So distinct before his fiery imagination shone the image of those two laughing together, walking alone (as Sagaris had reported), that all reasoning, such as a calmer man might have entertained, was utterly forbidden.  Not a doubt crossed his mind.  And in his heart was no desire but of vengeance.

At length he drew near to Arpinum.  Avoiding the town, he questioned a peasant at work in the fields, and learnt his way to the island.  Just as he came within view of the eastward waterfall, a girl was crossing the bridge, away from the villa.  Basil drew rein, bidding his men do likewise, and let the girl, who had a bundle on her head, draw near.  At sight of the horsemen, of whom she was not aware till close by them, the maid uttered a cry of alarm, and would have run back but Basil intercepted her, jumped from his horse, and bade her have no fear, as he only wished to ask a harmless question.  Easily he learnt that Marcian was at the villa, that he had arrived a few days ago, and that with him had come a lady.

‘What is that lady’s name?’ he inquired.

The girl did not know.  Only one or two of the slaves, she said, had seen her; she was said to be beautiful, with long yellow hair.

‘She never goes out?’ asked Basil.

The reply was that, only this morning, she had walked in the wood—­ the wood just across the bridge—­with Marcian.

Basil sprang on to his horse, beckoned his troop, and rode forward.

CHAPTER XXII

DOOM

When Marcian parted from Veranilda in the peristyle, and watched her as she ascended to her chamber, he knew that sombre exultation which follows upon triumph in evil.  Hesitancies were now at end; no longer could he be distracted between two desires.  In his eye, as it pursued the beauty for which he had damned himself, glowed the fire of an unholy joy.  Not without inner detriment had Marcian accustomed himself for years to wear a double face; though his purpose had been pure, the habit of assiduous perfidy, of elaborate falsehood, could not leave his soul untainted.  A traitor now for his own ends, he found himself moving in no unfamiliar element, and, the irrevocable words once uttered, he thrilled with defiance of rebuke.  All the persistency of the man centred itself upon the achievement of this crime, to him a crime no longer from the instant that he had irreversibly willed it.

On fire to his finger-tips, he could yet reason with the coldest clarity of thought.  Having betrayed his friend thus far, he must needs betray him to the extremity of traitorhood; must stand face to face with him in the presence of the noble Totila, and accuse him even as he had done to Veranilda.  Only thus, as things had come about, could he assure himself against the fear that Totila, in generosity, or policy, or both, might give the Amal-descended maid to Basil.  To defeat Basil’s love was his prime end, jealousy