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Aleph, The Chaldean ; 
 
 OR, 
 
 THE MESSIAH AS SEEN FROM 
 
 ALEXANDRIA. 
 
 BY 
 
 E. F. BURR, D.D., LL.D., 
 
 AUTHOR OF " ECCE COiLUM," " PATER MUNDI," ETC. 
 
 ft 
 
 " So forth ive gat us from our home ; 
 So ive are Jiere to-day : 
 Now tell us where this King tojind. 
 Whose reign shall be alway.'''' 
 
 —Anon. 
 
 NEW YORK : 
 
 WIIvBUR B. KKTCHAM, 
 
 2 Cooper Union, 
 
Copyright, 1891, 
 By Wilbur B. Ketcham. 
 
PRE FAO E. 
 
 rpWO facts, at least, should be remembered by the 
 readers of this book. 
 
 1. It was not uncommon in the times of the Christ 
 for Hebrew men, in imitation of Joseph and Moses and 
 Boaz, to marry outside of their own people. 
 
 2. It is a great mistake to suppose that women in the 
 Roman Empire of the First Century were secluded after 
 the current oriental fashion. They had about as much 
 freedom on most lines of social intercourse as women have 
 among us. The New Testament shows this in regard to 
 Palestine and such contiguous countries as appear in the 
 Acts of the Apostles. But it was the same wherever the 
 Roman authority and influence extended. 
 
 '' Tradition was in favor of restriction, but by a con- 
 currence of circumstances women had been liberated 
 from the enslaving fetters of the old legal forms, and en- 
 joyed freedom of intercourse in society ; they walked and 
 drove in the public thoroughfares with veils that did not 
 
/ 
 
 ii PREFACE. 
 
 conceal their faces ; they dined in the company of men ; 
 they studied literature and philosophy ; they took part 
 in political movements; they were allowed to defend 
 their own law cases if they liked ; and they helped their 
 husbands in the government of provinces and the writing 
 of books." 
 
 Lyme, Conn., U. S. A. 
 
I. 
 
 DOWN THE NILE. 
 
 f^rjol 6i, ToiQ fiiv evOv yivofievoiC fii^ai ;^;pi'(Tov. 
 
 — Aristotle, PoUt. ii. 3. 
 
 He says that some have gold in their composition from the start. 
 
1. Wlno are thiey? 
 
 2. A son of Nlisraim. 
 
 3. Thie times of old. 
 
 4. A seeming nnisfortnne. 
 
I. 
 
 DOWN THE NILE, 
 
 FROM Coptns downward on the dreamy Nile — past 
 innumerable canals with their primitive water- 
 wheels ; past populous villages and lordly villas em- 
 bowered in sycamores and palms ; past still more lordly 
 ruins, silent now for many a century ; past caravans and 
 pleasure-parties and bodies of Roman soldiery, foot and 
 horse, coming and going on the thoroughfares that closely 
 skirt the river on either hand ; past water craft of all 
 sorts, from skin-buoyed rafts carrying sandstone from 
 Chennu to the Delta up to gay barges carrying travelers 
 to Thebes and the dead Egypt of the Pharaohs ; past 
 crocodiles and hippopotami and pelicans sporting in the 
 water, or basking along the muddy shore as so many logs 
 or stones. 
 
 WJio are moving downward on the dreamy Nile to 
 Alexandria — in a large merchant vessel, whose lateen sail 
 swells gently to the south wind ? A large number of per- 
 sons with whom we have no special concern. Two per- 
 sons with whom we have great concern, and whose ap- 
 pearance is striking enough to draw much attention from 
 their fellow-travelers, as they stand together watching the 
 ever-changing scene. 
 
 Both wear the classic Greek dress, of plain material. 
 The elder, a man of some sixty years, is so Greek in feat- 
 
6 DOWN THE NILE. 
 
 ure that no dress is needed to proclaim his nationality. 
 The other^ a young man of perhaps twenty years, has a 
 face of a different type. And what a face ! Is it Egyp- 
 tian ? No. Is it Roman ? No. Is it Hebrew ? No. 
 As we take our privilege of drawing very near, and of 
 looking carefully at those features on all sides, and even 
 of lifting the abundant brown hair from the broad white 
 forehead that swells so loftily over the steady and some- 
 what austere gray eyes, we would rather say that we are 
 looking on the original type from which all other racial 
 faces have varied, so readily does it express the better ele- 
 ments of all. Yes, the young man must be from Britain 
 or the Caucasus — and yet he certainly is not from Britain; 
 for that is still a land of savages, and this youth has an 
 air of culture and refinement, which the plainness of his 
 garb cannot conceal. Is it mere fancy ? Have I really a 
 sixth sense ? There is something about the young man 
 that seems to breathe of lofty plateaus, and mountain 
 summits, and torrents that dash and roar on their way 
 from the clouds to the sea. What does this mountaineer 
 here among the lowlands of the Nile ? 
 
 He is evidently looking at the country for the first 
 time. Everything seems to interest him much. His 
 companion, as plainly, is by no means an entire stranger 
 to the scene, and yet shows the degree of interest natural 
 to one who is revisiting a country after long absence. 
 The Greek language flows easily between the two ; as the 
 elder from time to time points this way and that, and 
 seems to be recalling and introducing old acquaintances, 
 as the vessel slowly glides by object after object. 
 
 '' It is now more than thirty years," said the Greek, 
 whom we will call Cimon, '^ since I left Egypt; but I 
 
DOWN THE NILE. 
 
 notice very few changes— here and there a new quay or 
 villa, or an old palace decorated with new gardens and 
 trees. I once knew who lived in some of the finer dwell- 
 ings ; for example, yonder low castellated building that 
 covers so much ground on the eastern bank. It is very 
 ancient, and the gradual rise of the land from the annual 
 deposits by the river, long since converted the lower story 
 into a dungeon. The Roman propraetor lived here a part 
 of the year. It once belonged to Cleopatra ; was given 
 by her to a favorite noble and relative, from whom the 
 Romans took it-, as being heirs to all the Pharaohs." 
 
 The vessel, from some cause, now approached the 
 palace they were observing, and the two men walked to 
 the right side of the boat for a closer view. While stand- 
 ing here and noticing various points of a structure that 
 was now seen to be a fortress as well as a palace, they be- 
 came aware of a man standing by their side. 
 
 "You seem interested in this place,'' he said in a 
 grave but courteous tone ; "can I give you any informa- 
 tion about it ? I happen to be particularly well ac- 
 quainted in this neighborhood." 
 
 They had turned to see a man of majestic stature and 
 mien, far advanced in life, but still erect as a palm and 
 keen-eyed— as thoroughly Egyptian in his look and dress 
 as Rameses the Great. 
 
 "I see that -you are strangers, and not Romans," he 
 added apologetically, " and old age likes to speak of the 
 past when it can do so safely." And he looked around as 
 if to assure himself that they were alone. 
 
 Cimon politely thanked the Egyptian, and said that he 
 had just been telling his young friend Aleph that the 
 structure before them was once a royal residence. 
 
8 DOWN THE N"ILE. 
 
 ''That is so/' said the old man; ''not only a resi- 
 dence of the Ptolemies, but also of our native kings. 
 You see that the material is stone from Syene, and that 
 the style of building is old Egyptian. It passed to the 
 Ptolemies with the crown of the Pharaohs, but was re- 
 stored to a direct descendant of the old owners as an act 
 of justice by Cleopatra. For a generation it continued 
 in his family ; but at last the Roman governor took a lik- 
 ing to the place and took it. The Romans are apt to 
 take what they like. " 
 
 " Not a very uncommon thing for conquerors any- 
 where to do/' said Cimon. "Perhaps the site of this 
 very palace was taken without purchase or leave by the 
 Pharaoh who built it, from a weak subject or from another 
 defeated Pharaoh." 
 
 "I think not," decidedly said the Egyptian. "I 
 could show you papyri and parchments in the Serapeum 
 proving that the property has been in the possession of 
 the same priestly family to which it now belongs almost 
 as long as we have been historically a people ; and that, 
 you know, is a great while, and nearly connects us with 
 the time when vacant Misraini was divided among our 
 fathers." 
 
 " Certainly," said the young man whom we have heard 
 his companion call Aleph, "no people between this and 
 the Pillars of Hercules holds its land by so ancient and 
 original a tenure as does the people of Misraim. The 
 Egyptian is older than the Roman, older than the Greek; 
 indeed, was wise and powerful ages before Rome or Greece 
 was born. And, if I mistake not, there is no tradition, 
 nor other reason for thinking, that your fathers dispos- 
 sessed any other people. They must stand as original 
 
DOWN THE NILE. 9 
 
 proprietors. If immemorial possession, without hint of 
 wrong, does not give a just title, the world knows of no such 
 title, whether the party be a nation or an individual/' 
 
 ^^That seems to me well said,"'' came slowly from the 
 old man, as his eye rested on the ingenuous face of the 
 youth. "We came to the valley of the Nile so early that 
 we did not have to inhabit at the expense of any other 
 nation. We may be said to hold our country directly from 
 the immortal gods." 
 
 "You say we cmne," said Cimon. "So, in your 
 opinion, this was not the original site of the Egyptians. 
 From whence do you suppose them to have come, and at 
 how early a period ? For my part, I have no doubt that 
 you were here, and were here as a great and accomplished 
 people, long before the Greeks, or even the Phenicians, 
 had any political existence." 
 
 "Your question would be variously answered among 
 us," returned the Egyptian. " Some would claim for our 
 past hundreds of thousands, and even millions, of years ; 
 would say that such a civilization as ours was at the date 
 of our oldest monuments could not have ripened from 
 that savagery and even brutality which they fancy to have 
 been the primitive human condition in anything short of 
 such immense periods. But such is not my view. I see 
 that you are surprised at this ! " 
 
 "Not surprised that you reject the brute-origin of 
 mankind," returned the Greek ; "for that seems to be 
 contrary to the feeling and faith of all nations ; but rather 
 surprised that you do not share what I have supposed to 
 be the fashionable opinion among Egyptians as to their 
 immense antiquity, and what would naturally be to you a 
 very pleasant opinion." 
 
10 DOWN THE NILE. 
 
 ** No opinion is pleasant to me" replied the old man, 
 slowly shaking his head, '*^for which I can see no reason- 
 able foundation. Manetho, our only extant historian, 
 was an ancestor of mine. I have his original manuscripts, 
 entire, and am satisfied by the careful study of them and 
 of the palace registers of Thebes that his earlier dynasties 
 were largely cotemporaneous. No ; from two thousand 
 to three thousand years are enough to account for our 
 whole history, monuments and all, if we suppose the 
 nation to have been originally gifted and far advanced in 
 civilization on their coming into the land.'* 
 
 ^' May I ask from whence you suppose them to have 
 come ? " inquired Aleph. 
 
 '' That is a very broad question at its broadest ; and 
 the broadest is what I see in the depths of your eyes. 
 There has been but one tradition among us on the sub- 
 ject, and it is like the traditions of all these western peo- 
 ples. They look toward the sun-rising. Our fathers en- 
 tered the land from the north, after journeying from the 
 east. From what part of the great east, do you say ? My 
 answer is that Seti the aged is the son of the youth who 
 now stands before me. His is the primitive stock. Cau- 
 casian Chaldea is the cradle of the nations. And if you 
 go on to ask whence that cradle and primitive stock, I 
 have to tell you what primitive Egypt thought and said — 
 that Amun Ee, the eternal, almighty, and all-wise Spirit, 
 made the stars and the world, and the first parents of us 
 all. That your Democritus and Epicurus," added the 
 Egyptian, looking archly at Cimon, '' should have taught 
 differently ! They should have visited us three thousand 
 years ago and taken lessons. They would have steered 
 their way more successfully among the snags and breakers 
 
DOWl^ THE NILE. 11 
 
 of thought. For, the stream of history is like the Nile — 
 broad with us, and not without its monsters as well as 
 fertilities, but beginning small and beginning very high 
 among mysterious mountains. I speak with confidence ; 
 for I feel that, owing to certain circumstances, I stand on 
 higher ground than most observers do, and can see farther 
 across the centuries. The horizon is distant, but I can 
 see that there is a horizon, and that it sweeps high among 
 the clouds." 
 
 At this moment a Roman officer, who had been lying 
 intoxicated behind some boxes, but was now sufficiently 
 recovered to be miserable and quarrelsome, came some- 
 what unsteadily toward them. They were standing with 
 their backs toward him ; and, noticing their plain garbs, 
 he was, perhaps, encouraged in his thought of mischief. 
 Coming up to the Egyj^tian, he struck him a smart blow 
 on the back with the flat of his sheathed sword which he 
 carried in his hand. 
 
 '^Ha, old mummy, did you never see a Roman be- 
 fore ? '' as Seti turned suddenly toward him. ^' Improve 
 your opportunity. But you will have an opportunity to 
 feel a Roman as well as to see him if you do not at once 
 find the skipper for me. Come, hurry off, old fellow ! " 
 and he raised his sword as if for another blow. 
 
 Aleph stepped between. "It is more fitting that I 
 should do your errand, if it must be done. You see that 
 I am a young man," said he, fixing a steady eye on the 
 haughty and inflamed face before him. 
 
 " Who are you who dare to stand between a Roman 
 and his will ? " cried the officer furiously, his hand still 
 uplifted. 
 
 " Let it suffice you that we are peaceable people, mov- 
 
12 DOWN THE NILE. 
 
 iiig quietly about on our own private affairs, as Roman law 
 and custom entitle us to do. Do you understand ?'^ 
 
 ^' I understand that if you do not stand away from be- 
 tween Rome and Egypt, the Caucasus will suffer/" and 
 the madman began to draw his sword. 
 
 *^ Listen/" said Aleph with composure and emphasis. 
 ^^ You had better not. You have a superior officer, and 
 we are going to Alexandria. I call all these people to 
 witness (by this time many had gathered about) that this 
 quarrel is not of our seeking."" 
 
 '^ Dare you threaten a Roman commander, you beard- 
 less cub ! By the immortals, you shall see what I dare,"" 
 shouted the man, as he plucked his sword from the scab- 
 bard. 
 
 " You shall not,"" said Aleph ; and, snatching a large 
 bundle from a by-stander, he thrust it into the face of the 
 Roman. It burst and enveloped the man in a cloud of 
 pelican feathers, which a Jcav had been collecting for the 
 rag-market of Alexandria. Before his assailant could re- 
 cover himself and sight, Aleph had thrown his arms about 
 him, secured his sword, and, despite his struggles, laid 
 him supine on the floor. Then, without much difficulty, 
 he managed to swathe and bind his arms to his body with 
 his long sword-sash. Looking about, his eye caught a 
 small coil of rope near him ; this he drew to himself, and 
 with it fastened the man in a sitting posture to one of the 
 posts that supported the awning. All this was not done 
 without much struggling and cursing on the part of the 
 Roman ; but Aleph was perfectly silent till his prisoner 
 was well secured. Then, turning to the spectators, he 
 said : 
 
 In behalf of the general safety, let this man remain 
 
 i' 
 
DOWN THE i^ILE. 13 
 
 as you see him till we reach Alexandria. Wine has made 
 him dangerous ; and you notice that what has been done, 
 I only have done, and that reluctantly, to prevent some- 
 thing worse/^ 
 
 A cheer flashed out from the faces huddled about, and 
 almost shaped itself on their parted lips, but was suddenly 
 suppressed before anything more than an indistinct mur- 
 mur had escaped ; for their eyes fell on the watchful and 
 infuriated face of the officer. They were prudent people, 
 those passengers. They admired courage ; they were glad 
 to see a Roman put down ; but they were not ready to 
 sacrifice safety to sentiment. So, instead of cheering, they 
 compromised and fell to laughing at the Jew, who, ex- 
 claiming, 
 
 " 0, my feathers, my poor feathers ! Ah, father 
 Abraham, I am a ruined man this day ; what will become 
 of me ! '' crept about on his hands and knees, trying to 
 collect as much of his volatile property as possible. 
 
 " Do not worry yourself, my friend," said Seti to him 
 in a low voice ; " gather what you can, and add this coin 
 to make the weight good. What has been lost for my 
 sake shall not be loss to you." 
 
 The Jew glanced at the coin that had been slipped 
 into his hand, and, catching the gleam of gold, hurried 
 it dexterously to his pouch, at the same time exclaiming, 
 
 *^ May all the patriarchs ... oh, my beautiful feath- 
 ers for which I paid . . . may Abraham, Isaac, and 
 Jacob . . . ah, what will become of me ! " 
 
 And so he went on groping and exclaiming and stuff- 
 ing handful after handful of his recovered property into 
 his bag amid the merriment of the crowd. 
 
 Making a sign to the two friends to follow, the Egyp- 
 
14 DOWN THE NILE. 
 
 tiaii led the way to another part of the vessel free from 
 people, where was a single seat. On this he seated him- 
 self. 
 
 " I take the privilege of age," said he, " and I am by 
 no means sure but that age gives me the only advantage I 
 have over you. I suspect that the eyes of Seti, though 
 aged, have made a discovery." 
 
 The two friends glanced inquiringly at each other, but 
 said nothing. They were now moving along the canal 
 that connected the J^ile with Lake Mareotis ; and for 
 some time they silently watched the agricultural opera- 
 tions and the ever-increasing number of people and dwell- 
 ings on either bank. At length, emerging into the lake, 
 they saw in the distance the crowded shipping and towers 
 of the city of Alexandria. 
 
 Seti roused himself from the mood of intense thought- 
 fulness, into which he had fallen, and asked : 
 
 ^'^ Are you acquainted with Alexandria?" 
 
 Cimon answered : " With the city, well ; with the 
 people of the city, not at all. A generation has passed 
 since I was here." 
 
 ^'^ Excuse one further question," continued the Egyp- 
 tian. '^ Do you stay long in the city?" 
 
 " That depends on circumstances," replied Cimon ; 
 " but probably our affairs will keep us here for some 
 time.^^ 
 
 " This young man has to-day made an enemy, and 
 a powerful one ; no less a person than the dissipated son 
 of Flaccus, the Governor of Egypt. But he has also 
 found a friend ; and if at any time you should need such 
 aid, in whatever affairs you have in hand, as can be given 
 by a native of the country, and by one well acquainted 
 
DOWN THE KILE. 15 
 
 with things and persons here and not altogether without 
 influence, ask at the Serapeum for the priest Seti, and 
 you will find that I have not forgotten to-day. Do you 
 believe in faces ? '' looking at Aleph. 
 
 ^^ In some faces, as interpreted by circumstances, I do 
 certainly/' replied the young man. 
 
 '*^ And so do I, at least so far as you are concerned/' 
 said the Egyptian ; '^ and it is largely because I do so that 
 I now say what I do. There are two men in Alexandria 
 with whom you should have as little dealing as possible. 
 One is Flaccus, the Roman ; the other is Mains, the Jew. 
 The one is violent, the other is crafty, and both are 
 wicked and powerful. Avoid them, if possible ; but if it 
 is not possible, then remember Seti, the Eg3rptian. It is 
 true — what the proverb says, that in this world the worst 
 men often occupy the best places.'* 
 
 As the vessel approached the quay, Seti continued: 
 ' ' I think that, contrary to my expectation, I will ask one 
 more question before we part. Of what faith are you ? 
 All sorts are found here ; also multitudes with no faith at 
 all. Where do you stand ? " looking at Cimon. ^^ Do 
 you hold with your fathers ? '' 
 
 '^ With my father,'' said the Greek ; '' but not with 
 my fathers. I follow not Zeus, but Jehovah ; not the 
 oracles of Delphi and Dodona, but those of the Hebrew 
 prophets. This young man the same." 
 
 *'It is as I supposed," said the old man, after a mo- 
 ment adding, as if to himself, '^^and it is well. Zeus, 
 Jupiter, Amun Re, and Jehovah, rightly understood, are 
 the same." 
 
 Giving them his hand, he stepped ashore, and disap- 
 peared in the crowd. Runners from the various khans 
 
16 DOWN THE NILE. 
 
 now came noisily aboard and fought for customers, as 
 they do now, and have done from time out of mind. To 
 one of these troublesome fellows Cimon delivered certain 
 packages, and then, with his young companion, followed 
 them. In passing the spot where they had left the 
 Koman, they found that he had disappeared. Who had 
 set him free ? No matter ; he is gone. We hope they 
 have seen the last of him. We hope that returning sober- 
 ness has made the man so ashamed of himself that here- 
 after he will carefully keep out of view. But we have 
 our fears. The appeal from Philip drunk to Philip sober 
 is not always a success. Besides, Philip was not a 
 Koman. 
 
II. 
 
 THE CARAVANSARY. 
 
