object to," he said hastily, "I'll apologise. I will--and so will
Matilda--freely and full; in writing, if that will satisfy you!"

"Tremble not for your worthless bodies," she said; "had you been slain,
as I purposed, you would but have escaped me, after all! Now a vengeance
keener and more enduring shall be mine! In your gross blindness, you
have dared to turn from divine Aphrodite to such a thing as this, and
for your impiety you shall suffer! This is your doom, and so much at
least I can still accomplish: Long as you both may live, strong as your
love may endure, never again shall you see her alone, never more shall
she be folded to your breast! For ever, I will stand a barrier between
you: so shall your days consume away in the torturing desire for a
felicity you may never attain!"

"It seems to me, Tillie," said Leander, looking round at her with hollow
eyes, "that we may as well give up keeping company together, after
that!"

Matilda had been weeping quietly. "Oh no, Leander, not that! Don't let
us give each other up: we may--we may get used to it!"

"That is not all," said the revengeful goddess. "I understand but little
of the ways of this degenerate age. But one thing I know: this very
night, guards are on their way to search this abode for the image in
which I have chosen to reveal myself; and, should they find that they
are in search of, you will be dragged to some dungeon, and suffer
deserved ignominy. It pleased me yesternight to shield you: to-night,
be very sure that this marble form shall not escape their vigilance!"

He felt at once that this, at least, was no idle threat. The police
might arrive at any instant; she had only to vacate the marble at the
moment of their entry--and what could he do? How could he explain its
presence? The gates of Portland or Dartmoor were already yawning to
receive him! Was it too late, even then, to retrieve the situation? "If
it wasn't for Tillie, I could see my way to something, even now," he
thought. "I can but try!"

"Lady Venus," he began, clearing his throat, "it's not my desire to be
the architect of any mutual unpleasantness--anything but! I don't see
any use in denying that you've got the best of it. I'm done--reg'lar
bowled over; and if ever there was a poor devil of a toad under a
harrer, I've no hesitation in admitting that toad's me! So the only
point I should like to submit for your consideration is this: Have
things gone too far? Are you quite sure