"Yes," cried Theodora, "and I am proud of it. Must I indeed leave the richly-spread table of existence, must I leave this imperial throne, with all my ardent love of joy and power still unquenched? Shall I only sip a few more drops? Oh, Nature is a miserable blunderer! Once in many thousand ages she creates, amid a host of cripples, ugly in body and weak in mind, a soul and body like mine, perfect and strong, and full of the longing to live and to enjoy for an eternity. And, when only six lustres have passed, when I have scarcely sipped of the full cup offered to me. Nature dries up the spring of life! A curse upon the envy of the gods! But men can envy too, and envy changes them into demons. Others shall not enjoy when I can do so no longer! Others shall no more laugh when I must writhe in agony all night long! Antonina shall not rejoice in her youth with the false man who was once mine and yet could think of another, or of virtue, or of heaven! Anicius has told me this very day that he can bear this life without fame and honour no more--that heaven and earth call him away. He shall repent it--together with her. Come, Cethegus," she said furiously, grasping his arm, "come; we will destroy them both!" "You forget," said Cethegus coldly, "that I have no reason to hate either her or him. So what I do will be done for your sake." "Not so, you wise and icy Roman! Do you believe that I do not see through you?" "I hope not," thought Cethegus. "You wish to keep Belisarius away from Italy. You wish to fight and conquer alone. Or at most with a shadow beside you, such as Bessas was and Areobindos will be. Do you think I did not understand why you so cleverly managed the recall of Belisarius when before Ravenna? Anxiety for Justinian! What is Justinian to you?" Cethegus felt his heart beat. "The freedom of Rome!" continued Theodora. "Nonsense! You know that only strong and simple men can be trusted with freedom. And you know your Quirites. No, your aim lies higher." "Is it possible that this woman guesses what all my enemies and friends do not even suspect?" thought Cethegus. "You wish to free Italy alone, and alone rule her as Justinian's vice-regent. To be next to his throne, high above Belisarius and Narses, and second only to Theodora. And if there were any higher goal, yours would be the spirit to fly at it." Cethegus breathed again. "That would hardly be worth the trouble," he thought. "Oh," continued Theodora, "it is a proud feeling to be the first of Justinian's servants!" "Of course," thought Cethegus, "she is not capable of imagining anything superior to her husband, although she deceives him daily." "And," Theodora went on, "to rule _him_, the Emperor, in company with me." "The flattering atmosphere of this court dulls even the clearest intellect," thought Cethegus. "It is the madness of the purple. She can only think of herself as all-commanding."