 AAA;/ d' (i/lAwf yTiCjaaa fiefity^^vrj. 
 
 —Homer, Odyss. xix. 175. 
 There was a great confusion of tongues. 
 
1. All sorts. 
 
 2. What all believe. 
 
 3. An exception. 
 
 4. A >^rong righted. 
 
II. 
 
 THE CARAVANSARY. 
 
 a"^HE khan to which our two friends were conducted 
 - was not far from the landing. It was the chief 
 point, in that part of the city, of arrival and departure 
 for commercial people ; and, as evening was now near, 
 the great court within was bustling and picturesque with 
 arrivals. Donkeys were being led through it to stables 
 in the rear, camels were being unloaded, horsemen were 
 dismounting ; it was a very Babel of sounds, of costumes, 
 and of movements. 
 
 '^ Is Nathan still the keeper of this khan ? " inquired 
 Cimon of their guide, as they were being shown to their 
 quarters. 
 
 '^He is,'' said the man ; ''^but he is now out of the 
 city. Do you wish to see his assistant ? The master 
 himself will not be at home for, perhaps, some days." 
 
 Cimon answered in the negative. Following their 
 guide and parcels into a small sleeping-room, with an 
 ante-room opening on the piazza which surrounded the 
 court, and directing that a simple meal should be sent to 
 them in the evening, they busied themselves for a while 
 in arranging matters for the night. Then they went out 
 on the cooler piazza, and seated themselves on a bench. 
 
 " This adventure with the Roman seems unfortunate," 
 
20 THE CARAVANSARY. 
 
 said Cimon thoughtfully. '^Unless matters have much 
 changed since I was here, the ill-will of any Roman official 
 is not to be coveted ; while that of the Roman governor 
 looks like quite a serious matter to people on such an 
 errand as ours.^^ 
 
 ^' My interference, I suppose," said Aleph, ^' would 
 hardly be considered prudent by most people ; but I can- 
 not but think that there is something better than pru- 
 dence. Shall we never allow our hearts to speak and act 
 without stopping to consider how our interests will be 
 affected? Safety gained in that way seems to me hardly 
 worth the having." 
 
 " I think you are right," said the other. ^'I am far 
 from finding fault with what you have done. Under like 
 circumstances I would have you do it again. Our first 
 thought, no doubt, should be. What is highest and wor- 
 thiest ? If that is not prudence, it is something vastly bet- 
 ter. But it is prudence, on the whole ; for it will never 
 do for a man to despise himself and offend Heaven. God 
 governs. But we must wait for Him. A cloud is not 
 always a calamity. A rough wind may help one toward 
 the harbor sought. I know that these are your father's 
 views, and that he would be unwilling to have his son 
 sacrifice even magnanimity to any appearance of present 
 advantage." 
 
 ''Have you any idea who Seti is?" inquired the 
 young man after a moment. 
 
 ''I have been trying," answered the other, ''to find 
 in my memory something about him. I know that when 
 I was here, the Egyptians as well as the Jews had an 
 official head or alaharcli of their own nation, who was 
 the organ of communication between them and the 
 
THE CARAVANSARY. 21 
 
 Roman authorities. My impression is that the Egyptian 
 alabarch was of Pharaonic family and a priest of the Sera- 
 peum. It may be that Seti is the man. I hope he is.^' 
 
 '^I confess/^ said Aleph, *^that the man has quite 
 taken possession of me. It seems to me that I would be 
 willing to venture almost anything on his thorough up- 
 rightness and even grandeur of character, although I 
 have known him but such a short time. Did you notice 
 what an aspect he turned on the Roman just after the 
 blow ? Had not the fellow been besotted, the surprised 
 majesty of that look alone would have quelled him. But 
 how is it possible for such a man to be a worshipper of 
 brutes, and even to act as their priest ? " 
 
 *^ That is not a question easily answered,^' replied the 
 Greek. ^^ But probably Seti, like all superior Egyptian 
 priests from time immemorial, believes in a religion for 
 the few and another religion for the many. The doctrine 
 of One God to be worshiped without sensible figures is 
 for the few elect who are prepared for it ; the lower 
 classes in general are not prepared for it, but need to 
 have the various divine attributes shadowed out to them 
 in sensible forms ; and as no forms that man can make 
 are equal to even the familiar living creatures with their 
 wonderful mysteries of internal structure, these are offered 
 to assist the feeble thought of feeble men. Of course, this 
 is all wrong ; but it is a wrong imbedded in the traditions 
 and prejudices of ages, and so not easily escaped from. 
 Jehovah makes allowances for such people, whether their 
 names be Socrates and Plato or Zoroaster and Seti. Aris- 
 totle says that some of our species have gold blended in 
 their composition from the very beginning. Seti seems 
 to me one of these." 
 
22 THE CARAVANSARY. 
 
 By this time the sun was below the west side of the 
 khan, and the open court was quite in the shade. This 
 brought out into it and the surrounding piazzas all the 
 guests. It was a motley to see as well as to hear. Almost 
 every nation seemed represented, almost every style of 
 features and costume. There were Eomans, Greeks, 
 Phenicians, Egyptians, Persians, Arabs, and even a 
 sprinkling of natives from Gaul, Spain, and other places. 
 Such a variety of faces, dress, and, when one listened at- 
 tentively, of speech ! A drag-net of all seas was Nathan's 
 khan. 
 
 Aleph was all eyes and ears. The scene was full of 
 novelty and interest to him. At length, turning to his 
 companion, he said : 
 
 ^^This scene reminds me of what I have often heard 
 you and my father say." 
 
 ^' And what is that ?" asked Cimon. '^ Your father, 
 at least, is wont to say wise things beyond any man I ever 
 knew." 
 
 ^■^That, wide as is the variety of religious beliefs 
 among men, they believe alike in certain main respects. 
 What differences among the faces before us as to color, 
 size, proportion of parts, expression ; and yet they are all 
 faces, all human faces, all faces having the same general 
 plan of structure and location of the various organs." 
 
 " Yes," added the elder ; '^ Homines diver si sed 
 homines, as said a Roman before you. And see how 
 various the costume ; and yet it is all clothing, — all cloth- 
 ing that recognizes the warm climate, the season of the 
 year, and to a certain extent the time of day and the con- 
 venience of travelers." 
 
 '^And you might add," continued the young man. 
 
THE CARAVANSARY. 23 
 
 after a moment of close listening, " that it is just so with 
 the various articulate sounds that come to us. While 
 they (liifer in tone, in time, in syntax, in dialect, they 
 are all speech, all articulate speech, and, for the most 
 part, speech so much of the Greek pattern as to be intel- 
 ligible to nearly all of us." 
 
 '^ Yes," said Cimon, " and I suppose that it is very 
 much so with the religious beliefs of these people. 
 Though their creeds differ much among themselves, they 
 are alike in many most important particulars. They all 
 recognize a realm of spiritual beings superior to man, a 
 Supreme Deity, his concern in human affairs, messages 
 from him, our responsibility to him, a future state of re- 
 wards and punishments, and the main principles of good 
 morals. There may be some exceptions ; for these, I un- 
 derstand, are skeptical times in the Roman world. Almost 
 everything is called in question among the philosophers, 
 even the fact that there is something to be called in 
 question ; though it is found hard to get men to question 
 that the Romans are masters, that Tiberius reigns, and 
 that Alexandria is the greatest emporium of the world. 
 But the vagaries of the schools make but little impression 
 on the people at large. They never have done so. The 
 more fundamental beliefs have kept a firm hold on all 
 nations and ages. A little pool will show the heavens as 
 well as the ocean. This khan is a little pool ; and at the 
 bottom of it, amid many wrinkles and clouds, one can 
 discover many of the larger stars of religious truth which 
 have shone on the world from the beginning." 
 
 "And how do you account for these universal be- 
 liefs ? " asked Aleph. 
 
 "It seems to me that they came from a Divine re vela- 
 
24 THE CARAVANSARY. 
 
 tion to the first fathers of the race, and that they were 
 carried forth with them as they gradually dispersed from 
 their original seats, and that they took root so deeply in 
 the needs and reasons of men tliat no evil circumstances 
 luive been able to remove them It seems to me that as 
 all the routes of trade in our day naturally converge on 
 Alexandria, so the natural highways of thought and need 
 all over the world converge on these fundamental truths." 
 "No doubt you also think it reasonable to believe 
 that Deity, who made the deposits with the race, has 
 been personally active all along to preserve it, as a broad 
 ground for responsibility and further enlightenment ? 
 In addition to a mighty undertow in human nature itself 
 toward these fundamental truths, there are winds and cur- 
 rents of external circumstance setting in the same direc- 
 tion by the personal agency of the Most High.'' 
 " Just so. But look at those men ! '' 
 The two persons pointed at had been sitting not far 
 away in the open court, conversing in a low tone. By 
 degrees their conversation had become more animated and 
 loud, until now they were earnestly gesturing and talking 
 so as to be distinctly understood at a distance. It seemed 
 that one of the disputants was a Phenician, and was en- 
 deavoring to settle an account of long standing with an 
 Alexandrian dealer in Tyrian dyes, to whom these goods 
 had from time to time been consigned. This dealer 
 claimed that several of the consignments had been short 
 in both quantity and quality ; and so offered about half 
 the regular price for the whole lot. 
 
 The other protested, called Baal and Ashtarotli to wit- 
 ness that his claim was just ; said that he had trusted for 
 so long and for so much, that if his accounts were not now 
 
THE CARAVANSARY. 25 
 
 allowed, he would be ruined. lie had arrived from Sidon 
 some days before, expressly for the purpose of trying to 
 get a settlement, but had till now been unable to get even 
 an interview with the dealer, who was always too busy to 
 see him, but had at last agreed to have his agent meet him 
 at the khan. This was the meeting. The Phenician had 
 at first quietly represented the hardships of his case with 
 some hope of softening the agent, but, growing desperate, 
 he hotly rose from his seat and exclaimed in a voice that 
 was almost a wail : 
 
 " I shall be undone, — quite undone ! Have you no 
 mercy ? " 
 
 " Not much," said the other, ''for some people."' 
 
 " Thou flint ! Before all the gods my claim is just. 
 What shall I do ? My children will starve." 
 
 " Let them. The fewer such brats the better. Busi- 
 ness is business. Take what I offer or nothing. You 
 have only yourself to blame ; you shouldn't cheat so." 
 
 " Cheat ! " exclaimed the Phenician in a transport of 
 wrath that for the moment drank up his tears like a hot 
 blast from the desert. " Cheat ! you Cretan rascal ! You 
 are a pretty fellow to advise against cheating ; you who, I 
 verily believe, never did anything else ; nor your fathers 
 either, for that matter. AVho does not know what the 
 honesty of a Cretan is worth ? " 
 
 By this time many had gathered around. Turning to 
 them, the Phenician besought their help to make his 
 debtor do him justice. 
 
 " Why not go to the judge ? " said a by-stander. 
 
 ''Ah, my friend, I have been imprudent. I cannot 
 prove that my goods were all right ; for I was so careless 
 that I took it for granted that I was dealing with an lion- 
 
26 THE CARAYANSARY. 
 
 est man, and so neglected to have them examined and 
 registered at Sidon. Besides, if I had done this, how- 
 could I know but that the packages had been tampered 
 with on their way here? I could not swear that they 
 came into this man's hands in as good condition as they 
 were when they left mine. But he could swear to any- 
 thing. Why shouldn't he ? He told me a little while 
 ago, while Ave were opening our conference with some 
 general talk, that he did not believe in any god or here- 
 after ; in short, that he had no religion of any sort. What 
 is to keep such a man from wronging his neighbor out of 
 his dues when it can be done safely ? "' 
 
 " This man speaks truth," said a substantial looking 
 man hard by ; ^' for, as I was passing here some time ago, 
 I overheard this atheist sneering at all religion. Said I 
 to myself, that man is a rogue. Is cheating too bad a 
 thing for such a fellow to do ? Hassan thinks not. " 
 
 On this another cried out : '' Some of us know Hassan. 
 His word is good. I think as he does : that a man who 
 has robbed himself of his conscience would not hesitate to 
 rob a Phenician of his goods.'' 
 
 i' Exactly so," said another just behind, as he gave his 
 neighbor a push toward the Cretan. ^^ A man who does 
 not believe in anything good believes in everything bad." 
 
 '''Oh, the fellow is an imitation philosopher, is he? 
 The genuine is bad enough, but an imitation is worse — 
 mere husks. And husks are thrown away. Let's throw 
 him away ; " and the speaker drew his girdle a "bit 
 tighter. 
 
 ''And /would not trust the rascal with a fig," cried 
 another, as he shied a rather sorry specimen of the fruit 
 at the Cretan. 
 
THE CABAVAN-SARY. 27 
 
 '* Hustle him out — hustle him out/' cried several at 
 once, throwing up their hands. 
 
 The crowd seemed on the point of doing it. The 
 Cretan turned pale as he saw them moving upon him, 
 and began to retreat toward the gate. Seeing this, some of 
 the people ran and planted themselves in the way. Find- 
 ing himself intercepted, the man jumped on a bench and 
 cried in a frightened voice : 
 
 "Friends, do not harm me. lam only an agent in 
 this matter. I do what I am bid. My principal is 
 Malus." 
 
 Mains, Mains — the word passed from mouth to mouth 
 in a low tone. It seemed magical. At once the outcry 
 ceased. The billow of angry faces and hands that was 
 rushing toward the Cretan suddenly stood still, and then 
 slowly broke into many little whispering, murmuring 
 whirlpools. The way to the gate was no longer barred, 
 and the Cretan made his way to it precipitately, and dis- 
 appeared. There was no danger of j^ursuit. 
 
 The Phenician sat down again, and covered his face 
 with his hands. Our two friends talked together for a 
 few moments in a low tone. Then Aleph rose and went 
 to the man ; and, after exchanging a few words with him, 
 conducted him to Cimon. A long conversation followed. 
 At last Cimon came forward to the edge of the piazza, 
 and beckoned for attention. He already had it — had in- 
 deed been having it for some time ; but seeing the gesture, 
 the people came nearer. 
 
 "I do not express any opinion," said the Greek, "as 
 to the justice of this man's cause. We have not at pres- 
 ent the means for judging that. But, unless all the usual 
 marks fail, this is a case of genuine distress -, and one that 
 
28 THE CARAVANSARY. 
 
 is not likely to be helped by a resort to the courts. The 
 mini confesses that he has been imprudent. Besides, he 
 is too poor to bear the expense of a suit. And if he could, 
 a suit would probably be in vain. When the weak con- 
 tend with the powerful, the weak must go to the wall. 
 So, rightly or wrongly, the poor man will lose his debt ; 
 his family will suffer, and he will be in danger of losing 
 all heart by losing in his old age the labor of years. I 
 propose that we help him. The sum lost, though large 
 to him, would not be large to us. A small contribution 
 from each of us will set him on his feet again. Who of 
 you will join me in making it, perhaps in righting a great 
 wrong ? " 
 
 And, stepping forward, he laid a piece of gold on the 
 bench where the Phenician had sat. Aleph rose and put 
 another by the side of it. Hassan promptly came up and 
 did the same. The example was followed by others, until 
 at last Aleph, coming forward and examining the amount 
 contributed, pronounced it quite sufficient to cover the 
 loss. He handed the sum to the Phenician. 
 
 The man seemed for a moment almost bewildered as 
 he received it. He then fell on his knees and thanked 
 his gods in a few trembling words ; then springing to his 
 feet, he lifted up his voice and wept. At last he found 
 words and composure enough to say to the people : 
 
 '' My friends, you have saved me. I was ready to die ; 
 would gladly have died a few moments ago ; but now I 
 can live, because my family can. I bless you in the name 
 of my little children. You may be sure that you have 
 not helped a rogue ; the facts are as I have given them. 
 Before the gods I am an honest man, though I could not 
 prove it before your judges. Again I thank you ; and," 
 
THE CARAVANSARY. 29 
 
 turning to Cimon and Aleph, ''especially these two 
 friends, who, though strangers to me, have this day stood 
 between me and ruin. If Sansciano ever forgets them, 
 may . . .'' 
 
 Here he fairly broke down, and suddenly turning to 
 one of the pillars that supported the piazza, buried his 
 face in his hand. 
 
 The sudden night of Egypt was now upon them, and 
 the torches began to flame. After exchanging a few more 
 words with the Phenician, the two friends withdrew to 
 their rooms ; but not before they had caught glimpse of 
 a Roman uniform entering the little office near the gate 
 of the court. Did it give them any uneasiness ? I hope 
 not. Borrowing trouble is poor business. Sufficient unto 
 the day is the evil thereof. And then, is there not a 
 shield broad as the heavens above the good ? Trust it, 
 ye strangers, and go to sleep — if ye are indeed good. 
 
 Ai'e they good men ? For one, I am inclined to 
 believe in them. Not so much because of their good 
 looks, as because they look good. Not so much from 
 what they have said and done during the few hours of 
 our acquaintance with them, as from a certain — well, let 
 the word be written, though deservedly somewhat un- 
 poi^ular of late — intuition. There is something wonder- 
 fully prepossessing in the look of both these strangers. 
 It is hard to say what that something is that so bespeaks 
 confidence, but that it exists and speaks mightily there 
 is no denying — at least by me. I seem to look right 
 through those frank and fearless yet kind eyes into 
 noble souls. It may be only a seeming. I shall not 
 attempt to Justify myself to the philosophers. If they 
 choose to remind me that appearances are sometimes 
 
30 THE CARAVANSARY. 
 
 deceptive ; that virtue is often very cleverly imitated ; in 
 shorty that old proverbs declare that '^All is not gold 
 that glitters/' and that ''Fair outsides often cover foul 
 insides/' I have nothing to say against it. I shall not 
 argue the case with them. They would have the best of 
 it from the arguing stand-point. Intuitions cannot be 
 defended. So I will do nothing but express a modest 
 opinion that such well-appearing people will turn out as 
 good as they look. Even this, no doubt, will look suffi- 
 ciently foolish to some ; and should they conclude to 
 suspend judgment as to the character of Cimon and 
 Aleph till they have seen more of them in the progress 
 of the narrative, I shall not complain. They are acting 
 sensibly — as the world goes. They certainly are on very 
 safe ground. ''By their fruits ye shall know them" is 
 a maxim whose authority cannot be controverted. And 
 if, in the application of this maxim, they shall discover 
 that the two strangers are no better than they should be, 
 or as bad as the worst, I can only hang my head in con- 
 fusion, and confess that the logic of experience is better 
 than intuition — 7ny intuition. 
 
III. 
 THE BANKER. 
 
 Td xpW^Tf^ VEVfia Tuv TrpayfiuTuv. 
 
 Plutarch, Cleom. 27. 
 
 3Io7iey, the sinews of business. 
 
1. A financial enri^peror. 
 
 2. Hi« greatest treasure. 
 
 3. Pharisees and SaddtAcees. 
 4:. Poor Nliriann! 
 
III. 
 
 THE BANKER, 
 
 ~Y"TT'HETHER Cimon and Aleph slept the sleep of the 
 V V just we must leave to be settled in the progress of 
 the narrative. I am, I again confess, prepossessed in their 
 favor. At any rate, they slej)t so soundly that most of 
 the guests of the khan had gone off on their various 
 affairs before the two friends made their appearance. 
 
 Perhaps, too, they were delayed by a cause that did 
 not delay many of their fellow-guests — morning worship. 
 It seems that they acknowledged Jehovan and a revelation 
 from him ; and it is to be presumed that such people be- 
 gan their day in the reasonable and old-fashioned way. 
 When have devout believers not acted on the principle 
 that prayer and provender hinder no man's journey ? 
 Besides, they breakfasted in their own room ; whereas 
 most inmates of the khan patronized the cook shops that 
 abounded in the neighborhood. 
 
 After the meal they went out and seated themselves 
 on the bench they had occupied the evening before. 
 
 '' The first thing to be done," said Cimon, '' is to find 
 a suitable banker and open an account with him for such 
 Alexandrian funds as we may need. As one of our objects 
 requires that we be unknown, and especially that our con- 
 nection with your father should not reach the ears of 
 
34 THE BANKER. 
 
 Mains, we cannot use our draft on liim except in case of 
 absolute necessity. We must depend on the jewels. And 
 they are too valuable to be trusted to any but the best 
 hands. If tlie Jewish family that held the alabarchate 
 when 1 was here last is still in business, this would be the 
 one to apply to. They were as noted for their integrity 
 as for their immense wealth and influence at Rome. I 
 will go and ask our dei3uty-liost whether they have now 
 any representative in Alexandria. ^^ 
 
 After a short absence the Greek returned with two 
 canes in his hand, and with the information that the old 
 banking-house was flourishing more than ever in the per- 
 son of Alexander, the son of the old Alabarch ; that the 
 son had succeeded to all his father's honors and more 
 than his father's wealth ; and that, as the imperial 
 banker, his influence at Rome was supposed to be even 
 greater than among his own people for whom he had 
 lately enriched the nine gates of the temple at Jerusalem 
 with gold plates of enormous value. It was generally 
 understood in the city that he had lately prevented cer- 
 tain oppressive measures against the Jews of Antioch by 
 threatening to withhold a loan. Some went so far as to 
 tell how many millions of sesterces each minute brought 
 him, and even supposed that he had discovered the art of 
 turning base metals into gold. 
 
