. The sorceress of Rome. and? What mattered all else ? But the woman became strong as he grew weak. Go! she said faintly. Farewellj — till to-morrow. He dropped her hands, his eyes in hers. Giving one glance backward, where Eckhardt had dis-appeared, Stephania first began to move with hesitating steps,then seized by an irresistible panic, she gathered up her trailingrobe and ran precipitately up the steep path, her fleeting formsoon disappearing in the moonlight. Otto remained another moment, then he too stepped outinto the clear moonlit night. In silent rumination he continuedhis way toward t
. The sorceress of Rome. and? What mattered all else ? But the woman became strong as he grew weak. Go! she said faintly. Farewellj — till to-morrow. He dropped her hands, his eyes in hers. Giving one glance backward, where Eckhardt had dis-appeared, Stephania first began to move with hesitating steps,then seized by an irresistible panic, she gathered up her trailingrobe and ran precipitately up the steep path, her fleeting formsoon disappearing in the moonlight. Otto remained another moment, then he too stepped outinto the clear moonlit night. In silent rumination he continuedhis way toward the Aventine. Past and future seemed alike to have vanished for seemed to have come to a stand-still. Suddenly he imagined that a shadow stealthily crossedhis path. He paused, turned — but there was no one. 203 THE SORCERESS OF ROME Calmly the stars looked down upon him from the azurevault of heaven. And like a spider in his web, Johanlies Crescentius sat inCastel San Angelo. 2K4 CHAPTER VIII THE GOTHIC TOWER. EEP quiet reigned in the city,when a man, enveloped in amantle, whose dimly shadowedform was outlined against themassive, gray walls of Con-stantines Basilica glided slowlyand cautiously from among theblocks of stone scattered roimdits foundations and advanced tothe fountain which then formedthe centre of the square, where the Obelisk now stands. Therehe stopped and, concealed by the obscurijy of the night and thedeeper shadows of the monument, glanced furtively about, asif to be sure that he was tmobserved. Then drawing his sword,he struck three times upon the pavement, producing at eachstroke light sparks from its point. This signal, for such itwas, was forthwith answered. From the remote depths of theruins the cry of the screech-owl was thrice in succession re-peated, and, guided by the ringing soimd, a second figureemerged from the weeds, which were in some places the heightof a man. Obejring the signal of the first comer, the second,who was likewise envel
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