"Dost thou believe in me?" she asked.
"Believe what?"
"That I am thy wife."
"Tut! Back to the old quarrel! No! But by Heaven, thou art my
sweetheart!"
She stopped at the edge of an exclamation and looked at him with
widening eyes.
"Come, let us get out of this place. I can get the dowry! Let her stay
here and be queen over this place if she will. I had rather possess
you than all the kingdoms!"
But Laodice flung him off while a flame of anger crimsoned her face.
"Thou to insult me, thy lawful wife!" she brought out between clenched
teeth. "Thou to offer affront to thine own marriage! I to live in
shame with mine own husband!"
The insult in his speech overwhelmed her and after a moment's
lingering for words to express her rage, she turned and fled back to
her room and barred her door upon him.
After sunset the lights leaped up in the hall of Amaryllis the Greek.
Presently there came a knock at Laodice's door. The girl, fearing that
Philadelphus stood without, sat still and made no answer. A moment
later the visitor spoke. It was the little girl who acted as page for
the Greek.
"Open, lady; it is I, Myrrha."
Laodice went to the windows.
"Amaryllis sends thee greeting and would speak with thee, in her
hall," the girl said.
Reluctantly Laodice, who feared the revelation which the light might
have to make of her stunned and revolted face, followed the page.
The Greek was standing, as if in evidence that the interview would not
be long. She noted the intense change on the face of her young guest
and watched her narrowly for any new light which her disclosure would
bring.
"I have sent for thee," the Greek began smoothly, "to tell thee
somewhat that I should perhaps withhold, that thou shouldst sleep
well, this night. But it is a perplexity perhaps thou wouldst face at
once."
Laodice bowed her head.
"It is this: Titus and his friend, Nicanor, approached too close the
walls this day, and Nicanor was wounded by an arrow. In retaliation,
perfect siege hath been laid about the walls. None may come into the
city."
"And--Momus, my servant," Laodice cried, waking for the first time to
the calamity in this blockade, "he can not come back to me?"
"No. If he attempts it, he will be captured and put to death."
Laodice clasped her hands, while drop by drop the color left her face.
"In God's name," she whispered, "what will become of me?"
Amaryllis made no answer.
"Can--can I not go out?" Laodice asked presently, depending entirely
on the Greek as adviser.
"You can--but to what fortune? Perhaps--" She stopped a moment. "No,"
she continued, "you have never been in a camp. No; you can not go
out."