flashed upon his
mind that it might be AEnone herself coming to his assistance. But the
first word undeceived him; and he let his head once more fall between
the palms of his hands.

'Cleotos,' whispered Leta, 'it is I. I have come to set you free.'

'It is right,' he said, moodily. 'All this I owe to you alone. It is
fit that you should try to undo your work.'

'Could I foresee that it would come to this?' she responded, attempting
justification. 'How was I to know that my trivial transgression would
have ended so sorrowfully for you? But all that is easily mended. You
have money, and a token which will identify you to the proper parties.
There is yet time to reach Ostia before that ship can sail.'

'How knew you that I had gold--or this signet ring; or that there was a
ship to sail from Ostia?' he exclaimed with sudden fierceness. 'You,
then, had been listening at the door! And having listened, you must have
known with what innocence we spoke together! And yet, seeing all this,
you called him to the spot and left him to let his eyes be deceived and
his heart filled with bitter jealousy, and have played upon his passion
by wicked misrepresentation, until you have succeeded in bringing ruin
upon all about you! I see it all now, as clearly as though it were
written upon a parchment rolled out before me! To think that the gods
have beheld you doing this thing, and yet have not stricken you dead!'

'I have sinned,' she murmured, seizing his hand and bending over, so
that a ready tear rolled down upon it. He felt it fall, but moved not.
Only a few days before, her tears would have moved him; but now his
heart was hardened against her. He had found out that her nature was
cruel and not easily moral to repentance, and that, if emotion was ever
suffered to overcome her, it was tolerated solely for some crafty
design. The falling tear, therefore, simply bade him be upon his guard
against deceit, lest once again she might succeed in weaving her wiles
about him. Or, if she really wept with repentance, he knew that it was
not repentance for the sin itself, but rather for some baffled purpose.

'Go on,' he simply said.

'I have sinned,' she repeated, still clinging to his hands. 'But, O
Cleotos! when I offer to undo my work and set you free, you will surely
forgive me?'

'Yes, it is right that you should repair the mischief you have caused,'
he repeated; 'and I will avail myself of it. To-night, since you offer
to set me