With an exclamation of impatience he raised the glass, and said: "It is a sin to spill such wine. Now I have no more in which to drink your
health. Get another bottle, Julio, from the cupboard; it is perhaps the
last time that we shall drink together. On the third shelf, the bottle
with the long neck."
Julio arose with difficulty from his chair, and staggered to the cupboard.
Simon Turchi thrust his hand in his doublet, and drew out a very small
phial. He hastily poured nearly the whole contents into Julio's glass, and
immediately concealed the phial; and although he trembled in every limb,
he said, calmly: "A little higher, Julio--to the left; that is the right bottle."
The servant brought the bottle to his master, who uncorked it; but as he
was about to pour out the wine, he said: "Empty your glass, Julio; this is a different wine, and the mixture would
spoil both."
Julio drank the wine, but no sooner had he swallowed it than he exclaimed: "What was in my glass? It had a strange, bitter taste. Did you put poison
in it?"
"What a silly idea!" said Turchi, turning pale.
"You are capable of such a deed, signor."
"The lees gave the bad taste, Julio. Take another glass, and it will pass
away."
Emptying his glass again, Julio said: "You are right; it is gone. I never tasted anything in my life more
disagreeable."
Turchi watched his servant narrowly. With assumed carelessness he said: "Take care, Julio, to be up by daybreak. Go on foot to the village of
Lierre; buy a good horse there, and make all possible haste to reach
Diest; that is the shortest route, and you will be more likely to escape
notice than on the highway. Once in Cologne, you are out of danger; but be
careful not to remain there. Merchants from Antwerp frequently visit that
city; you might possibly be recognized and arrested. You must leave the
territories of the emperor. When the affair is forgotten, and when by my
marriage with Miss Van de Werve I will have acquired a considerable
fortune, I will send for you, and you will live with me as a friend rather
than a servant. You shall spend your days in pleasure, and you will never
have cause to regret what you have done for me. But, Julio, you do not
answer? Is not such a fate desirable?"
"I am overpowered by sleep," stammered Julio, almost unintelligibly.
A triumphant smile flitted across Turchi's face.