 '^ I am sorry that we did not ask Seti about the pres- 
 ent Alabarch, ^^ said Cimon ; '' but I have no doubt from 
 what I know of the family that he is the person to whom 
 we should apply.'^ 
 
 " I have also learned two other facts," he continued. 
 " One is that the greatest galley in all the three harbors 
 is Malus himself, and that the Cretan of last night is one 
 
THE BANKER. 35 
 
 of several small tenders that wait on the great ship and 
 do its meaner work — which means that the oversight of 
 the harbors and of the import trade has mainly fallen 
 into the hands of Mains and his agents^ and that the fear 
 of him is on all small dealers, whom he could easily crush, 
 especially as he is on the best of terms with the Roman 
 authorities of the city. The other fact is that a Roman 
 soldier was at the khan-office last night to inquire whether 
 two men (describing us) were staying here. The deputy 
 said that he managed not to enlighten the man much — 
 as it was always safe to assume that what a Roman wanted 
 to know ought not to be known. ^^ 
 
 ^^ Would it not be well for us/' said the young man, 
 ^' to make some changes in our dress so as to embarrass 
 such inquiries? ... I am glad to see that you have brought 
 in your hand something to help us discourage unpleasant 
 recognitions, '^ he added with a smile and a glance at the 
 canes. ^' They have a tough and serviceable look.'' 
 
 " They certainly may be useful on occasion. But 
 every gentleman in Alexandria is in the habit of carrying 
 a cane ; for us to do the same will help ward off notice as 
 well as assault. Dogs and donkeys abound ; and some of 
 them walk on two legs. A stout stick, with your skill at 
 fence and thrust, will be almost as good as a sword. ... As 
 to making some changes in dress, I think your suggestion 
 a good one. I also think that it would be well for you, 
 at least, to dress somewhat more richly to-day, inasmuch 
 as you must be the one to do our business with the banker. 
 Till one is known appearance goes far. Meanwhile I will 
 brush up my knowledge of the city and its people. We 
 will meet here late in the day." 
 
 Cimon then produced his tablets and drew on them a 
 
36 THE BANKER. 
 
 rough plan of the city— one central street, two hundred 
 feet broad, running between the lake and the sea from the 
 gate of the Moon to the gate of the Sun, and called Em- 
 porium Street : this crossed in the middle at right angles 
 by another street of similar breadth, but of much less 
 lencrth, called the street of Canopus, ending on the west 
 at the gate of the Necropolis, and on the east at the gate 
 of Canopus : these two main streets cut at right angles by 
 all the rest : here, in the south-east, the Jews' quarter, 
 occupying two of the five divisions of the city : there, 
 north of this quarter and extending to the two harbors 
 Eunostus and Kibotus, and including all the frontage on 
 these harbors called Bruchium, the Greek and Koman 
 quarters. These latter also include a narrow section of 
 the city lying along the whole length of Emporium Street 
 on the west. Just west of this section is Rachotis or the 
 Egyptian quarter, in the southern part of which, on the 
 highest ground in the city, stands the Serapeum, the 
 famous temple of Jupiter Serapis. 
 
 " Entering at the gate of the Moon," continued Cimon, 
 '' you are to pass up Emporium Street till you come to 
 the street of Canopus : here turn to your right, and, after 
 a short walk, you will find by inquiry the place of the 
 
 great banker. 
 
 i) 
 
 Surely, the way was so plain that no guide would be 
 needed. So, after making some changes in his dress, 
 Aleph took his cane and set forth. 
 
 By this time the whole Alexandrian world, the most 
 industrious and bustling world known in ancient times, 
 was in full movement. Sucli tides of men surging from 
 sea to lake and from lake to sea— such tides of donkeys 
 and horses and camels going and coming— such a menage- 
 
THE BAKKER. 37 
 
 rie and roar of sounds from the tramp of thousands, the 
 shrill calls of traders hawking their wares, the cries of the 
 animals and their drivers, the infinite clatter from the 
 tools of artisans of every name pouring out from the open 
 shops far and near ! Slowly on went the young man, 
 with eyes full of grave interest, along the splendid thor- 
 oughfare for two miles, till he came to the ornate square, 
 half a league in circumference, from the centre of which 
 one could, without changing his place, see the lake on 
 the south and the harbors with their dividing mole 
 (Heptastadium) and its Pharos on the north, as well as 
 the sands of the desert at both ends of the street of 
 Canopus. Turning down this street to the east under 
 one of the magnificent colonnades that skirted it on 
 either hand, he noticed as he advanced not only that the 
 leading places of business were held by Jews (a fact that 
 he had noticed on the other street), but that the farther 
 he went the more people he saw with Jewish features. 
 
 Before he had gone very far, two young men with 
 caps and black gowns, something like the present English 
 university, dress, hurried by him ; one saying to the other 
 as they passed : 
 
 " The earlier at the Alabarch's the better. First 
 come, first served, you know." 
 
 Aleph quickened his pace so as to keep near them. 
 They soon came to what seemed a fortress rather than a 
 private dwelling or place of business — solid stone, no win- 
 dows on the first story, length on the street several times 
 that of an ordinary dwelling. Solidity and strength 
 rather than show was the impression given — no elaborate 
 carvings, no pillars of porphyry and cornelian, but plain, 
 massive, mob-defying marble ; in short, an architectural 
 
38 THE BANKER. 
 
 safe. This structure was on a corner. Turning the cor- 
 ner, the young men came by a few steps to a small door. 
 Aleph followed closely ; and when the door opened to the 
 others, he entered with them and was ushered into a re- 
 ception-room close by, where many others were already 
 waiting their turn to be called into the presence of the 
 financial magnate. 
 
 Soon a servant presented on a silver salver tablets to 
 the new-comers, on which each should write his name. 
 When the tablets came to Aleph he noticed that the 
 names of the two young men who had just written were 
 P. Cornelius, Serapeum, and Q. Metellus, Museu7n, 
 What did he write ? After a moment's hesitation he wrote 
 Aleph, the Chaldean, khan near the gate of the Moon. 
 
 There were several academic uniforms in the room 
 (each with a conspicuous gold badge in front) that seemed 
 well acquainted with one another, and not disposed to 
 lose the time of waiting, possibly long, in silence. Some 
 talked together with great enthusiasm of a boat-race that 
 had come off the day before on the lake : others discussed 
 the merits of various recent performances in the palasstra, 
 especially those of a certain noted athlete and trainer who 
 had just arrived from Rome : two agreed that there was 
 nothing worth living for but the noble art of fencing, and 
 that the greatest living master of the art was one Draco of 
 Rhodes, of whom they were taking lessons. A knot of 
 dudes were comparing breast-pins and finger-rings and 
 experiences at the last fashionable party ; or boasting of 
 the successful tricks they had played on the lecturers at 
 the Museum, and of how they managed to evade many of 
 the lectures and dehule their parents and other friends at 
 home with the idea that they were hard at work digging 
 
THE BANKER. 39 
 
 into all the sciences and philosophies and living like her- 
 mits on crusts and water. Some were ready to burst with 
 merriment over some practical jokes they had played on 
 some citizen or new-comer at the Museum ; or at the way 
 in which they had baffled the police in a midnight brawl. 
 The two students who came in with Aleph seemed 
 better to deserve the name. They had just come from a 
 lecture by Philo, a brother of the Alabarch ; and found 
 much to commend in his ingenious attempts to Hellenize 
 the Hebrew writers or to Hebraize the Greek— they were 
 uncertain which way to put it. They agreed that he was 
 a very broad man and ready to do justice to great men of 
 other nationality than his own. They were also hearing 
 lectures on astronomy and Hipparchus in the observatory 
 rooms at the Serapeum, as well as on the physics and 
 metaphysics of Aristotle at the Museum. 
 
 Aleph was not sorry to have this little insight into 
 student life in Alexandria ; and, considering the number 
 of persons in the room on his arrival, he was expecting to 
 have a still longer time to observe and listen, when, to his 
 surprise and apparently to that of others around, a special 
 servant came to conduct him to the banker. 
 
 After passing through a large room occupied by many 
 persons busy at desks, and crossing a broad passage from 
 which rose a flight of marble steps, they came to a small 
 room plainly furnished, in which were seated two men. 
 What was his surprise to recognize in one of them the 
 Egyptian Seti ! The pleasure he felt sprang at once to 
 his face, as he advanced with a warm but modest greeting 
 which the aged man cordially reciprocated, and then pre- 
 sented him to the Alabarch as ^^the young man of whom 
 we have been speaking." 
 
40 THE BANKER. 
 
 Alexander was a Jew to the sliglitest inspection. But 
 his features though national were royally so, aixl might 
 have belonged to Solomon. Their whole expression be- 
 spoke one accustomed to great thoughts and plans ; while 
 yet a certain watchfulness, like distant pickets about a 
 royal encampment, looked out from far back in his frank 
 and friendly eyes as of one who knows that all sorts of 
 characters will come to a banker, and who knows how to 
 protect himself on occasion. His manners were polished 
 and courtly — as might have been expected in one who 
 dealt only with the highest and most cultured classes, and 
 was even a companion of princes. In watching him one 
 felt sure that the man was larger than his wealth, however 
 large that might be. He was still in the prime of life, 
 and without a thread of silver in his dark hair and 
 beard. 
 
 Alexander received the young man graciously, though 
 with wide-open, all-observing eyes. 
 
 "I happened," said the Egyptian to Aleph, ''to be 
 with my son when your name was brought in ; and, 
 though you gave me no name yesterday, I fancied that 
 tlie Chaldean was the friend I have occasion to remember, 
 and that his first business would naturally be with a 
 banker. I had just finished explaining how we met when 
 you came in." 
 
 " That I am as glad as surprised," returned the young 
 man, ''to see you here and in such a relation, you doubt- 
 less have already discovered. Perhaps I am the more glad 
 because my business with this gentleman is such as may 
 call for a word of friendly prepossession in my favor from 
 one who is known here. For the present I am compelled 
 to remain unknown. I can only appear as Aleph, the 
 
THE BAKKER. 41 
 
 Chaldean, in company with his preceptor and friend, 
 Cimon the Athenian. So I have no papers to present on 
 which to ask an open account for him and myself, within 
 certain limits, with a banker. I have only certain jewels 
 to place in his hands, of the value of which he must 
 judge" — and he drew from the bosom of his tunic a 
 small box which he opened and handed to Alexander. 
 
 The banker was surprised. In all his wide experience 
 he had never fallen in with such brilliants — so large, so 
 beautifully and variously hued, with such soft and mystic 
 fires playing about them and raying out from their inmost 
 depths. A pearl, a ruby, a sapphire, and a diamond — 
 that was all ; but, as Alexander turned the box this way 
 and that, there flashed out upon him such lovely lights 
 as he had never seen in the imperial treasury at Rome, 
 enriched as it was with the regalia of many nations. 
 
 After carefully taking out each gem and examining it 
 on all sides, and then as carefully replacing it in its luxu- 
 rious bed, Alexander at length fetched a long breath and 
 slowly said : 
 
 " If any common stranger had brought me these re- 
 markable jewels I should have demanded to know his 
 name and station — in short, that he is the rightful owner 
 of such a treasure. This would only be common prudence. 
 But I happen to have an uncommon father-in-law, who 
 has a notion that he has a gift of reading character in 
 faces and bearing, and avIio thinks so favorably of yours 
 that he might quarrel with me if I should deal with you 
 on strictly business principles. I should be sorry to have 
 him do that. Besides, to tell the truth, I have something 
 of his weakness for a good face and figure, and whatever 
 else that indescribable something about you is that de- 
 
42 THE BANKER. 
 
 mauds confidence. So I think I will venture " — and he 
 threw an arch look and smile at Seti. 
 
 And he drew two sheets of papyrus toward himself. 
 After writing for some time, he read over to himself care- 
 fully what he had written, and then handed the sheet to 
 Aleph, saying, ''Is this satisfactory ?'" 
 
 The young man read a full description of the box and 
 its contents ; an acknowledgment of the receipt of it as 
 basis for credit to the extent of 200,000 aurei or staters, 
 to be drawn upon at pleasure in large or small sums ; also 
 a promise to restore the jewels on repayment of sums ad- 
 vanced with a moderate interest. 
 
 Aleph pronounced the paper entirely satisfactory, and 
 far more favorable than he had any reason to expect — 
 adding, however, that he had no idea of making any large 
 drafts on the sum pledged ; as one of the objects he had 
 in view in Alexandria would compel him to live in a very 
 quiet and inexpensive way, even if it were not a matter of 
 
 choice. 
 
 Alexander then proceeded to copy the document, and 
 to affix his signature and seal to it and to the copy. He 
 retained one and gave the other to Aleph, with a parcel 
 of small slips of papyrus each already signed by himself, 
 but otherwise blank, saying : 
 
 '' Whenever you wish current money, fill in one of 
 these with the sum desired, in your own handwriting and 
 with your name as given to-day, and present it in the 
 room through which you passed in coming here. . . . 
 Now I will put this treasure where it will be somewhat 
 safer than it was when walking the streets of Alexandria 
 under the protection of a cane " — and he rose and took 
 the box and his copy of the paper he had just executed to 
 
THE BAKKER. 43 
 
 carry them into an adjoining room whose door, massive 
 with iron, proclaimed the very citadel of the financial 
 stronghold. 
 
 ** Will you add this small parcel of valuable documents 
 to the box?" said Aleph, as he again produced from 
 the bosom of his tunic an elaborately tied and sealed 
 parcel. 
 
 Alexander had hardly resumed his seat, after a few 
 momemts' absence, when a light step was heard descend- 
 ing the stairs in the neighboring passage, the door softly 
 opened a little, then wider, and after a moment a young 
 lady advanced into the room. Seti and Aleph were so 
 seated that they could not well be seen from the door ; 
 and the maiden seeing none but Alexander went hastily 
 up to him, put her hand on his shoulder, kissed his fore- 
 head, and said : 
 
 " Father, word has just been brought me that my poor 
 nurse Miriam, who has come back to the city sick, is 
 now dying, and wants to see me. May I take a servant 
 with me and go ? In the absence of my mother and 
 brothers, I thought I had better come directly to you, as 
 I may need to be gone for some time, and you would be 
 alarmed at my prolonged absence." 
 
 " Certainly I would have been. Take two servants : 
 then you can send one of them back for anything that 
 may be needed. Let the woman have every possible help 
 and comfort. But, Eachel, you do not notice your grand- 
 father ! " — nodding his head toward Seti, who had risen 
 and was coming toward her. 
 
 Rachel turned suddenly, with a faint exclamation of 
 surprise, and sprang into the open arms of the Egyptian, 
 exclaiming : 
 
44 THE BANKER. 
 
 '' When did you come? I thought you were still in 
 Upper Egypt. IIow glad I am to see you, my dear grand- 
 father — as glad as one can be whose foster-mother lies 
 
 dying ! " 
 
 *' I will not keep you from her — only to answer your 
 question by saying that I reached the city safely last even- 
 ing, thanks to a young friend of mine. No particulars at 
 present. Perhaps I will step in at Miriam's on my way 
 home (I accidentally heard of her whereabouts this morn- 
 ing), and see if the leech has done his best, and, if not, 
 whether old Egypt can do better." 
 
 " Do, grandfather," she pleaded, " and come soon : 
 for I verily believe that the priest Seti knows more of the 
 healing art than all the rest of Alexandria— the daughters 
 of my people not excepted." 
 
 As she glided toward the door her eye rested for a 
 moment with a startled look on Aleph. He had till now 
 been unobserved. The tall form of Seti had been inter- 
 posed. She hesitated a moment, as if to make sure that 
 the young man was not some one whom she ought to 
 recognize, and then hastened away. 
 
 Ah, those great, lovely eyes ! It was but a second that 
 their inquiring look rested on him ; but they at once made 
 him forget every other feature. He had not failed to 
 notice her faultless figure, the queenly carriage of her 
 head, the easy grace and even majesty of her every move- 
 ment ; and when she turned to greet Seti he had had full 
 view of an exquisite face, hesitating between girlhood and 
 womanhood — a face wonderfully luminous with a certain 
 spiritual and lofty loveliness — but the moment her eyes 
 shot their fires into his, all previous impressions vanished, 
 and he saw nothing but eyes, eyes. In talking over the 
 
THE BANKER. 45 
 
 events of the day with Cimon at the khau in the evening, 
 he could not, for the life of him, remember distinctly 
 whether she was tall or short, dark or brown- haired, light- 
 complexioned or otherwise — he could only remember the 
 glorious eyes. But the young man was in Alexandria for 
 a purpose, and a great one : and what had he to do with a 
 maiden's haunting eyes? Just nothing at all. So he 
 turned his own eyes to the business in hand : and the 
 effulgent twin stars that had just risen above his horizon, 
 contrary to the order of Nature, silently sank back again 
 and disappeared — almost. 
 
 He rose to take leave. But Alexander said. Wait a 
 little, and touched a string. A servant appeared, to 
 whom he gave some directions in a low voice. When he 
 had dismissed the man, he said that he had just sent to 
 notify those in waiting that no more business would be 
 done to-day. He added that he usually closed business 
 earlier on the sixth day of the week out of regard to the 
 sacred seventh, and that so he had some leisure for con- 
 versation ; if the young man would resume his seat. 
 
 " Speaking of our Sabbath,'' continued he ; " reminds 
 me that I ought to invite you to our place of worship for 
 to-morrow : for I learn that you are not a worshipper of 
 Belus ? " 
 
 '' Hardly," said Aleph with a smile. 
 
 " Nor a fire- worshipper ?'^ 
 
 '^By no means.'^ 
 
 " Nor a worshipper of the sun, moon and stars ?'^ 
 
 ^'^I was not so taught," emphatically. 
 
 '' But you were taught to worship the One God who 
 made the heavens and the earth, and who spake by Moses 
 and our other prophets ? " 
 
46 THE BANKER. 
 
 " Even so : our family religion for generations has 
 been that of the Hebrews — as being the most credible and 
 satisfactory within our knowledge.'' 
 
 "^ Our common friend here could not tell me quite as 
 much as this," said Alexander with a gratified look, ''but 
 I am glad to hear it, and hope to learn at some future 
 time how your family came into possession of our faith. 
 You observe our sacred day ? " 
 
 ^'1 do, as does also my companion. Though a Greek 
 by birth, lie is a Hebrew in religion. We will be pleased 
 to accept your invitation for to-morrow. AVhere shall we 
 find your place of worship ? " 
 
 " We Jews are 300,000 strong. So there are several 
 synagogues in the city ; but two of these are much larger 
 than the rest, and stand for two different schools of doc- 
 trine among us. The one with which I am connected is 
 the Diapleuston and is on the street of Canopus, not far 
 from here. The other is on Emporium Street, and is not 
 so large as ours, but still has many substantial adherents, 
 of whom Mains, our chief shipping merchant, is the most 
 prominent. Indeed, I think that he is now the chief ruler 
 of his synagogue.'' 
 
 ''May I ask," inquired Aleph, "what tlie doctrinal 
 difference between the two synagogues is ? " 
 
 " The chief difference," answered x\lexander, " relates 
 to the degree of authority to be allowed to our Sacred 
 Books. AVe of the Diapleuston say that their authority is 
 final on all matters of which they speak— that their writers 
 were so guided and guarded by Jehovah in composing 
 them that they were at first perfectly free from mistake 
 of all sorts : while the other school maintain that, while 
 properly enough said to bo of divine origin, our Scriptures 
 
THE BANKER. 47 
 
 have always been more or less mistaken in their teachings 
 and need to be sifted by learned men." 
 
 *^ Do these men offer any criterion by which one may 
 separate the reliable from the unreliable ? " 
 
 '^ They do not agree on any. One says that all im- 
 portant Scripture statements are reliable ; another tells 
 us that all are reliable, save in the domains of history and 
 science ; another excludes as unreliable all but positively 
 religious statements.^' 
 
 '' Of course they differ widely as to what are impor- 
 tant or strictly religious matters." 
 
