Theodora stamped her foot and commanded silence. At the sight of the woman, Benilo’s arms had fallen powerlessly by his side and Roffredo, taking advantage of an unwatched moment, had pushed the Chamberlain off and staggered to his feet.
"Whose deed is this?" Theodora demanded, holding aloft the covering of the couch.
"It was my accursed luck! The decanter was intended for this lying cur, whose black heart I will wrench out of his body!"
And Benilo pointed to the shrinking form of Roffredo.
"That proves his courage!" she replied with a withering glance of contempt.
"Have the girl removed and summon the Greek—though I fear it is too late."
There was a ring of regret in her tones. It vanished as quickly as it had come.
The body of Nelida, the dancing girl, was carried away and the guests resumed their seats. Roxané had reluctantly abandoned her usurped place of honour. A quick flash, a silent challenge passed between the two women, as Theodora took her accustomed seat.
"A glass of wine!" she commanded imperiously, and Roffredo, reassured, rushed to the nearest attendant, took a goblet from the salver and presented it to the Queen of the Groves.
"Ah! Thanks, Roffredo! So it was you who insulted me in my absence?" she said with an undertone of irony in her voice, which had the rich sound of a deep-toned bell.
"I said you would embrace the devil, did he but appear in presentable countenance!" Roffredo replied contritely, but with a vicious side glance at Benilo.
An ominous smile curved Theodora’s crimson lips.
"The risk would be slight, since I have kept company with each of you," she replied. "And our virtuous Benilo took up the gauntlet?"
Her low voice was soft and purring, yet laden with the poison sting of irony, as through half-closed lids she glanced towards the Chamberlain, who sat apart in moody silence like a spectre at the feast.
Benilo scented danger in her tone and answered cautiously:
"Only a coward will hear the woman he loves reviled with impunity."
"If you wish to honour me with this confession, I care as little for the one as the other. From your temper I judge some innocent dove had escaped your vulture’s talons."
Benilo met the challenge in her smouldering look and answered with assumed indifference: