“I care not how vile I be in your sight so long as I can but save the temple. Retire this night from the army--Titus will permit it--have no more to do with the siege, and I will set Vashti at liberty. What is your answer?” “This. Your threat supplies an additional argument for the destruction of the temple, since it is clear that its dead ritual and external formalities have no power to purify the heart or quicken the conscience. As to your menace against Vashti, forget not that it is written, ‘Whoso sheddeth man’s blood, by man shall his blood be shed.’” Berenice laughed scornfully. “Who will venture to punish a princess and the friend of Titus merely for putting her own slave to death?” “The Christians.” “The Christians!” repeated Berenice, disdainfully. “I have said it, princess. If Vashti dies, you die also. Trust not to the power of Titus to save you. There are in yon army Christians who, in the execution of what they deem to be right, fear neither kings nor Cæsars. You shall be secretly seized and carried off to a conclave of Christians there to be judged of the deed by your own Law, which has said: ‘Eye for eye, tooth for tooth, burning for burning’; Berenice’s death for Vashti’s death. If you are found guilty, be sure of this, princess, _they’ll not lack an executioner_!” As Berenice beheld the set, stern look on his face, she had no need to ask who that executioner would be. Without another word he turned and left her. She had sought to frighten him, but it was _she_ who was the frightened one. She stood in fear and trembling, knowing that her threat instead of acting as a deterrent had but made him the more resolved to carry out his purpose. Next day the toiling legions pushing forward their military engines directed a fierce attack along the line of cloisters--more than a thousand feet in length--that formed the northern side of the great temple-platform. Now that the battle had reached the very seat of their religion the Jews fought with a fury they had never before shown; the priests themselves were under arms, rivaling the Zealots in deeds of valor; Simon, with bare arm and flashing scimitar, was seen at every point along the line, urging on to fresh exertions men who required but little urging. Let Jewish valor do what it would, however, it could not prevail; each day marked an advance on the part of the Romans, who at last became masters of the whole northern gallery, which they proceeded at once to destroy by fire, ax, and crow, in order to facilitate the advance of the battering-train.