their common language, tried to
soothe her, and informed her that, though Ledscha had probably run away
from her husband, she had by no means renounced her vengeance. He was
bringing two talents with him to place in the Temple of Nemesis.

"Of Nemesis?" repeated the old dame. Then she tried to raise herself
and, as she constantly sank back again, Bias aided her. But she had
scarcely recovered her sitting posture when she gasped to the freedman:
"Nemesis, who helped, and is to continue to help her to destroy her foe?
Well, well! Five talents--a great sum, a great sum! But the more the
better! To Nemesis with them, to Ate and the Erinyes! The talons of the