me."

Lycabetta watched her with half-closed lids. "Are you so sure?" she
said, cruelly. Then she went to the side door and opened it, calling
out, "My lord!" and instant to her summons Hildebrand entered the
church.

"Your chaste angel will play no game with us."

Hildebrand gave Perpetua a courtly salutation. "I am glad to find you,
lady."

Perpetua had drawn close to King Robert's pillar and caught the rope in
her hands.

"If you come near me," she cried, "I will ring this bell and Syracuse
will guard me."

"You mistake me," Hildebrand said, calmly. "I am your friend, and by
your leave I would save you from the King. Do not believe that sanctuary
will serve you. His lust of hate would pluck you from between the horns
of the altar."

"This shrine is sacred, even to him," Perpetua asserted, wearing a
greater confidence than she felt.

Lycabetta laughed stealthily. Hildebrand shrugged his shoulders.

"You talk briskly, but you cannot make and mend the world at your maid's
pleasure. I alone can save you from the King."

"How can you save me?" Perpetua asked him. She was undaunted, but she
thought to gain time.

"Very simply," Hildebrand answered; "I desire your favors more than the
King's favor, and if you will give me yourself I will take care of what
is mine own."

"You are a faithful servant," Perpetua said, in scorn.

Hildebrand waved her scorn away dispassionately with his delicate white
hands.

"I wear no fetters. If the King irks me I will drive my dagger between
his ribs, and make myself king in Sicily. I think a change in the
dynasty would not be unpopular in the island. Why, I will do this
to-night to please you, and make you my queen if you will."

"You are baser than your master." Perpetua flung the words at him.

Hildebrand heard them unmoved. "I am what I am. Will you come to me?"

Perpetua answered him, steadfast in scorn, "You are as foolish as you
are cruel, and you weary me."

Hildebrand turned to Lycabetta. "Daughter of Venus," he said, "a few
paces hence you will find the northern soldier whose kisses you relish.
Bring him here with his company."

Lycabetta went a little way nearer to Perpetua and stared at her. "You
must be a witch," she said, "for you make men mad for you. I cannot see
your marvel." Then she went out of the church.

"I will appeal to Syracuse," Perpetua cried to Hildebrand. She seized
the rope of the great bell and tugged at it. The deep note of the bell