 '^ Certainly. Whatever statements are unsatisfactory 
 to a man for any reason he is apt to think of small conse- 
 quence." 
 
 " And I should suppose the other test might be 
 equally elusive. Is there not room for considerable dif- 
 ference of opinion as to what deserve to be called moral 
 and religious statements? " 
 
 " So it seems : and, as a matter of fact. Mains and his 
 synagogue agree only in discrediting those parts of the 
 Scriptures that are in the narrative form and a large part 
 of the remainder. Especially are they prepared to admit 
 the possibility of mistake to almost any extent in Moses 
 and the earlier Scripture writers. Not a few deny that 
 we have any Moses. AVhat passes under the ancient name 
 is really the invention of recent times.'' 
 
 " This is the result I should expect. One seems to be 
 left at liberty to take as much or little of the Scriptures 
 as suits him : for if parts of them are unreliable, and we 
 have no sure way of determining where these parts are, 
 we will be likely to locate them where our prejudices and 
 inclinations say. The larger part of the Book may easily 
 
48 THE BANKER. 
 
 be considered secular or unimportant by one who wishes 
 as much/' 
 
 "Very true," said Alexander; "and see what the 
 other synagogue have actually come to ! Some reject the 
 doctrine of angels, some that of a human soul distinct 
 from the body, some that of personal responsibility, and 
 nearly all that of miracles and all other forms of super- 
 naturalism in history, as well as that of a future state of 
 settled character and destiny for men. And so on. 
 Eeally, between them all, there is very little of the sacred 
 Book left. The sum of their doubts and denials would 
 cover almost the whole of it. What is left is the brief 
 revelation that Mains, the Sadducee, uses. His maxim 
 is to discard what anybody doubts. '' 
 
 " This seems to me a sad state of things,'' said Aleph, 
 fetching a long breath that was almost a sigh. " It would 
 be almost unimaginable in the house of my fathers. 
 Practically these peoj^le are without a revelation. The 
 only revelation to each is that bundle of guesses and no- 
 tions which he calls his knowledge or judgments : and 
 there are about as many different revelations of this sort 
 as there are men ; and, to my thinking, they are all about 
 equally worthless. It is sad that circnmcised people 
 should hold such uncircumcised notions.'' 
 
 "A sad state of things, indeed," consented Alexander, 
 "but we may console ourselves with the fact that this sad 
 sort of people are a minority and a small one, and have 
 been quite unknown among our people till quite recent 
 times. I trust they will soon become unknown again. 
 When the Messiah, whom we are daily looking for, comes 
 and, accrediting himself by signs and wonders, declares 
 
THE BANKER. 4:9 
 
 thcit not one jot or tittle of the law shall fail, even Mains 
 will have a revelation that is worth the having." 
 
 ''May He come quickly!'' said the young man de- 
 voutly. 
 
 Alexander looked intently for a moment on the kin- 
 dling and abstracted face before him, and then as devoutly 
 
 said Amen. 
 
 During this conversation Seti maintained an unbroken 
 silence — his arms folded, his face impassive, but his eyes 
 as watchful as eagles'. He seemed to be hearing as well 
 as seeing with those ancient eyes of his that n«ver once 
 left the face of Aleph. 
 
 They both rose at the same time — Seti saying that he 
 would walk along with the young man and point out tlie 
 Diapleuston in passing. 
 
 The Alabarch courteously escorted them through the 
 now vacant rooms to the door ; saying to Aleph, as he 
 parted, '' Eemember — at the third hour to-morrow. Come 
 half an hour earlier." 
 
 Turning into the street of Canopus, and going west- 
 ward under the colonnade, they soon came to a corner on 
 which stood an imposing structure of white marble. As 
 Aleph glanced down the side street he saw that the length 
 of the structure was immense : as he passed to the front 
 he saw that its breadth was nearly as great. A central 
 part raised on a lofty pediment, surmounted by a gilded 
 dome, and supported in front and on either hand by im- 
 mense monolith columns, was surrounded on all visible 
 sides at a little distance by low marble cloisters — save 
 where a broad flight of steps led up from the street to the 
 great doors. From the wide platform at the top the great 
 
50 THE BANKER. 
 
 columns rose in elaborately wrought clusters, each sup- 
 porting an ornate capital, architrave, frieze, and cornice ; 
 while, behind, the whole front was alive with spirited, 
 sculpture in relief of the Feast of Tabernacles. 
 
 I must not forget to add that at one angle the low 
 cloisters swelled into a graceful and lofty tower that ended 
 in a parapet. 
 
 "From behind that parapet,'' said Seti, pointing, 
 " are sounded the seventy silver trumpets that summon 
 the Jews to their worship ; for here is the Diapleuston 
 to which you have been invited." 
 
 They passed on to another crossing. 
 
 "Let us turn down this street," said the Egyptian. 
 "It is less crowded than the thoroughfare, and equally 
 direct for both of us, as I learn that you are staying for 
 the present near where we landed yesterday. Besides, I 
 wish to stop for a few moments with the sick woman. I 
 am afraid of these Alexandrian leeches. Once in every 
 five or ten years they get a new fashion of treating dis- 
 eases and call it science.'^ 
 
 They turned south and soon came to a humble house, 
 where Seti knocked. The door was opened by a shiftless 
 looking Greek who, on request, pointed to a door within 
 which the sick woman could be found. On entering, 
 they found her on a rude bed, supported almost in a sit- 
 ting posture by the daughter of Alexander, who sat behind 
 her. She was a woman of middle age, very emaciated, 
 eyes closed, lips parted, chest laboriously heaving, appar- 
 ently unconscious. 
 
 "Oh, grandfather, I feared you would not come," 
 exclaimed the maiden in a subdued voice, '' feared you 
 would be too late, — I am afraid you are too late. The 
 
THE BAKKEE. 51 
 
 leech says that nothing more can be done''— and the 
 tears dropped fast from the lovely eyes. 
 
 The rich dress worn at home had been exchanged for 
 one exceedingly plain and suited to her present sad and 
 humble surroundings. But the change did not detract 
 from her superb loveliness. On the contrary, the ex- 
 quisite graces of feature and figure became all the more 
 apparent in the absence of the distractions of extrinsic 
 ornament ; and a new light born of a heavenly pity and- 
 self-forgetfulness was shining in her face. 
 
 Without replying to her words, Seti advanced to a 
 casement and door, and threw them widely open on a 
 small open court. 
 
 *^But the leech, grandfather, said that the fresh air 
 
 must be excluded.'' 
 
 '' Did he bring this ?" said the Egyptian, taking up 
 from the bed a partly unrolled manuscript. He read 
 aloud : " The Psalms of David tra^islated lij the Sev- 
 enty" 
 
 ^^That is mine," said Rachel. "I brought it with 
 me, and have read from it to Miriam while she could 
 listen. It was her only comfort, besides prayer." 
 " What have you learned about her case ? " 
 "You know that she left us two years ago to marry a 
 man whom we could not approve : and until yesterday we 
 did not know what had become of her. Then I had a 
 message from her husband, who is a Greek, that she was 
 sick at this place. I went to her at once and found her 
 very weak and low with this fever ; and gathered from 
 her with great difficulty that she had led a life of hard- 
 ship and exposure since leaving us, had sometimes been 
 in the extreme of want, but was ashamed to make her 
 
52 THE BANKER. 
 
 situation known to us after having rejected our counsel. 
 So she had gradually been worn down by want and dis- 
 appointment until this fever seized on her and found an 
 easy victim '' — and the fair head drooped with a sigh to 
 the hot forehead that rested against her shoulder. 
 
 ''Has she asked for nothing ?" inquired Seti. 
 
 '' Not of late. When I first came she wanted water, 
 and asked for it almost constantly. But the leech said 
 she must not have it. It would chill her and finally make 
 the fever worse. He would only allow her lips to be 
 moistened occasionally with a sponge." 
 
 ''Her lips are trying to move now. Can you hear 
 anything ? " 
 
 "Nothing.'' 
 
 Seti stooped and put his ear close to the lips of the 
 dying woman. He shook his head. 
 
 "Old age/' said he, "has its disadvantages, and dull 
 ears are one of them. Perhaps my young friend here can 
 help us " — and he beckoned to Aleph, who had remained 
 at some distance. 
 
 The young man at once came forward, and, kneeling 
 by the bed, laid his ear close to the twitching lips. For 
 a few moments he seemed not to breathe at all. As Seti 
 looked down on that noble head with its wealth of youth 
 and strength in broad contrast with the sharp, worn feat- 
 ures of the sick woman, he said to himself : "It is the 
 head of Horus, the sun-god." 
 
 At length Aleph rose. " She says water, water — that 
 and nothing else." 
 
 "Give her water, then," commanded Seti. 
 
 " But the leech, grandfather ! " interposed the maiden 
 anxiously. 
 
THE BANKER. 53 
 
 " No matter what the leech says. I too am a leech. 
 Let her drink freely." 
 
 Aleph took up the water-jar that was standing by the 
 bed, poured into a large cup that was near till it was 
 almost full, and held it to the lips of the woman — saying 
 to Rachel as he did so : '' It is the way of my country.'' 
 The dry lips closed spasmodically over the rim of the cup, 
 and did not release it till not a drop was left. She opened 
 her eyes. A faint sigh of relief reached the younger ears. 
 
 " Give her another cup,'' said Seti. 
 
 She drained that also : then whispered Heaven — so 
 that they all heard, and almost a smile hovered upon her 
 wan features. Great drops stood on her forehead, and 
 she quietly sank into sleep. 
 
 "Now lay her down softly," said the Egyptian to the 
 maiden, "and let her sleep. She will do well. What 
 has she eaten ? " 
 
 "Nothing since I have been here. The leech said 
 that food would not nourish her : it would only nourish 
 the fever." 
 
 "Has she never asked for anything in particular ?" 
 
 " The woman who was here when I came tells me that 
 before nurse became so weak she asked for fried lampreys 
 and onions. But the leech said that she could not ask 
 for a worse dish. It would kill her outright. And, what 
 was worse, it would kill him too; for it would ruin 
 his practice to allow such a thing. It was against all 
 rules." 
 
 " Never you mind his rules. Tell the woman — but 
 here she is ; I will tell her myself," and he turned toward 
 a peasant woman, who had just softly entered and was 
 standing embarrassed at the presence of strangers. "When 
 
54 THE BANKER. 
 
 this sick person wakes let her drink all the water she 
 wants. Then ask her if she can think of anything she 
 would like to eat, calling over to her all the eatables you 
 can think of, and whatever she chooses get for her, even 
 though it is fried lampreys or fried dragons. Do you 
 understand ? " 
 
 "Yes, my lord ; but the leech ..." 
 
 " Will see that these instructions of Seti are obeyed. 
 If not, send word at once to this lady. . . . Now, Rachel, 
 you ought to go home at once. Though you are not un- 
 accustomed to such work as this, I can see that you are 
 tired and worn. If you were of the fainting sort I should 
 hold out my arms to catch you from falling — your cheeks 
 are so white and your eyes so '' 
 
 She would have fallen had she not hastily staggered 
 toward him and caught his arm. 
 
 ''Yes, grandfather, I think I had better go home as 
 soon as possible," she said in a low and trembling voice. 
 "The closeness of the room till you came, together with 
 the anxiety and excitement, has been too much for me. 
 But the open air will set me right." 
 
 " Ought not the lady to have a sedan ? " inquired 
 Aleph. " I saw a stand at the last corner as we came." 
 
 "Certainly," said Seti: "and where are the two 
 servants, Rachel, who came with you ? " 
 
 " Are they not at the door? I left them there, to be 
 within call." 
 
 " I did not notice them when we came. Did you ? " — 
 turning to Aleph. 
 
 Aleph shook his head. " Allow me to go for a sedan," 
 said he, "and we will see the lady safely home." 
 
 " Thank you— that will do." 
 
THE BANKER. 55 
 
 Aleph hastened away. During his absence, which was 
 short, Rachel reclined ; and on his return with a chair 
 and two stout porters he found her much revived and 
 quite disposed to dismiss the vehicle as being unnecessary. 
 But this Seti would not permit. And she speedily found 
 that he was right ; for, on trying to walk to the door, she 
 found it necessary to accept support from both men. But 
 the open air of the street seemed to recall her strength at 
 once, and she entered the sedan without help. 
 
 Seti walked before the vehicle to guide. Aleph walked 
 behind — every now and then quieting the motion of the 
 bearers by a word, and once or twice venturing to draw 
 aside the curtain and inquire in a grave, sympathetic way 
 how the lady was enduring the Jolting. The answer was 
 satisfactory and cordial : and when the house of Alexander 
 was reached she professed to feel as well and strong as 
 ever, and proved it by darting up the steps without aid. 
 Turning, as the door opened, she threw down thanks and 
 adieu with the gesture of a goddess and disappeared. 
 
 '' There goes the Gem of xilexandria,^' murmured Seti 
 to himself. 
 
 Aleph said nothing, but he thought that, Avhatever the 
 gem, it was a wonderfully fine casket that contained it. 
 He was sure that he had never seen a finer. And those 
 eyes ! As he turned away the twin stars again ventured 
 to show themselves above his horizon in all their dewy 
 splendors. But what had he to do with a maiden's starry 
 eyes ? Just nothing at all. So back they timidly sank 
 to the horizon's edge ; but refused to go farther. They 
 must wait till they had burned a path through. 
 
 That evening at the khan Cimon and Aleph compared 
 experiences. Cimon had revived his acquaintance with 
 
56 THE BAN^KER. 
 
 the city, but had not found any of his old acquaintances. 
 Thirty years and more had dismissed all of them to new 
 homes or to the Necropolis. No directory made it possi- 
 ble for him to be sure but that, somewhere in the great 
 city, some one whom he had known as a young man was 
 still living with whitening locks ; but no doubt nearly all 
 of his generation were dead. That was the way of things 
 in Alexandria : as it is everywhere else. Cimon was sad 
 that night. Time, thou mighty thief, when will Gov- 
 ernment apprehend thee and bring thee to justice ! Or, 
 better still, when will it take thy scythe from thee, and 
 put thee into some Reformatory to learn giving instead of 
 stealing, addition instead of subtraction, flowing instead 
 of ebbing, the art of ever setting poor men forward from 
 strength to strength instead of backward from weakness 
 to weakness ! Well, that is what will be done some day — 
 for some. For whom ? 
 
IV. 
 THE SYNAGOGUE. 
 
 Kdl dplarovc 6e kuI deo^LTiEardrovq . 
 
 — Xenophon, Memorab. iii, 9. 
 
 Thai the best men are most observant of Divine worship. 
 
1. Is it a recognition? 
 
 2. Diapleuston the magnificent. 
 
 3. Has thie Nlessialn come? 
 
 4. F*roc\al este profani. 
 
I 
 
 IV. 
 
 THE SYNAGOGUE. 
 
 F the reader is curious to know how the two friends 
 passed the long Sabbath morning, before it was time 
 to go to the synagogue, I can inform him. They prayed 
 apart, they prayed together ; they produced a copy of the 
 Septuagint and read what the prophets had written about 
 the Messiah. They found many mysteries, and much 
 material for conversation, until the dial in the centre of 
 the court told them that it was time to be moving. 
 
 On their way up Emporium Street they kept to the 
 right side for two reasons— because the right was first 
 reached, and because on that side the current of people 
 was in their own direction. And a strong current it was. 
 Men, women, and children, with Jewish faces and appar- 
 ently dressed in their best, in great numbers were leisurely 
 moving northward. Aleph was tall enough to look over 
 the heads of most of the people before him and noticed in 
 the distance the living stream turning into a building. It 
 occurred to him that this building was probably the syna- 
 gogue of Malus, of which the Alabarch had spoken. He 
 was confirmed in this idea by the light behavior of most 
 about him. The principle of reverence was neither in 
 their feet nor in their faces. And as to their tongues— 
 these seemed to have the freedom of all the days of the 
 
60 THE SYNAGOGUE. 
 
 week. They were talking slio]!, talking ships, talking 
 fashions, talking gossip — talking everything but politics 
 and religion. These last topics they prudently left to the 
 Romans and '^ whom it might concern." 
 
 When they came to the synagogue they saw that it 
 was large ; though by no means as large and imposing as 
 the Diapleuston. They lingered a little among the many 
 standing on the street in order to get a better view. Just 
 then came up a group of persons more richly dressed than 
 the rest, and for whom the rest made way with special 
 deference as they mounted the steps. One of these, whose 
 dress was particularly showy, turned when he had reached 
 the last platform, and looked down among the people as 
 if seeking some one. His eye rested on Aleph. Both 
 Cimon and Aleph noticed an involuntary start. It could 
 hardly have been greater if the man had received an un- 
 expected blow. 
 
 He was a man of middle stature, somewhat past mid- 
 dle life, and more than middlingly obese. His face was 
 a curiosity. It was as round as a full nfoon, and as 
 pocked : but the great peculiarity of it was its character- 
 less or wooden expression. It neither laughed nor cried, 
 it neither promised nor threatened, it was neither happy 
 nor miserable, it was neither saint nor sinner. Yet one 
 hesitates a little over this last statement. There was a 
 certain thin, very thin, something about the face that 
 asked to be considered religious. But to the eyes of our 
 friends it seemed sanctimoniousness instead of sanctity, a 
 gauze white veil which, however well worn, is no part of 
 the person and can be put oif at pleasure. Perhaps they 
 were mistaken. Sudden judgments sometimes shoot wide 
 of the mark. And it was but a moment they had in 
 
THE SYNAGOGUE. 61 
 
 which to study his face before he disappeared within the 
 
 synagogue. 
 
 Oimon turned to a by-stander, and asked : " The 
 ruler of the synagogue ?" The man bowed assent. 
 
 '' I wonder/' said Cimon, musingly, as they passed 
 on, "whether Malus recognized your father in you. You 
 resemble him strongly— as he was, thirty years ago." 
 
 As they came up to the Diapleuston there burst from 
 the summit of the side tower a chorus of trumpets — rich, 
 soft, yet far-sounding. Looking up they saw seventy 
 men standing behind a circular balustrade and chanting 
 through silver trumpets toward all points of the compass. 
 
 "How amiable are thy tabernacles, Lord of Hosts," 
 went sounding broadly forth over the city. 
 
 They were met just within the doors by Alexander 
 himself — to whom Aleph presented his "preceptor and 
 friend " Cimon. The Alabarch received them with great 
 courtesy, and thanked the young man for the service ren- 
 dered to his daughter the day before ; and when Aleph 
 expressed the hope that she had quite recovered from her 
 indisposition, he said : 
 
 " Quite so, she tells me ; and so I have brought her 
 with me to give thanks for the good news this morning 
 received that her nurse continues to mend." 
 
 And he led the way toward a distant canopy not far 
 from the centre, near which his daughter was sitting. 
 She was simply dressed and closely veiled ; but Aleph 
 had no difficulty in recognizing the exquisite shape and 
 bearing of the Gem of Alexandria. 
 
 Alexander then said that he had asked them to come 
 somewhat in advance of the congregation, partly in order 
 that they might have time to look about them, and to get 
 
G2 THE SYNAGOGUE. 
 
 familiar with the buikling before the services should 
 begin. 
 
 '' Walk about freely/' he continued, '' until the trum- 
 pets cease summoning ; then return and occupy the seats 
 yonder (he pointed). They are reserved for visitors in 
 accord with us. Meanwhile I have to meet the elders.'' 
 
 He bowed himself away; and they began to look 
 about them. But few people had yet come in. It was 
 the largest and finest synagogue in the world. Just before 
 them, abutting on the east side of the building, was a low 
 platform surrounded by a delicate silver railing and sur- 
 mounted in part by a canopy of cloth of gold. Under 
 this was an ornate seat curiously wrought in various 
 precious woods. Near tlie front of the platform stood 
 an equally elaborate reading desk, with several rolls upon 
 it. By the side of the platform was a door by which 
 Alexander had disappeared ; and in front of the platform, 
 arranged in several semicircles, were the famous seventy 
 gilded chairs for the seventy elders of the synagogue. 
 Back of these were the seats for the families of the elders 
 with a narrow aisle separating the males from the females. 
 On the first seat to the left of this passage sat Eachel. 
 Behind these seats, and skirted by immense columns on 
 either hand, ran a broad aisle from end to end of the 
 synagogue. The building was so long that the signal for 
 the responses had to be given by a flag to the more remote 
 worshippers ; for all Avere expected to join vocally in the 
 prayers as read at the centre, though addresses to the 
 people were made simultaneously at several other plat- 
 forms placed at convenient intervals. The walls were 
 covered with Scripture verses in both Hebrew and Greek, 
 beautifuUv done in mosaic— one wall with prayers, an- 
 
THE SYNAGOGUE. 63 
 
 other with praises, a third with the Ten Commandments, 
 a fourth with the leading Messianic prophecies. One 
 mystery of the building was the pleasant illumination 
 without any sign of windows or sources of artificial light. 
 
