taste the wine; or perhaps he may do the deed
even yet."

At these words, Aegeus drove every thought
and feeling out of his breast, except the one idea
of how justly the young man deserved to be put
to death. He sat erect on his throne, and held
out the goblet of wine with a steady hand, and
bent on Theseus a frown of kingly severity; for,
after all, he had too noble a spirit to murder
even a treacherous enemy with a deceitful smile
upon his face.

"Drink!" said he, in the stern tone with which
he was wont to condemn a criminal to be be-
headed. "You have well deserved of me such
wine as this!"

Theseus held out his hand to take the wine.
But, before he touched it, King Aegeus trembled
again. His eyes had fallen on the gold-hilted
sword that hung at the young man's side. He
drew back the goblet.

"That sword!" he exclaimed; "how came
you by it?"

"It was my father's sword," replied Theseus,
with a tremulous voice. "These were his san-
dals. My dear mother (her name is Aethra) told

[[37]]

p036 _ -chap- _ toc-1 _ p037w _ toc-2 _ +chap+ _ p038

v?