Having betrayed his friend thus far, he must
needs betray him to the extremity of traitorhood; must stand face to
face with him in the presence of the noble Totila, and accuse him
even as he had done to Veranilda. Only thus, as things had come
about, could he assure himself against the fear that Totila, in
generosity, or policy, or both, might give the Amal-descended maid
to Basil. To defeat Basil's love was his prime end, jealousy being
more instant with him than fleshly impulse. Yet so strong had this
second motive now become, that he all but regretted his message to
the king: to hold Veranilda in his power, to gratify his passion
sooner or later, by this means or by that, he would perhaps have
risked all the danger to which such audacity exposed him. But
Marcian was not lust-bitten quite to madness. For the present,
enough to ruin the hopes of Basil. This done, the field for his own
attempt lay open. By skilful use of his advantages, he might bring
it to pass that Totila would grant him a supreme reward--the hand
of Veranilda.
Unless, indeed, the young king, young and warm-blooded however noble
of mind, should himself look upon Veranilda with a lover's eyes.
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