 While they were lingering over the Messianic inscrip- 
 tions they suddenly awoke to the fact that the synagogue 
 was becoming thronged and that the summoning trumpets 
 were about concluding their sonorous chant. So they 
 made their way back, as rapidly as the incoming stream of 
 belated worshippers (not wholly unknown in any age) 
 would allow, to the seats which had been shown them. 
 
 Amen, sang the trumpets in long-drawn note from 
 their tower. Amen, answered the packed multitudes on 
 their knees. The door at the side of the platform 
 opened ; and the seventy elders, with Alexander and 
 another younger man, who strongly resembled him, at 
 their head, entered in long flowing robes elaborately 
 fringed and decorated on the breast with phylacteries 
 lettered in gold. The leaders ascended the platform : 
 the others passed on to the gilded chairs. The Alabarch 
 seated himself under the canopy : his companion advanced 
 to the lecturn, bowed his head upon it for a moment, then 
 placed the Mith on his head — and at once the service 
 began. 
 
 Began with a doxology — spontaneous, universal, 
 mighty ; flooding the whole temple with rhythmic billows 
 of uplifting sound. As the last note died away, the man 
 at the desk began to read from a roll that vivid picture of 
 the consequences to Israel of both obedience and disobe- 
 dience contained in Deut. 28th— read them sonorously 
 and with great distinctness, but not without something of 
 the artificial and professional in his tone — read them with 
 
64 THE SYNAGOGUE. 
 
 here and there a word of comment which did not always 
 content itself with the literal sense instead of an allegor- 
 ical and mystical one. This reading concluded, he waved 
 a small flag ; and all the people broke out again into a 
 doxology — this time the entire psalm, beginning with, 
 '^ Praise ye the Lord ; praise the Lord, my soul ; while 
 I live will I praise the Lord," in a rapid and triumphant 
 march of unified sound. He then proceeded to read on 
 his knees, the people all kneeling, the prayer contained 
 in the psalm that begins with " Give ear, shepherd of 
 Israel, thou that leadest Joseph like a flock, thou that 
 dwellest between the cherubims shine forth ; '' at the con- 
 clusion of which he waved the flag again and a universal 
 Amen arose. This was followed by readings from the 
 prophets of selections commonly understood to point to 
 the Messiah. Again the flag waved, and the people ex- 
 claimed as with one voice, but in a plaintive tone : 
 ^^ Though he tarry long he will surely come." 
 The reader then became a preacher. His theme was 
 the Messiah. He spoke of the certainty of His coming, 
 of the time and other circumstances of it, of the character 
 and functions that would belong to Him, of the way in 
 which He would prove Himself, and of the universal cur- 
 rent expectation of Him among their own people. He 
 showed that from the beginning of the race hints of Him 
 had been given — hints that gradually enlarged and bright- 
 ened as the ages rolled on, until, in the later prophets, all 
 veils were removed and the dimmest eye could see the 
 King that cometh in the name of the Lord. As to the 
 time — he shared the common belief of the present and 
 tlie last generation that the time was near, if not already 
 arrived. How could the dates of Daniel be reconciled 
 
THE SYNAGOGUE. 65 
 
 with any other view ? To be sure, some allowance should 
 be made for round numbers : it would not do to say that 
 this or the next year is the time for the Coming ; but 
 after all it is safe to say in a general way that we are liv- 
 ing in the times of the Christ. It ought not to surprise 
 them if He should come to-morrow. As to the family 
 from which He is to spring, the place of His birth, the 
 forerunner Ellas He is to have, there is and can be but 
 one opinion. Exactly how He will prove himself to the 
 people it were hard to say : perhaps by a supernatural 
 beauty and glory of person, perhaps by a mysterious in- 
 ward voice speaking to the whole nation as it spoke to 
 individual prophets, perhaj^s only by His wonderful suc- 
 cess over all obstacles in becoming our Eedeemer and 
 King. 
 
 The preacher evidently did not deem it wise to be at 
 all specific on this last point — the conquering and kingly 
 character of the Messiah — in a city held by the Eomans 
 for the Caesars. He contented himself with glittering 
 generalities. He spoke ornately and enthusiastically of 
 the prosperity and felicity of Israel in the golden age that 
 was sure to come. What the Gentiles call by that name 
 was a poor thing compared with that which was knocking 
 at the doors of the Chosen People. 
 
 He, however, cautioned his hearers not to allow them- 
 selves to be impatient in their waiting for this good time. 
 Their faith might be tried. They must be on their guard 
 against pretenders. It would not be strange if the cur- 
 rent expectation should itself produce false Christs. It 
 would seem indeed as if this had already happened. At 
 this moment, as most of them knew, there was a man in 
 Judea who was making much noise with his claims, but 
 
66 THE SYNAGOGUE. 
 
 whom the principal men of the nation did not feel able to 
 accept. When the true Messiah comes he doubtless will 
 commend Himself to the natural leaders of the people. 
 Meanwhile the people 'should rest quietly in their various 
 places and occupations. 
 
 When the orator had finished, the Alabarch rose and 
 gave the usual invitation to approved persons to speak — 
 immediately adding, however, that he saw that one of 
 their own elders, Simeon the son of Simeon, had returned 
 from Jerusalem, and that whatever account he could give 
 of religious matters there would be acceptable. 
 
 A venerable looking man rose from among the Sev- 
 enty. He brought salutations from the Sanhedrin at 
 Jerusalem. They had been much disturbed over the case 
 of Jesus of Nazareth to whom the preacher had just re- 
 ferred. The multitude were disposed to listen to him ; 
 attributing to him many signs and wonders, and asking 
 whether he is not the Messiah. It was not clear, however, 
 that he himself had put forward any such claim. His 
 Messiahship seemed to be merely an inference of the mul- 
 titude from his wonderful works at a time when all are 
 on the lookout for the Shiloh. As to the reality of these 
 wonderful works, the brethren of the Great Council and 
 the principal men generally do not seem to call it in 
 question. They concede that Jesus has, with a word or a 
 touch, cured all sorts of incurable diseases ; given sight 
 to the blind, hearing to the deaf, wholeness to the maimed, 
 reason to the insane, and even life to the dead. Two of 
 them, Joseph of Arimathea, and Nicodemus, a cousin of 
 the great teacher Gamaliel, go further than this, and af- 
 firm that no man could do such mighty works unless God 
 were with him, " If such deeds could not prove a Divine 
 
THE SYNAGOGUE. 67 
 
 mission, they were at a loss to see how such a mission 
 could ever be proved. How was Moses authenticated ? " 
 But the rest agree in ascribing the marvels to magic and 
 evil spirits ; especially as there never has been known a 
 time when so many people seemed possessed with demons. 
 They say that they are compelled to resort to this expla- 
 nation, not merely by the fact that Jesus speaks so unfa- 
 vorably of the ecclesiastical authorities and of their oral 
 traditions, but still more by the fact that he does not 
 answer in origin, appearance, or aims to the Messiah. 
 The Messiah comes from Bethlehem, Jesus from Naza- 
 reth : the Messiah comes from the royal family of David, 
 Jesus from a peasant family of no property or social 
 standing ; the Messiah is a mighty King and Deliverer, 
 Jesus is plain in his appearance, associates even with 
 publicans and sinners, and has nothing of the warrior 
 and statesman about him — in fact, says that his kingdom 
 is not of this world. He has even been understood to 
 give out that his mission here is to teach and suffer rather 
 than to conquer and reign. Such a person differs so 
 widely from what they have been accustomed to expect 
 and from what the Sacred Books have been supposed to 
 promise, that the leading brethren in Judea, with the 
 exceptions mentioned, are unanimous in ascribing the 
 miracles of Jesus to the Evil One, and in trying to break 
 his influence with the people. Whether they will succeed 
 seems doubtful. But their determination to do so is very 
 strong and will probably lead to severe measures. He was 
 sorry not to be able to judge of the man from personal 
 observation ; but Jesus at the time was in Galilee, and 
 could not be reached in the time at command. Besides, 
 it was evident that a visit of Simeon to Jesus would be 
 
68 THE SYNAGOGUE. 
 
 looked upon as a discourtesy by tlie chief men — so decided 
 have their views become, and so high runs the tide of 
 feeling. 
 
 Such in a few words was the purport of what Simeon 
 said in more. 
 
 The reading of the psalm beginning, '^ Give the king 
 thy judgments God, and thy righteousness to the king's 
 son ; '' the waving of the flag ; Amen and Amen by the 
 people, as with one voice, concluded the service. 
 
 The congregation rapidly disappeared through the 
 many doors that suddenly revealed themselves ; for the 
 architect had thought it possible that occasion might arise 
 for a hasty evacuation of the premises — had also thought 
 it possible to have the means of egress as unnoticeable by 
 a stranger as were the means of light. But a few of the 
 elders, among whom were Alexander and the preacher, 
 gathered about Simeon, whose chair stood near the 
 daughter of Alexander. Cimon and Aleph had also lin- 
 gered ; it may be with the idea of making some inquiry 
 of Simeon or the preacher. Seeing this, the Alabarch 
 beckoned them near, and, simply introducing them as 
 co-religionists, proceeded to say to Simeon : 
 
 " I am sorry that you were not able to see and hear 
 Jesus for yourself.'' 
 
 " My desire was strong to do so : and I did my best to 
 get as near as possible to personal observation. I sought 
 reliable information from all quarters. There seemed to 
 be no difference of opinion, even among his greatest ene- 
 mies, as to the reality of his miracles." ^ 
 
 ''What do you understand," inquired another elder, 
 " to be the general character of his teaching ? How does 
 he treat our Sacred Writings ? " 
 
THE SYNAGOGUE. 69 
 
 "With the highest honor. It is agreed on all hands 
 that no word has fallen from him that savors of irrever- 
 ence toward the Law and the Prophets : on the contrary, 
 he makes them final authorities on all matters of which 
 they speak ; and when he rebukes the leaders of the peo- 
 ple it is in their name. He does not belong to the syna- 
 gogue of Malus.^' 
 
 "That is a great point in his favor," said another. 
 "But are his own manners and morals blameless in the 
 view of the Law ? " 
 
 " T must confess that I heard nothing to the con- 
 trary — not being able myself to see wrong in a religious 
 teacher eating and drinking like other people, or in his 
 being accessible to the lowly and sinful." 
 
 " Have not I heard you say, brother Philo," said 
 Alexander to the preacher, '" that the chiefs of the peo- 
 ple charge Jesus with blasphemy ? Blasphemy can hardly 
 be considered a point of good behavior." 
 
 " I spake as I heard," said Philo. " Perhaps Simeon 
 can tell us whether I heard correctly." 
 
 "It seems," said Simeon, " that Jesus has sometimes 
 spoken of himself as the Son of God ; and, in a mysterious 
 way, of a certain unity between himself and his heavenly 
 Father ; and, probably, it is this lofty way of speaking of 
 himself which has given occasion for the charge of which 
 you speak." 
 
 " Do not the prophets sometimes use language equally 
 strong about the Christ ? " asked Cimon deferentially. 
 
 "For example," said Aleph : "His name shall be 
 called Wonderful, counsellor, the mighty God, the ever- 
 lasting Father." 
 
 " Such passages, I believe, have always been under- 
 
70 THE SYNAGOGUE. 
 
 stood by many among us as declaring that the Christ will 
 not be a mere man, but will have something of a Divine 
 quality about him," said Alexander reflectively. 
 
 "Perhaps, then,'' added Cimon, "it is not so much 
 the magnificence of the claims of Jesus that has led the 
 fathers at Jerusalem to view him as a blasphemer, but 
 rather the striking contrast between such claims and the 
 humble appearance and circumstances of him who makes 
 them, and which have already led them to decide against 
 him. Of course, if he is not the Christ, such lofty pre- 
 tensions are blasphemous— not otherwise." 
 
 "But it appears to me," said another elder, Ben 
 Abner, whose dress was specially sliowy, phylacteries 
 specially many, and air specially haughty, "that the 
 humble condition of the man is itself decisive against 
 him. Our wise men, for generations, have understood 
 from the Scriptures that the Messiah would appear in 
 great splendor as a conqueror and king. For my part I 
 expect no other Messiah, want no other, will have no 
 other. I hope they of Jerusalem will away with the im- 
 postor." He spoke with flashing eyes. 
 
 "So /think," said half a dozen voices with emphasis 
 and gesture. 
 
 "Possibly the friends of Jesus would say," returned 
 Simeon coolly, " that great endings sometimes have small 
 beginnings, and that there is time enough yet for the out- 
 ward splendor. Indeed, I happen to know that this is 
 what some of his friends do say. But others claim, and 
 I must confess that this is what Jesus himself seems to 
 teach, that the prophets have been misunderstood ; that 
 the kingdom and the glory and the conquests of which 
 they speak are spiritual and so perfectly consistent with a 
 
THE SYNAGOGUE. 71 
 
 lowly and even suffering Messiah. And for evidence they 
 appeal to the prophecies of Isaiah, and other Scriptures. 
 Perhaps our friend Pliilo, who believes so thoroughly in 
 the allegoric and spiritual meanings of our Sacred Books, 
 will not blame this interpretation as severely as some do." 
 
 Philo smiled at this, and said that he never intended 
 to spiritualize aivay the Scriptures. It would be very 
 hard for him to give up the brilliant hopes that had so 
 long been entertained as to the times of the Messiah and 
 what he would do for his Israel. 
 
 ^^ I should not have so much difficulty," said Alexan- 
 der, "with the present humble condition of Jesus, and 
 the spiritual character of his claims, as with the apparent 
 fact that he was not born in Bethlehem and is not a son 
 of David — as the Messiah must be." 
 
 "That has been my great difficulty," said Simeon. 
 " It is everywhere claimed in Judea that Jesus is a Gali- 
 lean, a Nazarene, and of parentage so humble that he is 
 on that account in disfavor with even the people of 
 Nazareth. " 
 
 Aleph ventured to inquire whether some branches of 
 David's line had not, in the course of centuries, sunk into 
 a humble condition ; and whether it was not possible that 
 Jesus belonged to some such decayed branch — also, 
 whether he might not have been born in Bethlehem, 
 though brought up elsewhere ? 
 
 " I think," said Simeon, "that we are hardly entitled 
 to say No to either of these questions of the young man. 
 I myself was born in Jerusalem, though brought up in 
 this city. The family of David is now lost among the 
 common people ; and, though it can be recovered in our 
 genealogies, I never could learn that the enemies of Jesus 
 
72 THE SYNAGOGUE. 
 
 have taken the pains to examine them with reference to 
 his claims. Having settled in their minds that such a 
 Messiah as Jesus is neither what they expected nor wanted, 
 they easily accepted without examination such rumors in 
 regard to him as agreed with their wishes and foregone 
 conclusion. So, at least, it seems to me." 
 
 " Can you tell us about what the age of Jesus is ? '' 
 
 asked Cimon. 
 
 " He appears, I am told, somewhat less than forty ; 
 perhaps he is not much more than thirty years. I took 
 special pains to inquire about this ; partly because of an 
 experience of my father's some thirty years ago, and partly 
 because of wide-spread rumors at that time of a remarka- 
 ble birth which had just taken place in connection with 
 celestial phenomena. However, the matter was kept as 
 close as possible from fear of Herod. My father at that 
 time was living in Jerusalem— a very old man and as 
 saintly as old. For a long while he had expressed to his 
 family an assurance that he should live to see the Christ. 
 One day he came home from the temple with a radiant face, 
 saying that he was now ready to depart, for he had just 
 seen and held in his arms an infant which an inward 
 Divine voice told him was the Messiah. He then lay 
 down, calmly closed his eyes, and departed in a peaceful 
 sleep. This I had from my sister, for I was in Alexandria 
 at the time. All this was widely known at the time, but 
 was spoken of by the people under their breath on account 
 of the jealousy and cruelty of the rulers. Now at that 
 time Jesus must have been an infant." 
 
 '^And we happen to know," said Aleph, looking at 
 Cimon, ^^hat the name of the infant concerning whom 
 such remarkable things were told was Jesus— though we 
 
THE SYNAGOGUE. 73 
 
 may not at present tell how we came by the knowl- 
 edge." 
 
 As Alepli said these words he could not well help 
 noticing three things — the cordial look that Simeon gave 
 him, the look of exasperation on the face of Ben Abner, 
 and the start made by Rachel, whose attitude of earnest 
 attention throughout the conversation would have been 
 evident enough even if her veil had not been gradually 
 drawn somewhat aside as she watched the speakers. 
 Alexander also noticed the start. Perhaps he feared a 
 return of yesterday's faintness. He bent over her, and 
 spoke in a low tone. She shook her head. 
 
 "However, we will go home,"* said he, '^^as soon as I 
 have put off these vestments. '^ 
 
 He retired to the vestry, followed by the other elders. 
 
 Alepli approached the maiden and said that he had 
 been glad to hear from her father that her nurse con- 
 tinued to mend, and expressed the hope that she herself 
 was none the worse for her indisposition of yesterday. 
 
 "Not at all,'' said she promptly ; "but I was absorb- 
 ingly interested in the subject of the conversation, and 
 was, I confess, startled by what you said of your knowl- 
 edge of the infant Jesus. You were not then born." 
 
 "No, lady ; my knowledge is altogether second-hand, 
 but is none the less certain for that. My friend here has 
 some original knowledge in the case ; but both of us have, 
 in addition to this, sources of information that are be- 
 yond all question." 
 
 "I very much fear," said she with a sigh, "when I 
 hear Ben Abner and others, that our people will be found 
 treating a new prophet as they have ever treated prophets. 
 What do you think?" 
 
74 THE SYNAGOGUE. 
 
 ^'I also have my fears/' 
 
 " But you also have knowledge ; and if at any time it 
 becomes consistent for you to share your knowledge with 
 others none will welcome it more gladly than I. Till then 
 I believe in it and — in you " — and her eyes, which till then 
 had been unconsciously and half-wonderingly perusing 
 his face as she spoke, sank before his, and the lovely color 
 deepened on the loveliest features that the Chaldean, or 
 even the more experienced Greek, had ever seen. 
 
 What was that ? A confused sound as of struggle and 
 disputing voices came from the direction of the great door 
 on the street of Canopus. This was soon followed by the 
 noisy tramp on the marble pavement of what seemed in 
 the distance a body of soldiers. As they came nearer 
 they were seen to be indeed some twelve Roman soldiers 
 in full armor, carrying at their head a standard — the le- 
 gionary standard, consisting of a pike surmounted by a 
 silver eagle, on whose spread wings stood an effigy of the 
 emperor, with this superscription in large capitals — Deus 
 Tiberius C^sar. 
 
 The soldiers were followed at a short distance by a 
 weeping, groaning, threatening crowd of Jews who had 
 tried, it would seem, to prevent the entrance of the party 
 with their desecrating symbol, and were now following 
 them with lamentations and execrations. 
 
 As the band came near, Aleph easily recognized in the 
 leader of it the drunken officer whom he had disarmed on 
 the Nile. Almost as soon the two friends were recognized 
 by the Roman ; and, with an oath, he at once led the way 
 to where they stood (they had planted themselves in 
 fnmt of Rachel), although at that moment Alexander and 
 his elders were hastily coming forward from the vestry. 
 
THE SYNAGOGUE. 75 
 
 *' I have found you at last/' the man cried, as he dis- 
 posed his soldiers in a semicircle, " and you will not easily 
 escape me.'' 
 
 Alexander had now come up. 
 '* As the head of the community worshipping here, I 
 demand to know for what purpose you have come into 
 their sanctuary with standard and arms ? " 
 
 "To give you and your friends/' the officer replied 
 with mock solemnity, "an opportunity, which no doubt 
 you will gratefully accept, to pay an act of religious wor- 
 ship to the great god Tiberius Caesar — after this manner," 
 and he kneeled before the standard, and, with both hands 
 lifted, cried. Great God, I worship thee. 
 
 Rising, he exclaimed, "Now I have set you an exam- 
 ple — copy it, every one of you ! " 
 
 The crowd behind groaned and hissed. 
 The officer shook his fist at them and shouted, " Be 
 still, you snakes and swine ; your turn will come shortly. 
 Let your betters lead off. It is their privilege. Come, 
 begin, Pontif ex Maximus ! " — turning to Alexander. 
 
 " I demand of you by what authority you make this 
 demand on us," demanded the Alabarch. 
 
 The Roman pointed to the image of the emperor. 
 "Do you mean to say that an order has come from 
 Rome for violating the sanctuaries of the Jews, and revok- 
 ing the edicts which from the founding of the city have 
 guaranteed to us our own religious views and usages ?" 
 
