There was a sound of footsteps in the adjoining room. “Come,” she said, filling my glass, “drink to the morrow which shall be happier than to-day.” There was a rap or signal upon the wall. “Simon’s lecture is over,” she said, rising. “This is his audience-chamber in which he receives a few pupils who question him on the deeper points of his subject. Their conversation would be very dull to us in our mood. Let us retire into my chamber, until they disperse, when we can speak to Simon alone.” I followed her to the door of the room from which the signal had come. I hesitated, abashed, at the thought of entering her chamber. “Oh come along,” she said, grasping my arm. “Do not be afraid of my chamber. It has carpets which render your feet inaudible. It has pictures and statues which ravish your senses.” With that she drew me into the room. I was immediately seized from behind by several powerful men, and thrown to the floor. With a peal of devilish laughter, my betrayer fled back into the audience-chamber. I looked up, and Magistus was regarding me with a diabolical smile. A man was standing by him who riveted my attention. He was black, but his face was full of hideous white spots. One eye was gone, lids and all, so as to leave a frightful deep hole in its place. He wore a red turban. This strange, repulsive creature stooped to fasten a kind of iron bracelet on my feet. I watched him in silence. He softly kissed the top of my foot unseen by the others. I knew him. It was Ethopus. Poor Ethopus! Helena peered in at the door with her beautiful, laughing face. “How does my boy-lover like my bed-chamber?” “How could you betray me in this atrocious manner?” said I, indignantly. “Magistus offered me a beautiful diamond ring to get you into his power. You know we women could never resist the fascination of diamond rings!” “And my poor sister!” I exclaimed, in despair. “True, I had forgotten about her. It is time to dress for the amphitheatre. The gladiators interest me very little, but I would not miss seeing a woman eaten up by the lion, even for a diamond ring. Good-bye.” The demon departed. The vision of the woman-serpent in the world of spirits was a prophecy. I had fallen again—this time how low! into what an abyss! The amphitheatre was open! and great Heavens! I was bound hand and foot and cast into a dungeon. [Illustration: Ornament] [Illustration: Ornament] XXVIII. _TO THE LION._ [Illustration: Initial] The day preceding these surprising events, Beltrezzor had taken the keeper of the prison aboard the new ship which lay at the pier. He had shown him the immense treasures in his rosewood boxes—the accumulation of a long life and successful trade in the far Eastern countries which abound in diamonds and precious stones.