Simon Turchi thrust his hand in his doublet, and drew out a very small phial. He hastily poured nearly the whole contents into Julio's glass, and immediately concealed the phial; and although he trembled in every limb, he said, calmly: "A little higher, Julio--to the left; that is the right bottle." The servant brought the bottle to his master, who uncorked it; but as he was about to pour out the wine, he said: "Empty your glass, Julio; this is a different wine, and the mixture would spoil both." Julio drank the wine, but no sooner had he swallowed it than he exclaimed: "What was in my glass? It had a strange, bitter taste. Did you put poison in it?" "What a silly idea!" said Turchi, turning pale. "You are capable of such a deed, signor." "The lees gave the bad taste, Julio. Take another glass, and it will pass away." Emptying his glass again, Julio said: "You are right; it is gone. I never tasted anything in my life more disagreeable." Turchi watched his servant narrowly. With assumed carelessness he said: "Take care, Julio, to be up by daybreak. Go on foot to the village of Lierre; buy a good horse there, and make all possible haste to reach Diest; that is the shortest route, and you will be more likely to escape notice than on the highway. Once in Cologne, you are out of danger; but be careful not to remain there. Merchants from Antwerp frequently visit that city; you might possibly be recognized and arrested. You must leave the territories of the emperor. When the affair is forgotten, and when by my marriage with Miss Van de Werve I will have acquired a considerable fortune, I will send for you, and you will live with me as a friend rather than a servant. You shall spend your days in pleasure, and you will never have cause to regret what you have done for me. But, Julio, you do not answer? Is not such a fate desirable?" "I am overpowered by sleep," stammered Julio, almost unintelligibly. A triumphant smile flitted across Turchi's face. "To-morrow at two o'clock," he continued, "the officers of justice will make a domiciliary visit here, but the bailiff will permit no search which intimates a suspicion. Since you have filled the cellar with fire-wood and empty casks, the bailiff will be satisfied that all is right. Perhaps, Julio, I may be able to recall you in two or three months." Julio's head had fallen upon the table, but from time to time he started and muttered some indistinct words, showing that he was not in a deep sleep. Without once removing his eye from him, Simon continued to speak, although he was convinced that Julio no longer heard his words. Suddenly Julio groaned. His head and limbs fell as though he had been struck by death; but the heaving of the chest and the deep scarlet of the cheeks proved that he was in a heavy sleep. Simon quietly contemplated him for a while longer with a smile of satisfaction. Then he arose, approached his servant, shook him violently, and cried out: "Julio, Julio, wake up!"