 " The Roman senate has decreed Divine honors to the 
 emperor ; and his image has been received and worshipped 
 in every place of worship in the city, saving the syna- 
 gogues of the Jews. Now you shall have your turn." 
 
 That is no answer to my question. The Jews have 
 
 (( 
 
76 THE SYNAGOGUE. 
 
 always had special jirivilcges in this city, and one of them 
 is to refuse worship to every god but their own. Again I 
 ask, has this privilege been recalled by the emperor since 
 yesterday : for yesterday I received a personal letter from 
 him in which he promised to abate nothing from our 
 privileges." 
 
 The Roman made no answer, but conferred with one 
 of his men in a low voice. After a moment's delay, Alex- 
 ander continued : 
 
 *^It is plain that you have no authority from the em- 
 peror for this outrage. Have you for it the authority of 
 the governor, or of the prefect of the city ? I await your 
 careful reply." 
 
 *' We are carrying out the wishes of the representatives 
 of Rome in Alexandria," said the fellow sullenly. 
 
 ^^ And that is no answer to my question. Are we to 
 understand that Avilleus Flaccus, or Urbanus Civicus, un- 
 dertakes on his own responsibility to set aside the decrees 
 of kings and emperors for four hundred years, those of 
 the reigning emperor included, and has expressly sent 
 you here to-day for this purpose ? " 
 
 '^ We did not come here," said the officer with a face 
 that was fast becoming purple, *^to be catechised." 
 
 "You came here,'' said Alexander sternly, *^^to com- 
 mit an outrage — came as a private venture of yourself and 
 a few mischievous companions, and without authority 
 from your superiors. You deserve heavy punishment, and 
 I hope will get it. Now hegone from the sanctuary which 
 you have profaned." 
 
 '' Begone ! " echoed the elders. " Begoke ! " shouted 
 and screamed the mob from behind. 
 
 ** Whatever privileges you cursed Jews may have, they 
 
THE SYNAGOGUE. 77 
 
 certainly do not belong to these men'^ — pointing at Cimon 
 and Aleph. ** These are no more Jews than I am. And 
 for aught I know the same is true of this woman. We 
 will see " — and he stepped toward Rachel to lift her veil. 
 
 ^* Stand back/' said Aleph sternly, as he placed his 
 hand on the breast of the man and sent him staggering 
 back on his men. 
 
 Before the man could recover himself, Alexander 
 interfered : '^ This lady is my daughter ; and as for these 
 men, they are of our faith, and as co-religionists are enti- 
 tled to our immunities." 
 
 ** And if it were not so," said Aleph, ^'^it may be well 
 for this man to know that under no conceivable circum- 
 stances would we pay religious worship to the emperor, 
 though quite ready to pay the magistrates all due observ- 
 ance." 
 
 '' We will see," cried the Roman in a transport of fury, 
 as he rushed on the young man with his drawn sword, 
 ^' Down on your knees to the standard this instant, you 
 renegade, or by Juj)iter, I will put you on your knees for 
 the rest of your life," and he struck at his knees. 
 
 Aleph caught the blow with his cane. Whereupon the 
 officer lost all self-restraint and made a rapid succession 
 of strokes and thrusts that sought life. But Aleph had 
 evidently learned the art of fence : his cane was as good 
 as a shield and met the sword at every point. At last, 
 after a desperate lunge, the sword went flying aloft ; and 
 both Cimon and Aleph had seized its master. 
 
 ^^ Expel them !" shouted Alexander to the crowd of 
 Jews that was now surging and roaring like a maddened 
 sea, " Expel them with your canes and your hands ! They 
 have forced an entrance into our sanctuary, they have pro- 
 
78 THE SYNAGOGUE. 
 
 faned it with an idol, and now they have sought to stain 
 it with the blood of unarmed men. Expel them, I say ! 
 
 The mob needed no spur. They threw themselves on 
 the soldiers, already cowed by what had i:>assed, and in a 
 moment were dragging them, disarmed and unresisting, 
 behind Cimon and Alepli with their prisoner. Had it 
 not been for the example of coolness and forbearance set 
 by our friends and an occasional moderating word from 
 them, the people might have torn their prisoners limb from 
 limb. As it was, the soldiers had no gentle handling. They 
 had little armor left on them when they reached the great 
 doors. They had gotten many an accidental elbowing 
 and tripping. Somehow people had stumbled heavily 
 and found it hard to recover themselves. There were 
 few parts of those Roman bodies which had not become 
 intimately acquainted with both the point and broadside 
 of a cane. Their captain suffered least — in fact, suffered 
 nothing beyond the shame and uneasiness of being held 
 fast in iron hands. 
 
 When those hands were taken off, just outside the 
 great door, he suddenly drew a knife from a fold in his 
 sash and made a pass at Aleph. But both friends Avere 
 vigilant ; and Cimon, while beating off the knife with one 
 hand, with the other dealt the rascal such a blow on the 
 head that his helmet flew off and went clattering down 
 the steps into the street. He followed staggering. The 
 people behind, seeing only the cuff and the result, cheered, 
 and very cheerfully followed the example supposed to be 
 set them. Each soldier received such a hearty cuff and 
 push as he went down the steps as made his descent little 
 less than a fall. 
 
 Once down, they were not allowed to linger. The 
 
THE SYNAGOGUE. 79 
 
 blood of tlie people was up ; and they followed the soldiers 
 in their precipitate flight a long distance with menacing 
 cries and gestures, and with such missiles as they happened 
 to find in the street. 
 
 Meanwhile the friends had been called within the syn- 
 agogue by Alexander, and the great doors fastened. What 
 consultations took place it i« not necessary to record. 
 There were consultations ; and that too of a very political 
 and secular sort. The situation of the Jews was always 
 delicate. There was much reason to fear that the morn- 
 ing's disturbance would seriously embroil them with the 
 authorities at both Alexandria and Rome. What should 
 be done ? If any one has light let him speak out at once 
 — tlioiigh it he Sabbath. 
 
 But none had scruples. The ideas of the Alexandrian 
 Jews of the first century were not exactly like those of 
 some of their ancestors in the time of the Maccabees who 
 refused to defend themselves against their enemies on the 
 Sabbath because self-defense was work, and that too of 
 the severest sort. The children had become wiser if not 
 better. They had come to believe that self-preservation 
 is a work of necessity, not to say of mercy ; and Avere 
 ready to fight the idolaters seven days in the week if nec- 
 essary for even a less matter than self-preservation — as we 
 have seen. They would not consent to be martyrs till 
 they had tried hard to be victors. They would not be 
 idolaters, and they did not want to be rebels. They 
 wanted to preserve their religion, and also wanted to pre- 
 serve themselves. Was it possible ? Let us see, said the 
 Seventy, as they resumed their gilded chairs. So the men 
 who did not hesitate to fight a battle on the Sabbath did 
 not scruple to consult on that day how to prevent the bat- 
 
80 THE SYNAGOGUE. 
 
 tie from souring into a defeat. Were they wrong in 
 this ? 
 
 Cimon and Aleph answered in the negative. I am not 
 sure but that I agree with them. Doubtless a council of 
 war may be as holy as a prayer-meeting. I once knew of 
 one that was holier, but that began with a prayer. 
 
 But a narrative is like a star — it perishes if it stops 
 moving. So let us proceed. 
 
V. 
 
 -THE UNIVERSITY. 
 
 O 61 nalg, izdvruv drjpiuv, iari dva/u-eraxeiptcToTaTov. 
 
 — Plato, Lee/, vii. 14. 
 Of all wild beasts, a boy is the hardest to manage. 
 
1. Breakers atiead. 
 
 2. Behiolci the Seraipeum.! 
 
 3. Anothier schiool qu-ite as good. 
 
 4. A Nlessianic partnerstiip. 
 
V. 
 
 THE UNIVERSITY. 
 
 EARLY the next morning Cimon and Aleph trans- 
 ferred themselves and their effects to a small khan 
 in the Egyptian quarter of the city. This was done for 
 the following reasons. 
 
 The events of the Sabbath seemed to make it prudent 
 to withdraw from public notice as much as possible. Of 
 course, the son of Flaccus was a source of danger : and 
 then the seeming look of recognition on the face of 
 Mains, which both of them had noticed, was not a pleas- 
 ant feature of the situation. It was the silent lightning 
 on the horizon. They felt it even more important, just 
 then, to keep out of the sight of the Jew than it was to 
 keep out of the sight of the Roman, Especially after an 
 incident that occurred on their way back from the syna- 
 gogue. 
 
 As they came down the steps of the Diapleuston, they 
 noticed a Jew across the street, watching them. Before 
 they had gone far, Aleph, happening to look behind, saw 
 the man following, and spoke of it to Cimon. They 
 walked slower — at length very slowly. The man slack- 
 ened his pace to suit. They walked faster — at length 
 very fast. The man quickened his pace correspondingly. 
 It was annoying. 
 
84 THE UNIVERSITY. 
 
 ^^ Let us go to meet him/' said Cimon, " and see if he 
 will retreat/' 
 
 Accordingly they turned and^ for a moment^ it seemed 
 as if their shadow would turn too. But he thought better 
 of it ; and only stood still, in some confusion, till they 
 came up. 
 
 " Can we do anything for you V inquired the Greek. 
 ^^ If so we are,at your service." 
 
 ^' I certainly owe you an apology/' stammered the 
 Jew. ^^ The fact is, I was in the synagogue at the time 
 of the disturbance, and was so struck with the very great 
 likeness of this young man to one whom I saw many years 
 ago that I determined to wait for his coming out and to 
 follow him — in hope of finding where he was staying, 
 or at least of getting a better view. And I have got- 
 ten it," he added laughingly, '^\\\ a way I did not 
 expect, but certainly deserved. However, I will not 
 complain ; as I now have an opportunity to thank you 
 both for standing up so boldly and effectually for us 
 to-day." 
 
 *' Well," said Cimon, good-humoredly, ^^ since we have 
 now gratified your curiosity, perhaps you will not refuse 
 to gratify ours by telling us who you are, and whom you 
 suppose this young man to resemble." 
 
 *^ That is but fair," returned the Jew. ^' I keep a 
 khan at the east end of this street, near the gate of Cano- 
 pus, as did my father before me. When I was a youth, 
 there came to our place from Judea a caravan of eastern 
 people, evidently of great distinction, on their way home- 
 ward by the Red Sea route. It was in this company that 
 I saw a man whose appearance made such an impression 
 on me that if I were a painter I could put him on canvas 
 
THE UNIVERSITY. 85 
 
 to-day : and this young man is his double— perhaps some- 
 what brightened by youth." 
 
 '' I have to confess," said Aleph with a smile, '' that 
 I am a Chaldean ; and also that all Chaldeans have a cer- 
 tain likeness to one another. But you must not forget 
 that the imagination is a powerful faculty, especially 
 among us orientals, and has sometimes been known to see 
 things that did not exist. But you can see for yourself, 
 without any help from your imagination, that the peculiar 
 way in which this conference has come about has attracted 
 the notice of the street, and that the curious are beginning 
 to thicken about us. So now let us separate : but, as soon 
 as our affairs permit, we will seek you out and hear further 
 about the pilgrims of whom you speak." 
 
 So they parted. But the incident, especially after re- 
 flection and conference early the next morning, deter- 
 mined the friends to withdraw as fully as possible from 
 the Jewish and Roman quarters of the city, and to hasten 
 certain inquiries as to Mains. 
 
 There are two kinds of prophecy— the natural and the 
 supernatural. The latter is a spark from the Divine fore- 
 knowledge, granted occasionally to certain privileged per- 
 sons. That our friends had anything of this I am not 
 prepared to say ; but they were reasonably well furnished 
 with such foresight as reason and experience can give ; 
 and what they foresaw was very considerable annoyance 
 and even danger if they should remain at their present 
 quarters. So they determined to remove. This was not 
 valor, certainly. As certainly it was not cowardice. But 
 it was that good thing which we call prudence, and which 
 sensible people think to be almost or quite as good as hero- 
 ism itself. It was a wise precaution— the tacking of the 
 
86 THE UNIVERSITY. 
 
 ship when breakers are seen ahead, the putting on of 
 armor when the arrows begin to fly, the striking tent and 
 removing to higher ground when the morning sky is red 
 and lowering, and there is a sound of abundance of rain. 
 
 Have I said that the strangers were in the habit of 
 asking each morning for Divine guidance during the 
 day ? If not, I ought to have said it. And the habit was 
 no empty form. When they had risen from their knees 
 they seemed free from anxiety as to what might happen, 
 though not free from forethought and a disposition to be 
 very active in pursuit of their objects. Queer people, were 
 they not ? Some would say they were very absurd as well 
 as queer. However this may be, it is certain that Aleph 
 and his friend did not stir a step that morning even in 
 the matter of planning, till they had sought leading from 
 a wisdom above their own. And what they did that 
 morning they may be counted on to do every morning 
 while we follow their fortunes. Will it be of any service 
 to them ? Perhaps they have found in their Septuagint 
 several passages like this, " Commit thy way unto the 
 Lord and he shall direct thy paths." 
 
 Perhaps Cimon found more difficulty than his young 
 companion in keeping free from anxiety on account of 
 what had occurred. He felt a responsibility for both. 
 
 '^ It seems unfortunate," said he, after their devotions, 
 *^^not only that we should have been brought again into 
 collision with the Eomans, wlio can do so much to hinder 
 at least one of our objects, but that it has come about in 
 such a way as to attract to us the notice of the whole 
 Jewish community. For, of course, yesterday's events 
 will be public talk to-day, and everybody will be inquir- 
 ing and surmising about the strangers. And I am very 
 
THE UNIVERSITY. 87 
 
 much afraid that Mains has ah-eady caught a spark that 
 in such a gale will set all his suspicions and craft on fire. 
 But as these seemingly untoward things could not well 
 have been avoided by us, I cannot but hope that the un- 
 towardness is only in seeming. I have lived long enough 
 to know that a Divine leading can brighten seeming perils 
 and disasters into blessings. But it seems a reasonable 
 condition of Divine guidance that we try to act as pru- 
 dently as we can, from the human stand-point. And 
 prudence seems to require that we at once remove to the 
 Egyptian quarter ; that you matriculate in the University, 
 and thus secure its immunities for yourself, as well as meet 
 the wishes of your father that you hear for yourself the 
 scholars of the west ; and that I j^roceed without delay to 
 make the inquiries we need to make in regard to Mains. 
 These inquiries will have to be made as quietly and rapidly 
 as possible ; for if he should take the alarm his craft and 
 influence are evidently such that he might seriously em- 
 barrass our movements — if not baffle them." 
 
 And so it came to pass that the early morning found 
 them established in a quiet khan almost under the shadow 
 of the Serapeum. 
 
 This does not localize them very definitely ; for the 
 Serapeum cast a very great shadow. The temple, or 
 rather collection of temples, was, by all odds, the most im- 
 posing structure in Alexandria. It was built on an eleva- 
 tion, 2:)artly artificial, the ascent to which on three sides 
 was by broad flights of steps and successive platforms ; 
 while on the north side the ascent began at the harbor 
 and advanced by a grade easy for vehicles to the great 
 Propylon. This was purely Egyptian. To the right and 
 left of it rose walls of red syenite, high and massive enough 
 
88 THE UNIVERSITY. 
 
 to be the walls of a city, decorated with many towers, and 
 inclosing the whole levelled summit of the hill with their 
 somewhat irregular lines. Within these, at a little dis- 
 tance, and built of the same, though much finer and care- . 
 fully wrought, stone, rose the complicate structures of the 
 temple proper. It was a little city by itself. And, tower- 
 ing above all other structures, it seemed to protect Alex- 
 andria and defy the seas beyond. 
 
 Like most Egyptian structures it was most successful 
 in giving to beholders the ideas of massiveness and vast- 
 ness. Yet the airiness of the situation, combined with a 
 mingling of the various Hellenic architectures with the 
 Egyptian, seemed to relieve the ponderous pile of any air 
 of heaviness. For Pharaohs and Ptolemies, Mother Isis 
 and her vagrant daughters Doris and lone and Cora, 
 were all represented in the confused mass of templed 
 structures designed to welcome all the classical creeds. 
 
 The most striking features of the temple, to one look- 
 ing up to it from the street, were, perhaps, an enormous 
 canopy that seemed to overhang the whole pile of build- 
 ings and a tower by its side that rose still higher. This 
 tower was the famous observatory where Eratosthenes and 
 Hipparchus had made their observations ; and in the 
 spacious halls at its base was deposited the greater part of 
 the then existing Alexandrian library — consisting of some 
 200,000 works collected by the Ptolemies, together with 
 300,000 parchments brought from Pergamos by Mark 
 Antony for Cleopatra. 
 
 The Serapeum was under Egyptian control, but was 
 greatly revered by devout Greeks and Romans as well as 
 by Egyptians. Each nation regarded the god to whom 
 the temple was dedicated and whose statue of mingled 
 
THE Ui^IVEIiSITY. 89 
 
 marble and silver and gold was there enshrined, as being 
 the chief of all its gods — the Egyptians calling it Osiris, 
 the Greeks Zeus, and the Romans Jupiter. For some 
 reason, of late years, this statue had been kept in a dark 
 room, and was seldom, if ever, shown to the people at 
 large. They worshipped without the presence of any vis- 
 ible symbol of deity. The priests were numerous and of 
 the highest rank. The chief of all was primate of all 
 Egypt. 
 
 To its religious character the Serapeum added that of 
 an institution of learning. Its jiriests had among their 
 own peoj)le the reputation for wisdom which belonged to 
 the ancient Egyptian j^riesthood among all nations — and 
 not without reason. Their priestly duties being light, 
 they spent much time in studying the sciences and phi- 
 loso2:)hies as then known, and in training young priests to 
 the same. In addition, the more eminent among them 
 taught on certain topics in the Alexandrian School. They 
 were recognized by the Ptolemies, and afterward by the 
 emperors, as in all respects peers of the teachers located 
 at the Museum. 
 
 Indeed, among people religiously inclined their stand- 
 ing was altogether superior to that of the secular pro- 
 fessors. They were far more sober and practical in their 
 teachings. They more boldly recognized religion and 
 taught on lines parallel with it. They had stricter no- 
 tions of what could properly be called science and philos- 
 ophy. A few facts blown up into prettily colored bubbles, 
 and then tossed into the air on exhibition, and then col- 
 lapsing, and then succeeded by another output of pretty 
 emptinesses, and this by another, and so on — such were the 
 substance and history of the better part of the ever-chang- 
 
90 THE UNIVERSITY. 
 
 ing teaching of tlie Museum. The worse part had no 
 foundation in facts at all. In fact, facts were scorned. 
 They were vulgar. The lofty name of wisdom should be 
 given only to great general intuitions and the logical de- 
 ductions from them. And as the teachers were by no 
 means careful in either their premises or their processes, 
 their conclusions were apt to be worthless when they were 
 not pernicious. In short, the Museum was the child of 
 Athens and the mother of Germany. 
 
 Accordingly, many of the noblest families in the neigh- 
 boring countries turned their faces toward the Serapeum. 
 They were disgusted at the laborious trifling. They were 
 alarmed at the decay of faith. If their sons could not 
 have something that deserved to be called knowledge, and 
 knowledge without impiety and all the terrors, they did 
 not want them to have it at all. But if they could have it 
 thoroughly leavened with religious ideas — why, they would 
 welcome it, be very glad of it, pour out for it their shekels 
 or sestertii or staters freely. Such people found what 
 they wanted in the priest- teachers of the Serapeum ; and 
 said to themselves that if religion is the supreme wisdom 
 then are the ministers of religion the supreme professors. 
 
 All this Cimon recalled and spoke of when he found 
 himself in the neighborhood of the temple. And he pro- 
 posed that Aleph should matriculate there instead of at 
 the Museum — as being the nearer and more conservative 
 branch of the University, as well as more remote from 
 the Roman headquarters. 
 
 "I do not think," said he, ^^that you will need to 
 confine yourself very closely to the routine of lectures. 
 Many of the more advanced students do not. You are 
 already familiar through me with the main subjects dis- 
 
THE UNIVERSITY. 91 
 
 cussed in both the Athenian and Alexandrian Schools : 
 and I do not imagine that you will hear much that is 
 new ; only you will hear the old said in a new way, with 
 new illustrations and personal modifications, which is not 
 without its advantage to a young man. And you will 
 have what, perhaps, is a still greater advantage, that of 
 mingling with and studying the leading young men of 
 the West. As to the present preliminaries for admission 
 to the School, you had better apply to Seti for informa- 
 tion." 
 
