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Updated: June 22, 2025
And, as the tender-hearted Heliodora's fresh lips rested on the plague- tainted hair, Katharina closed her eyes and felt as a gladiator might who hitherto has only tried his weapons on the practising ground, and now for the first time uses them in the arena to pierce his opponent's heart.
She would have won her bet; for Orion, who had remained unmoved by his sister-in-law's letter, by the warning voice of the faith of his childhood, by the faithful council of his honest servant Nilus, or by the senator's convincing arguments had yielded to Heliodora's sweet blandishments. How ardently had her loving heart flamed up, when she saw him so deeply agitated at the sight of her!
Basil sprang up and walked aside, overcome with shame at the scene enacted before him, and fearing it would end in ignoble violence. He heard Muscula's shriek of laughter, a shout of anger from Vivian, and the continued railing of Galla; then, ere he had taken a dozen steps, a hand touched him, and Heliodora's voice sounded low at his ear. 'You are right, dear Basil.
After sunset, the city became a dark and silent desert, save when watch-fires glared and soldiers guarded the walls. As was the case with all Romans who not long ago had commanded a multitude of slaves and freedmen, Heliodora's household was much reduced.
Then, turning to Heliodora's kettle she said sternly, as if in obedience to some higher power: "Seven gold pieces to complete the work," and while the young widow drew out her purse the sorceress lighted the lamps, singing as she did so and as she dropped the coin into the boiling fluid: "Pure, bright gold! Sunlight buried in a mine! Holy Seven. Shashef, Shashef!
It was made clear to him that a long combat of wills and desires had been in progress between the crafty courtesan and the half wily and the half brutal soldier, with a baffling of Heliodora's devices which would never have come to his knowledge but for this outbreak of rage.
She would have won her bet; for Orion, who had remained unmoved by his sister-in-law's letter, by the warning voice of the faith of his childhood, by the faithful council of his honest servant Nilus, or by the senator's convincing arguments had yielded to Heliodora's sweet blandishments. How ardently had her loving heart flamed up, when she saw him so deeply agitated at the sight of her!
Yet if one were found who could persuade him that the cause of the Greeks is hopeless that, by holding out to the end, he will merely lose all, whereas, if he came to terms Marcian was watching Heliodora's face. He paused. Their eyes met for an instant. 'Who can be assured, asked Heliodora thoughtfully, 'that Totila will triumph? They say the Patricius will come again. 'Too late.
That Heliodora's professions might be mere trickery, he never imagined; his vanity forbade it; at each successive meeting he seemed to himself to have strengthened his hold upon the luxurious woman; each time he came away with a fiercer hatred of Marcian, and a deeper resolve to ruin him.
One of these funerals, so she vaguely fancied, was Heliodora's; the other her own perhaps or her mother's and she shivered at the thought. The long train wandered on under its shroud of dust, and stood still when it reached the Necropolis; then the sledge with the bier came back empty on red hot runners but she was not one of the mourners she was imprisoned in the pestiferous house.
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