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ARIADNE. 141He laughed a httle, partly in cruelty and farmore in sadness, and looked me full in theface." If you were a youngmanyou wouldkillme."Ilooked him also full in the face." IfIhad not promised her nevertokill you,Iwoidd find the means to do it now — old asIam."" You would do quite right," he said dreamily," and, perhaps,you would do me a service: whocanteU? AAre — know so httle."Alas no: he said, truly; we know so httle,and it cripples our hand; the worst vengeancewe can think of is a swift, sure blow that dealsout death, and then, perhaps, aU the while weonly summon man's best friend.Istood before himbaffled,impotent,paralyzed.The merciless frankness of him froze the verycui-rent of my blood, andIsaw thathe spoke thetruth.He had not evenloved her once.He had better loved this blackbrowed illustriousjade here in Rome, who struck himinherfuries, and draggedhim in the dust in her softmoments.