 ''And why not ask his advice, also," said Aleph, "as 
 to how you had better proceed in the affair of Mains ? It 
 would be a safe thing to do. The priest is not in love 
 with the trader." 
 
 "Perhaps," returned the Greek, "this is the best 
 thing to be done. Still I feel reluctant to do it — at least 
 till I have proved it necessary. It is a good rule not to 
 call on others to help you till you have tried to help your- 
 self. We must spare our friends as much as possible. 
 And I do not see that any harm can be done by my going 
 directly to the custom house and inquiring on what terms 
 abstracts from the records can be made, or by my going 
 to leading dealers and asking how the prices of certain 
 goods have ruled in Alexandria for a term of years. Let 
 me cautiously feel my way about to-day by myself : by the 
 evening I shall be better able to see whether we need to 
 call in help from outside." 
 
 As soon as Cimon had gone, Aleph inquired of the 
 landlord at what part of the temple he should present 
 himself. Climbing successive flights of steps that began 
 almost at the khan, he came to the broad carriage-way of 
 which we have spoken. As yet very few people could be 
 
92 THE UNIVERSITY. 
 
 seen upon it — none who seemed moving to the temple. 
 This led him to think that very likely he was yet too early 
 for the temple habits, and had better linger a little before 
 seeking admittance. So he sat down on one of the stone 
 seats, placed at intervals by the wayside for the conven- 
 ience of the weary and the idle, and proceeded to study at 
 his leisure the stately fa9ade of the temple. While thus 
 engaged he heard voices just back of the wall against 
 which he was leaning. 
 
 A voice laughed heartily. 
 
 **Have you been at your cups so early?" said another 
 voice testily. ^' I should have thought that these leeks 
 and onions would set you to crying. That is what they 
 do to me.^^ 
 
 "I couldn't cry if I were up to my eyes in the onions 
 of Nauticratis," said the other. " Oh, it was such a capi- 
 tal thing ! Why, the very gods themselves must be shak- 
 ing with laughter — at least our Egyptian gods." 
 
 ** Who ever heard of an Egyptian god laughing ? Our 
 deities never did that in the best days of the country. 
 They who were as grim as fate when Thebes was in its 
 glory are not likely to smile now when Thebes is dead, 
 and a Roman garrison is in Alexandria, and a Roman 
 Governor in the palace of Seti." 
 
 *^ That is just it — now you are coming to the point ! " 
 cried the other; ^^it is just hecause there is a Roman 
 garrison in Alexandria and a Roman Propraitor in the 
 ancestral palace of Seti that our gods, calm and grave as 
 they generally are, must have had a merry time of it 
 yesterday." 
 
 " There, take that, you provoking Sphinx ! " (and 
 Aleph heard something strike against the wall). " If you 
 
THE UI^IVERSITY. 93 
 
 do not expound your riddle right away it will be, not two 
 onions that your empty head will get, but a whole basket 
 of them." • 
 
 '^ Do you pretend to say that you have not heard what 
 took place yesterday at the Diapleuston ? Why, the 
 whole city is ringing with it — at least the Jewish Quarter. 
 The Roman Quarter will be silent enough, I Avarrant/^ 
 
 '* Have heard nothing. Was in Canopus yesterday — 
 came back before people were stirring this morning. 
 What is it ? Out with it, Fian ! " 
 
 " An you be a true son of Egypt, now open your ears 
 and mouth ! Yesterday the Governor took a hundred 
 soldiers and tried to make the Jews at the Diapleuston 
 worship an image of the emperor. A magnificent young 
 man in shining armor suddenly appeared on the scene, 
 disarmed Flaccus, and encouraged the Jcavs to give the 
 whole party a good drubbing. Which they did. The 
 Romans were pommelled within an inch of their lives, 
 then tumbled headlong into the street, and then chased 
 on a full run quite to Bruchium. Gods ! what a treat to 
 see Flaccus run ! I would have given ten years of my 
 life to see it. And now it is said that Alexander, the 
 favorite banker of the emperor, and heavier with him 
 than all the pyramids put together, has just written to 
 the governor demanding an apology for his behavior ; and 
 threatening to report him to the emperor." 
 
 " Give us your fist, old fellow ! Here goes my cap — 
 to the moon, for aught I care. This is good news, capital 
 news, news fit for the gods, news — almost too good to be 
 true ! But it ought to be true, and so true it must be. 
 Let the gods laugh till the skies crack. To see the 
 Romans soundly thrashed and running away with their 
 
94 THE UNIVEKSITY. 
 
 tails between their legs must have been a treat for heaven 
 and earth. I could give that young man a chaplet — who 
 is he ? " 
 
 "Just what everybody is asking/^ 
 
 " And just what, in my opinion, nobody will ever find 
 out ; for he must have been at once rapturously spirited 
 olf by the celestials to their own country for the good 
 service done us. Perhaps he was a celestial to begin with." 
 
 " That reminds me that I did hear some Jews debat- 
 ing whether he might not be the Wonderful Deliverer 
 whom they are expecting.^' 
 
 Was there any danger that Aleph would be unduly 
 exalted in his own estimation by such a very compliment- 
 ary account of himself? Perhaps he was saved from this 
 peril by the several large exaggerations of the story. What 
 more natural than for him to say, "And I, too, am an 
 exaggeration V 
 
 At any rate, he wasted no time in arguing the matter ; 
 for he now noticed that the postern at the side of the 
 great gate was being opened to a comer. So he rose, 
 advanced leisurely to the postern, and plied the knocker 
 which hung from a small window above. The door 
 opened. He told the porter that he wished to see the 
 priest Seti. 
 
 "I suppose you mean the AiV/7^-priest Seti !" said the 
 man with dignity. 
 
 " Very possibly, ^^ said AleiDh. ."Is there here more 
 than one priest of that name ? " 
 
 " I know of no other." 
 
 " Then I wish to see the hir/h-\ir'iest Seti. Please have 
 him informed that Aleph the Chaldean wishes to see 
 him." 
 
THE UNIVERSITY, 95 
 
 The porter glanced outside, as if to see whether there 
 was any fine equipage, with servants, before the great 
 gateway : then said : 
 
 ''You probably will not be able to see him this 
 morning. I doubt if he would see the prefect of the 
 city.- 
 
 " But I am not the prefect — as you have just seen. I 
 am a visitor more likely to be acceptable to the high- 
 priest : for I come by his express invitation. So I will 
 enter and stay in the hall till an answer comes to my 
 message '' — and he advanced on the man with so decisive 
 and commanding an air that he gave way and admitted 
 
 him. 
 
 " Now if you will send my message at once, you will 
 do no more than your duty/' said Aleph coolly. 
 
 So a servant was sent off ; who after a few moments 
 returned and, with an air of great respect, said, " The 
 high-priest will see you. I will conduct you to him.'' 
 But he was spared the trouble, for just then Seti himself 
 appeared, received his visitor in a way that astonished the 
 servants, and conducted him to his own private rooms. 
 
 ''You see," said the young man with that modesty 
 and deference of manner that are so graceful and winning 
 in the young toward age and station, "that I have very 
 soon availed myself of your permission to call upon you. 
 It is the wish of my father that I should, while in Alex- 
 andria, hear for myself the scholars of the west ; though 
 the Greek preceptor, who has conducted my education 
 and whom you have seen, has already made me acquainted 
 in a general way with the western literature and learning 
 as it was taught in his youth, both here and at Athens. 
 And, as I am told that the Serapeum stands for a branch 
 
96 THE UNIVERSITY. 
 
 of the Alexandrian School, I wish to join it here ; and 
 have come to yon to learn in what way I may do so, and 
 become entitled to snch privileges and immunities as 
 membership confers/' 
 
 " I am glad that you propose doing this/' returned 
 the high-priest ; ^' especially because I have heard from 
 Alexander of the events of yesterday. No doubt there is 
 danger abroad ; but if any class among us is specially 
 exempt from espial and interference by the civil and mili- 
 tary authorities it is that of the students. So we will 
 have you booked without delay. Where are you now 
 lodged ? " 
 
 On hearing of the transfer to his own neighborhood, 
 Seti added : 
 
 ^^That is just what I was about to propose. The 
 Eomans have less to do with this part of the city than 
 with any other. Neither my son nor myself anticipate 
 any trouble from the authorities on account of what oc- 
 curred yesterday. They probably will disavow all connec- 
 tion with it, on account of my son's influence at Rome. 
 At the same time they, no doubt, are in full sympathy 
 with the rascals and will let them off without punishment, 
 if not with secret commendation. This everybody is sure 
 of — I mean everybody who knows that the leader in the 
 affair was the son of Flaccus. Your chief danger will be 
 from that reprobate. After the lessons he has had he is 
 not likely to attack you in front ; but you will need to be 
 on your guard against all mean and dishonorable ways of 
 attack. He is the greatest scoundrel in Alexandria — after 
 his father and Mains, who have all his vices and hypocrisy 
 in addition. But come, let us lose no time in matriculat- 
 
 ing." 
 
THE UNIVERSITY. 97 
 
 Seti then led the way to a large hall with a platform 
 and seats. 
 
 ^^This/" said he, ^^ is our chief lecture-room ; and here 
 some of the professors who live and lecture at the Museum 
 come at stated times to repeat their lectures. This door 
 opens into the tower from the top of which our astrono- 
 mers observe the stars ; and sometimes other things nearer 
 home, as, for example, the flight and pursuit yesterday 
 along the street of Canopus. The doors on the other 
 three sides open into the library with its 500,000 differ- 
 ent works on paj^yrus and parchment. Let us pass 
 into it."*' 
 
 Aleph now found himself in a room, or rather a suite 
 of rooms, lighted wholly from above, whose sides were 
 shining with the copper cylinders which contained the 
 literary treasures of many lands and centuries. AVhat 
 woidd our modern bibliopoles not give for the same priv- 
 ilege ? At central tables and in recesses were scholars 
 poring over open rolls— also professional scribes copying 
 manuscripts with careful exactness and a beauty of result 
 wonderful to see. Seti led his companion freely within 
 the bronze railing that fenced the collection from the 
 general public ; taking down and exhibiting some notably 
 rare or beautiful rolls — among others the entire works of 
 Berosus and Manetho and Sanconiathon, of which, un- 
 fortunately, we now have only a few fragments. 
 
 At length they stopped before a small open office, 
 within which sat a uniformed official. He rose respect- 
 fully. Seti asked for the University register. 
 
 ^' Write your name, as you wish it to be known, here," 
 he said, pointing to a page, '^ and then pay to this man 
 as initiation fee one gold stater. Then when I have writ- 
 
98 THE UNIVERSITY. 
 
 ten my name as sponsor over against yours on tlie opposite 
 page, you will be a member of the University and entitled 
 to wear its badge conspicuously on your tunic — also, when- 
 ever you please, the University toga. But this latter is 
 usually reserved for special occasions, and can be procured 
 at your leisure. ^^ 
 
 Aleph followed directions and received a large gold 
 badge, which he was told was only one stater additional. 
 Seti himself fastened it conspicuously on the tunic of the 
 new student. He also received from the registrar a sylla- 
 bus of the lectures for many weeks at both the Sera]3eum 
 and Museum. Glancing it over he noticed that Seti was 
 one of the lecturers and Philo another — the one on history 
 and ethical philosophy, the other on Plato and compara- 
 tive religions. 
 
 ^' Now," said Seti, as they were returning through the 
 lecture room, " I have hurried you through these formali- 
 ties for two reasons — one of which is that I wish you to 
 have as soon as possible the benefit of being a recognized 
 member of our University. The other reason is that I 
 wish to get you to do me a favor. Just before you came 
 I had a message from Rachel, my grand-daughter, that 
 the Greek leech, who is employed for her nurse, has gone 
 back to his old treatment and that the woman is again 
 rapidly sinking. It seems that the husband not merely 
 supports the leech in his course, but absolutely requires it 
 of him. I suspect that the brute wants to get rid of her. 
 Now, I have an important engagement this morning, 
 which will prevent my going personally to look after the 
 case at the time she mentions — I see by this clepsydra 
 that the time is near — and as the matter is urgent I could 
 wish to have you go in my stead and deal with both the 
 
THE UNIVERSITY. 99 
 
 husband and the leech as you may find occasion in order 
 to save the woman's life. Can you do me this favor ? I 
 think there is no lecture to-day." 
 
 ''Certainly/' said Aleph, ''I will do what I can, for 
 your treatment is that of my own country ; though, I con- 
 fess, I do not at present see how I am to enforce your 
 wishes in case the leech and the husband should both 
 prove obstinate." 
 
 "That is a difficulty," returned the Egyptian ; ''but 
 I must leave you to solve it as you best can. This will be 
 no disadvantage to your education. The young man who 
 has learned how to deal with difficult men in difficult cir- 
 cumstances has graduated at a higher university than 
 teaches in the Serapeum and Museum. So take a lesson 
 in the university of human nature ; and, perhaps, when I 
 join you, which will be as soon as my business will allow, 
 you can reproduce the lesson for me." 
 
 Aleph could not well help noticing the change that 
 had come over the manners of the porter as Seti and him- 
 self approached the postern in close conversation. The 
 man had exchanged impudence for obsequiousness. He 
 was all deference and humbleness. His bow was so low, 
 as he set the postern wide open, that one might reasona- 
 bly have feared that the hinge in his back had entirely 
 given way in favor of a prostration. Has it not been 
 noticed in all ages that impudence and servility are near 
 of kin to each other and are never far apart ? 
 
 In due time Aleph presented himself at the house of 
 the sick woman. The same forbidding looking man who 
 had acted as porter before now answered to his knock, but 
 only opened the door a hand breadth. 
 
 After waiting a moment for an invitation to enter, 
 
100 TUE UNIVERSITY. 
 
 wliicli he did not get, the young man said, '^Will you not 
 permit me to enter ? '' 
 
 " What is your business ? " demanded the fellow in a 
 surly tone, making the opening of the door still less. 
 
 '^A friendly one," said Aleph. ''I will explain it 
 more fully when I have entered and delivered to you — 
 that is, if you are the husband of the sick woman — some 
 money which I have for you." 
 
 The word money seemed to throw a shade of uncer- 
 tainty into the man's face. At length he said : ^'I am 
 her husband. Why cannot you deliver the money to me 
 here ? " 
 
 '^ Of course I can," said Aleph. ''^ The only difficulty 
 lies in my disposition. The gold is in my pouch, my arm 
 is long enough to reach it, and your hand is near enough 
 to take it : but you see, man, it does not suit my humor 
 to give gold to a man who is rude enough to shut his door 
 in my face. I hardly think you yourself would be liberal 
 under like circumstances — would you ?" 
 
 '' My wife is very sick — it may be dying. Your com- 
 ing in will disturb her." 
 
 ^' Dying people are not apt to be disturbed by a step 
 and voice as light as mine will be. Besides, if the woman 
 is dying you will need the gold all the more. Death and 
 burial in Alexandria must be expensive. I suppose tliere 
 are some people here who cannot afford to die." 
 
 '^ Well," said the man, slowly and after a pause, ^^you 
 can come in ; but I cannot let you remain but a few mo- 
 ments." 
 
 Aleph promptly stepped in as the door opened ; and, 
 while the man was closing and fastening it, made his way 
 to the room he had before visited. As before, the air was 
 
THE UNIVERSITY. 101 
 
 close and almost stifling. As before, the woman lay on 
 the bed, in about the same death-like state. And, as be- 
 fore, Rachel sat behind her, supporting her head and ca- 
 ressing it with her hand — her own face a picture of lovely 
 distress. A man at a table was, apparently, preparing 
 some medicines. He was not a bad looking man, save as 
 a certain pretentious and stubborn look is a bad one on a 
 face somewhat stony and unsympathetic. One would say 
 that his sympathy with his patients would not be likely to 
 interfere with his health or his meals. His whole bearing 
 seemed to say, " I am a leech, and I understand my busi- 
 ness ; " and yet his dress was too jDoor to suggest the idea 
 of a prosperous business. All this the observant eye of 
 the young man took in at a glance. 
 
 Rachel looked up. A look of glad recognition sprang 
 into every feature, but especially into her welcoming eyes. 
 They smiled on him through tears. He bowed profoundly 
 in acknowledgment of the silent greeting ; and, advancing 
 to her, said in a low voice, '^From your grandfather. '' 
 
 Facing about on the husband, who had closely fol- 
 lowed him, he put a piece of gold in his hand, saying as 
 he did so, ^^For the sick woman." 
 
 Then turning to the leech, he said in a courteous tone : 
 
 " I think I am speaking to the physician in charge of 
 this patient. If so, will he allow me a few words with 
 him in private ? Perhaps we can step out into this little 
 court for a few moments " — and he at once quietly moved 
 to the door leading to the back court, opened it, and passed 
 out without looking behind him — passed to the farther 
 side of the inclosure, as if sure of being followed. He was 
 followed, though with some backwardness. 
 
 '* I wish,^' said Aleph, as he turned and confronted the 
 
102 THE UNIVERSITY. 
 
 leech, ^^to confer with you about tliis poor woman. I 
 come from some of her friends. Perhaps you know who 
 these friends are ? " 
 
 " Is not her husband a friend ? " 
 
 " He certainly ought to be. As to whether he is, I 
 have my doubts. At all events he is not one of the friends 
 of whom I speak and from whom I come. Do you know 
 who that young lady yonder is ? '^ 
 
 " The daughter of Alexander, the great Jewish 
 Banker." 
 
 " Do you know who Seti is ? " 
 
 '^He is the Egyptian high-priest and primate." 
 
 '^Well, these are the friends in whose behalf I have 
 come and for whom I speak. They wish to save this 
 woman, and believe it can be done by the treatment which 
 was so successful for the short time it was tried. Will 
 you tell me why it was discontinued ? " 
 
 '' Because it was contrary to all the medical rules ; but 
 mainly because the man who employs me insisted on a re- 
 turn to the old treatment." 
 
 '' You mean the husband of the sick woman ? " 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 " Are you sure that your employer is able and disposed 
 to pay you for your services." 
 
 '^He evidently is poor ; but he says that he has rich 
 friends who can be depended on for all expenses. This 
 seems to be true ; for the house has been lavishly sup- 
 plied for the last few days with every possible comfort by 
 some friends." 
 
 "Whom do you suppose these friends to be ?" 
 
 "The family of Alexander the Alabarch." 
 
 " Certainly these are friends worth having," said Alepli 
 
THE UNIVERSITY. 103 
 
 with emphasis ; ^^and no doubt they can be dejoended on 
 to meet all expenses — if they will promise as much. And 
 this they are ready to do, and more, provided you will 
 meet their wishes in certain respects." 
 
 '^What do they wish?" said the leech after quite a 
 pause. 
 
 ^' That you will take them for employer instead of this 
 vagabond ; accept such compensation for your jDrofessional 
 services as they are accustomed to pay ; and then, in the 
 interest of science, suspend for a little your way of treat- 
 ing this case in favor of the one you have just abandoned. 
 We will assume all responsibilities. If the experiment 
 does not work well, you can return to the old treatment. 
 You had better have the patronage of the Alabarch and 
 the Egyptian primate than that of this scoundrel — for 
 such he is, unless his looks greatly belie him." 
 
 "^I have no very high opinion of him, I confess," said 
 the leech. ^^I have seen more tender husbands than he ; 
 and the woman's talk about him in her delirium is far 
 from complimentary. But if we change the treatment he 
 will be troublesome. He was very violent when he dis- 
 covered the first change." 
 
 "Did he tell you by whose authority it was made ?" 
 
 " He only said that a strange man had been meddling 
 with what did not concern him." 
 
 '^ Then he did not tell you that this meddler was Seti?" 
 
 " Certainly not." 
 
 "Nor did the nurse?" 
 
 "No — but she is mortally afraid of the man, and that 
 may have kept her silent." 
 
 " Nor did the young lady? '' 
 
 "No : but she had some difficulty in getting admission 
 
104 THE UNIVERSITY. 
 
 to the house, as I think you liad ; and it is possible that 
 the man would not admit her till she had promised not to 
 interfere, and had sent away her servants. Indeed, I 
 thought I overheard as much/' 
 
 " No doubt the fellow will be troublesome. The only 
 thing to be done is to keep such a force here as will be 
 able to control him. As long as we ar6 here we can do 
 this ; but when we leave we must leave behind others who 
 will make our places good. I think I can arrange for 
 this. . . . Now that we have come to an understanding, 
 let us go in ; but do you take the lead, as is fitting, in 
 making the changes." 
 
 When they re-entered the room they found the man 
 standing where they had left him — with anything but 
 amiability in his face. 
 
