During all this time the greatest man at the feast, Titus, had remained silent, looking on perplexed and uneasy. The redemption of Vashti, though he had often asked for it, was a favor Berenice would not grant him. He was sorry for Crispus, and secretly sympathized with the daring maid who was seeking to assert her liberty, but under the influence of his passion for Berenice he hesitated to do the right thing, namely, to declare Vashti free. As the soldiers came forward to execute Berenice’s command, Vashti turned to Titus and addressed him. “Cæsar, bid these men stay their hand till I have spoken. I have that to say which will show the justice of my cause.” At a sign from Titus the advancing guards paused. “Say on,” he commanded, hoping that Vashti might somehow be able to furnish him with a plausible pretext for delivering her from the power of Berenice. Verily, Vashti seemed to be doing the work from which Crispus shrank; for she began to address Titus with a catechism very similar to what Crispus himself would have employed had he carried out his plan as originally intended. “Have you forgotten, sire, a brief visit made by you and my lord Crispus to a house called Beth-tamar on a certain night more than four years ago?” Titus started; he guessed what was coming, and frowned. “I have not forgotten it,” said he, with a side glance at Berenice, whose lip curved with the scornful smile as of one who should say, “That silly story!” “You can testify that my lord Crispus wedded at Beth-tamar a woman unknown to him?--unknown, because she was veiled and spake never a word.” This strange and romantic statement caused a murmur of surprise and wonder to run around the banquet-hall. “I can testify to that,” said Titus, with the air of one who would fain deny what he was affirming. “Do you know the name of the woman?” “I do not,” replied Titus, with another side glance at Berenice, which set some of the guests wondering as to whether _she_ were the mysterious bride. At this point Berenice, with a gesture of impatience, addressed Titus. “What hath all this to do with the question of punishing an insolent slave?” “Everything, as you will see,” returned Vashti quietly, continuing her questions to Titus. “Did not Crispus give his bride a ring, saying that when the unknown lady should come to him with the said ring he would acknowledge her as his wife?” “That is so.” Vashti, with eyes shining with love, and with a tender smile that made her face the more beautiful, turned to Crispus, and, withdrawing her hand from a fold of her dress where it had lain concealed, she held it forth, and there, sparkling on her finger, was the very ring that he had given to his bride at Beth-tamar!