Indeed, it was as though he had already heard all the slave had to tell, and so overcome was he by the revelation that speech, even connected thought, was at first impossible.

As he recovered from the stupefying blow, the blood began to boil in his veins.

He felt as when, in the fight of two days ago, he saw the first of his men pierced by a javelin.

Turning again to Sagaris, he plied him with brief and rapid questions, till he had learnt every detail of Marcian's journey from Rome to the villa.

The Syrian spoke of the veiled lady without hesitation as Veranilda, and pretended to have known for some time that she was in a convent at Praeneste; but, when interrogated as to her life at the villa, he affected an affectation of doubt, murmuring that he had beheld nothing with his own eyes, that perhaps the female slaves gossiped idly.
'What do they say ?' asked Basil with unnatural self-control.
'They speak of her happy mien and gay talk, of her walking with my lord in private.