 '^ We have agreed,'^ said the leech to him, ^^ in order 
 to satisfy important friends, to try for a while a change 
 in the treatment. Sometimes the failing powers will rally 
 wonderfully under a complete change of conditions. At 
 any rate we will try it.'' 
 
 He at once set wide open door and casement. Then 
 going to the water-jug, he j^oured out a large cup full of 
 water and brought it to Aleph, who had kneeled at the 
 bedside and was listening again at the parched and twitch- 
 ing lips of the unconscious woman. He let a few drops 
 fall upon them. He gently tried to part the locked teeth, 
 and dropi^ed more. At last he put the cup to her mouth. 
 
 " STOP ! " shouted the husband, as he rushed up — his 
 face white with passion and a demon looking out of his 
 eyes — and with his clenclied hand struck the cup aside, 
 spilling a large part of tlie water on the woman's face — 
 *^Stoi' ! I say : this woman is under my protection." 
 
THE UNIVERSITY. 105 
 
 In a moment, Aleph was erect and confronting him : 
 ^' And such a protection ! " he scornfully said. '' Such 
 a protection as the thunder cloud gives to the tree it 
 strikes — such a protection as you have been giving her, 
 ever since you enticed her away from her friends under 
 the pretense that you were a man and not a brute. To 
 my eyes the very shadow that you cast, and a very black 
 shadow it is, is that of a wild beast of the meaner kiud. 
 I have not listened at these white lips in vain. I know 
 something of your story, and expect to know more 
 shortly — know enough now to say that this woman wishes 
 no such protector. Death would be a better one. After 
 having made her life miserable you shall not go on to put 
 her to death — as you seem to wish. Now, do you under- 
 stand that we shall proceed to treat this woman as the 
 leech has said, and if you interfere, or make any disturb- 
 ance whatever unsuitable to a sick-room, we will find such 
 ways of quieting you as may be necessary — for quiet we 
 will have, even if we have to turn you over to the police 
 as a dangerous character." 
 
 Aleph said this, not loudly, but in so determined and 
 commanding a manner, and with such rebuking and 
 threatenins: eves fastened on the hateful face before him, 
 that for a moment that face took on a shade of fear and 
 shame among its other shades— of which it had not a few. 
 But it was only for a moment. He reinforced himself, as 
 such fellows are apt to do, by a mighty oath and seemed 
 about to spring on the young man ; but noting again his 
 watchful eye, the cane in his hand, and his whole attitude 
 so full of lithe and conscious power, he thought better of 
 it, and fell back on the fighting resources of his tongue. 
 '' This is my wife, and this is my house, at least for 
 
106 THE UNIVERSITY. 
 
 tlie time being ; and I will do with them as I please. Be- 
 cause you are an aristocrat, and belong to the university, 
 and wear better clothes than I, you think you can treat 
 me like a dog. But a dog can bite, especially one of my 
 breed ; and if I had as many heads as Cerberus they should 
 all have a bite at you. So help me all the infernals ! '' 
 
 He flung out of the room. They heard him fiercely 
 unfastening the street door and then fiercely slamming it 
 behind him as he rushed into the street. 
 
 Aleph at once followed him and secured the door. 
 Returning, he resumed his work at the bed as if nothing 
 had happened — no more color in his cheek, no more ex- 
 citement in his eye, no less steadiness in his hand as he 
 again held a cup of water to the woman's lips. Her eyes 
 were now open and fastened on him. Perhaps the water^ 
 with which her face had been flooded had freshened her 
 back to consciousness. Perhaps, too, the stormy scene 
 that had just passed did something toward summoning 
 back her retreating vitality. While she drank, cup after 
 cup, as if it were the nectar of the immortals, she never 
 took her eyes, eyes that seemed full of wonder, from the 
 calm, compassionate, restful young face that bent over 
 her. She afterward said that it seemed to her the face of 
 some benevolent and protecting divinity. 
 
 Her skin grew moist. Great beads of sweat came out 
 on her forehead. By degrees her eyelids drew together 
 and she slept — slept as sleeps the infant, or as sleeps some 
 still landscape after the drenching shower has passed. 
 
 'MVhat food did she ask for yesterday?" said the 
 leech to the nurse, who had just come in from another 
 room. ^' Make ready the same for her against she 
 awakes. " 
 
THE UNIVEUSITY. 107 
 
 ** And the lady Eacliel/^ said Aleph, " will excuse me 
 for suggesting that she ought now to relieve herself from 
 her burden. The woman will do quite as well if laid 
 quietly down/' 
 
 So Rachel softly disengaged herself, and gently j^laced 
 the thin, worn, but now placid cheek on the pillow. She 
 then went to the casement and stood there a moment re- 
 flectively. Then, turning to Aleph, she said : 
 
 *^I think I will step out into the open air, and per- 
 haps you will be kind enough to follow me.^^ 
 
 Of course he followed her. Such a vision of loveliness 
 and grace as glided past him into the court is not apt to 
 summon even a philosopher in vain. I am not sure but 
 that he would have followed her to Britain had she asked 
 him, instead of to that rude bench in the farther part of 
 the court where she seated herself and invited him to do 
 the same. 
 
 She said that he must not wonder that she wanted to 
 thank him for standing between her and insult yesterday 
 at the synagogue — also must not wonder that she had a 
 woman's curiosity to know by Avhat means he had man- 
 aged to gain admittance to the house, and then to carry 
 his point so fully with the leech. Would he ex])lain ? 
 So he gave a modest account of his dealings with both the 
 husband and the leech ; and then smilingly demanded 
 reciprocation. The lady must not wonder that he too had 
 some curiosity to know something of her experience with 
 the same rough customers. He found that, as the leech 
 had surmised, she could not get admittance to the house 
 till she had sent back her servants and had promised not 
 to interfere personally with the treatment. She was very 
 reluctant to do both things ; but she felt that she could 
 
108 THE UNIVERSITY. 
 
 not desert her nurse iit such a time. Besides, she was 
 expecting Seti, and encouraged lierself with the hope of 
 his speedy arrival. However, she was almost afraid to 
 come within doors — the man was so rude and surly. And 
 she did not fail to tell what a weight Avas lifted from her 
 mind as soon as Aleph made his appearance. 
 
 But what did he propose? Would not Miriam^s hus- 
 band come back and bx'eak up all that had been done ? 
 And such a desperado I What threats ! She trembled to 
 think what he might do. Must not Aleph be on his 
 guard ? How sorry she was that his unselfish efforts 
 for others should bring him into such iierih ! Her lips 
 quivered, and she looked at him with moist, anxious 
 eyes. 
 
 Aleph acknowledged that he thought the fellow capa- 
 ble of the worst. He would be on his guard. At the 
 same time he did not think that they need fear his return. 
 If he should come back he must find men in the house 
 able to control him. So the leech and himself would 
 remain till the coming of Seti ; who perhaps would ac- 
 company her home and return with two strong and reso- 
 lute men to take their places. So by alternation they 
 must secure the patient till she could be taken elsewhere — 
 which he thought would be very soon. What did the 
 lady think of the plan ? 
 
 She thought favorably of it ; and had no doubt but 
 that her father would do the same. But what trouble 
 and danger Aleph was taking on himself in all this ! 
 
 *^ Do I look as if troubled by it? " said the young man 
 cheerfully. " You see, I am here partly for educational 
 purposes ; and I consider the opportunities which may 
 daily come to me for dealing wisely and helpfully with 
 
THE UNIVERSITY. 109 
 
 men as so mimy valuable teachers ; and, as to personal 
 danger, I am quite willing to pay that price for my tui- 
 tion. But pardon me, lady, when I say that you who 
 leave your palace for such a place as this, and submit to 
 bad air, and rude treatment, and risk of health for the 
 sake of a very humble person who can never repay you, 
 ought not to be surprised at my conduct. I am compar- 
 atively selfish in my conduct. In purity of motive, I 
 fear that you have greatly the advantage of me. Still I 
 hope that you will not on that account refuse my in- 
 terested help in your disinterested work. By and by, 
 when my education is finished, I hope my motives will be 
 as unselfish as your own." He smiled as he added, ''But 
 I should be sorry to have you think that I am, even now, 
 quite without pity for suffering, and indignation at in- 
 justice and wrong." 
 
 After a moment's pause, during which his face re- 
 sumed the serene gravity of expression which was habit- 
 ual to it, he went on : 
 
 *' But, lady, besides wanting to complete my educa- 
 tion, I have another want in regard to which you may 
 perhaps help me, and so amply compensate me on com- 
 mercial principles for all I have done or may do for your 
 friend. I am very much interested to get accurate infor- 
 mation from Judea about Jesus. Any news that may 
 reach you about that remarkable person will be to me like 
 waters to a desert. Your father's position is such that 
 information will naturally come to him and to you." 
 
 '' I am not sure of that," returned Rachel. " We get, 
 it is true, a plenty of rumors and opinions about Jesus ; 
 but they come to us, I fear, shaped and colored by the 
 strong prejudices and seeming interests of the chief peo- 
 
110 THE UNIVERSITY. 
 
 pie of our nation, who are mostly hostile to him. These 
 are about the only ones with whom my father is in com- 
 munication. But now and then we meet with a man, 
 like Simeon, who heartily wishes to know the truth, what- 
 ever that may be." 
 
 *^*Such was the impression he made on me," said 
 Aleph. 
 
 ^'Speaking of him," said the maiden, "reminds me 
 of a piece of news which he brought us this morning, and 
 which my anxiety about Miriam had almost driven from 
 my mind. He said that he had just heard from a friend 
 whom he had engaged to make certain inquiries for him 
 that in the birth-registers of Bethlehem is recorded the 
 birth, some thirty years ago, of one Jesus, the son of 
 Joseph and Mary, both of whom are said to be descended 
 from David. He also said that the same friend reported 
 some additional particulars in regard to the reformer 
 John, who made so great a stir a short time before Jesus 
 became generally known, and whom many for a time took 
 to be the Christ." 
 
 "Pray tell me of him/^ said the young man, with a 
 kindling face, "for I have heard absolutely nothing. And 
 yet the Sacred Books say that the Messiah must have a 
 forerunner like Elijah in character, if not in name. I 
 have had a difficulty here. " 
 
 " Perhaps, then, what I have to tell may help you as 
 it has helped me. Simeon learns that this man, who for 
 a time filled the eye of the whole people and was then put 
 to death by that Ahab whom we call Herod, was exceed- 
 ingly like Elijah in austerity of life and fearless denuncia- 
 tion of sin, and that he distinctly forbade the j^eople to 
 count him more than the forerunner of the Christ, and 
 
THE UNIVERSITY. Ill 
 
 even introduced Jesus to the people as being the Christ 
 they were expecting. And this agrees with the reports 
 that reached Alexandria at the time." 
 
 '^Many thanks for this information ; it adds another 
 link to the chain of evidence I am seeking." 
 
 '^ So it has been with me," said the maiden, while a 
 shade of deeper thoughtfulness, if not of sadness, came 
 over the bewildering beauty of her face as she added, 
 *'and I begin to fear that our chain when followed to the 
 end will conduct us to some new and very unpopular 
 interpretations of the prophets." 
 
 '*^I have for some time been prepared for that," said 
 the young man, calmly and even cheerfully. " The great 
 thing is to get at the truth : and I whom you have suf- 
 fered to read your face as we have talked together need 
 no further assurance that we think alike in this matter. 
 We are both young ; and youth can accommodate itself 
 more easily than age to new views if they must come. 
 May Aleph, the Chaldean stranger, venture so largely as 
 to hope that in his search for the Messiah he may still 
 have the aid of one whom he knows to be the first lady in 
 the land in position, and whom her grandfather, who 
 ought to know, and whom I am far from being disposed 
 to contradict, pronounces the Gem of Alexandria ? " 
 
 " You do well to smile," said the maiden, blushing. 
 '' My grandfather is very poor authority on such matters. 
 I happen to know that Alexandrian gems are of very poor 
 quality and mostly fictitious. But, seriously, whatever a 
 Jewish maiden can properly do to help in your matter she 
 will gladly do, both for her own sake, and for his sake 
 who has been in this city, perhaps three days, and has as 
 many times befriended me and mine. 
 
 yy 
 
112 THE UNIVERSITY. 
 
 Here a loiul knock was heard at the street-door. They 
 at once returned to the sick-room— and Aleph went on to 
 answer the knock, hoping to find Seti. And Seti it proved 
 to be. Before conducting him to the others, Aleph briefly 
 and in a low voice explained the situation and received 
 the full approval of the Egyptian. On entering the sick- 
 room they found the patient awake with intelligence in 
 her eye, and her arm about the neck of Rachel, who had 
 kneeled at the bedside. The nurse was standing at a little 
 distance with a bowl of food. 
 
 '' I am afraid of Antis," they heard murmured as they 
 
 came near. 
 
 *' You mean your husband?" inquired Rachel. 
 
 ''Yes/' feebly articulated the woman ; '' he is a fear- 
 ful man — a murderer. Do not leave me with him " — and 
 her arms clung still more closely about the fair neck as if 
 for protection. 
 
 " He shall not trouble you more/' said Seti emphatic- 
 ally, as he showed himself. '' But now take some food," 
 — and he beckoned the nurse forward. 
 
 Supported by Rachel from behind, Miriam supped 
 from a spoon at intervals with apparent relish, till at 
 length her eyelids again crept slowly together and she 
 was gently laid back to her unfinished slumbers. 
 
 '' She will do well, but must not relapse again," said 
 Seti : and turning to the leech, "Keep on as you have 
 begun — we will take the responsibility. I confirm all 
 that this young man has promised. He will, I under- 
 stand, remain with you till I can accompany the lady 
 home, and come back with some men to relieve him and 
 you. Of course, after what the sick woman has said of 
 her husband, we are justified in excluding him from the 
 
THE UNIVERSITY. 113 
 
 house. Do not allow liiiii to enter under any pretense. 
 If he insists, threaten him with the police."^ 
 
 As Aleph put up the bars of the street-door behind 
 Eachel and her escort, he felt as if he were barring out a 
 sunbeam. There is nothing like a human face of the 
 diviner type to light up a poor and dark house. Aleph 
 did not realize how poor and dark that sick house was in 
 itself till Rachel had left it and he had again placed him- 
 self at the bedside. Here he sat for quite a time lost in 
 thought till, suddenly, he became aware that Miriam was 
 awake and with wide eyes of placid wonder was gazing at 
 him. At a sign from him the nurse came forward with 
 more food and drink, supported her while he gently put 
 to her lips at intervals a little of both, and then gently 
 laid her down, her drooping eyes still seeking his face, to 
 renewed slumber. This occurred again before Seti ap- 
 peared with three strong and resolute looking men — who 
 being old servants of Alexander and well known to Miriam 
 in former days, were thought most likely to give her a 
 sense of security by their presence. 
 
 Seti and Aleph returned to Rachotis together. 
 
 They had scarcely turned away from the house before 
 Antis came out from a recess across the street and stole 
 after them — at a distance, but so as to keep them in sight. 
 And they were not without particular notice from others. 
 Two such commanding figures as to stature and bearing 
 were not a common sight in Alexandria ; and so the men 
 whom they met would sometimes turn and gaze after 
 them. One of these did more than stop and gaze. He 
 followed — followed on one side of the street as Antis was 
 following on the other. 
 
 I wonder what he meant! Was he a friend or an 
 
114 THE UJSriVEKSITY. 
 
 enemy? Or was it merely idleness and curiosity that 
 prompted the following ? 
 
 These latter make a motor of considerable jiovver ; 
 sometimes even of fully as much power as any of our cele- 
 brated modern motors, or those mysterious ones used in 
 the construction of the jiyramids. And it certainly was 
 in daily use in Egypt among all classes at the time of our 
 narrative, and long before. Before the Ptolemies, before 
 the Pharaohs, before the Dispersion, before Tubal Cain — 
 in fact there is some reason to think that this motor was 
 invented by the first man (some say by the first woman ; 
 but this is a base slander), and was from him handed down 
 to all ages and countries. How else can we account for 
 its omnipresence ! 
 
 So it is by no means incredible that the following of 
 Aleph just spoken of was not due to hostility. I hope it 
 was not. I hope it did not mean mischief. Still I con- 
 fess to some fears. Somehow I begin to feel an interest 
 in that young man ; and if any harm should come to him 
 it would trouble me not a little. 
 
VI. 
 
 THE CUSTOM HOUSE. 
 
 OvK ola fSovXeTai tic, a^^' ola dvvaTai. 
 
 Plato, Nipp. Mag. 26. 
 
 Hot what one wishes, but what he can. 
 
1. News ^^y thie w^ay. 
 
 2. A. commercial catectiism. 
 
 3. F*ytlnon wide awaU:e. 
 
 4. No time to be lost. 
 
VI. 
 
 THE CUSTOM HOUSE, 
 
 A LEPH found Cimon already at the khan ; anof^ after 
 -'L\. giving an account of his own experiences, received 
 the following from his friend. 
 
 Cimon went first to the khan they had just left for an 
 article that had been forgotten, and to learn what he 
 might of the ways of the neighboring custom house. 
 
 He found that he was yet considerably too early for 
 the business hours of the chief official ; and so lingered, 
 making inquiries of the inn-keeper about the chief trad- 
 ers of the city, especially in the line of eastern goods. 
 Who are they? AVhere are their places of business? 
 How long have they been established? What reputations 
 do they bear? These questions were freely answered — 
 with some vagueness and reserve, however, as to the last 
 of them ; as was to be expected from a man who speaks 
 about his neighbors to a stranger. Cimon found that 
 Malus was by far the largest and most successful dealer 
 in the city. 
 
 How did that happen? " 
 
 Well, you see, he has the most capital : so he has 
 the best goods, the cheapest, and the greatest variety; 
 and then his positions as harbor-master and farmer-gen- 
 eral of all imports from the south give him special ad- 
 
 (C 
 
118 THE CUSTOM HOUSE. 
 
 vantages for turning trade in his own direction. As 
 harbor-master he is the first one to meet the owners of 
 goods on their arrival, and can hasten or delay the pass- 
 ing through the custom house : as farmer of the duties 
 he has less duty to pay than his rivals, even if he makes 
 none of the illegal exactions with which some charge 
 him. However this may be, it is certain that he has 
 very great opportunities of befriending those who deal 
 with him, and can make it for their interest to patronize 
 him rather than others. People lay much stress on this. 
 So he has crushed out many small dealers. Still, not a 
 few manage to maintain ^themselves against him, though 
 they make small profits where he makes large ones. 
 There are yet many people who for various reasons prefer 
 to go elsewhere than to Nos. 110, 111, 112 Emporium 
 Street. We are among them '^ — and the man shrugged 
 his shoulders. 
 
 Cimon took out his tablets and made some entries. 
 
 While he was doing this, who should come in but the 
 Jew who had so curiously followed him from the syna- 
 gogue! The man was surprised, and apparently de- 
 lighted, to see Cimon. It appeared that he was a brother 
 of the absent landlord, and had come to bring news of 
 him to his family. He had left him in Judea a few days 
 before, and expected that he would soon be able to re- 
 turn. He then turned to Cimon and inquired about his 
 young companion of yesterday. 
 
 '* That young man haunts me,'' he said. " His face 
 meets me everywhere ; if I read, his features come be- 
 tween me and the papyrus ; if some one enters my house 
 I look up to see if it is not he ; if I am walking in the 
 street I forget my errand and look for him instead. For 
 
THE CUSTOM HOUSE. 119 
 
 example, while on my way here I forgot what I was 
 coming for, and found myself opposite the Diapleuston 
 waiting for him to appear, and, had he appeared, no 
 doubt I should have acted as ridiculously as I did yes- 
 terday." 
 
 Cimon explained that they had seen occasion to re- 
 move to another part of the city; but were still proposing 
 to seek him out and hear about the eastern pilgrims of 
 whom he had spoken. Perhaps he would not object to 
 give some particulars now — reserving to some future 
 time, when his young friend could be with him, a fuller 
 account. Could they not pass into the court and seat 
 themselves where they would not be exposed to interrup- 
 tion? 
 
 The Jew readily consented: and this was the sub- 
 stance of his narrative. 
 
 When he was scarcely more than a boy there came to 
 the khan on the east of the city, then kept by his father, 
 a large caravan of eastern people, on their way home 
 from Judea. It was led by three men — all remarkable 
 for dignity of manner, richness of apparel, and other 
 signs of great distinction, if not of princely rank. Two 
 of them were old men; but old after the manner of 
 Moses. Their eyes were as bright, their forms as erect, 
 their steps as firm and elastic as one ever sees in the 
 young. But the third was comparatively young: and a 
 finer specimen of humanity in all respects the khaa had 
 never seen, though it had seen, first and last, a wide 
 variety of people from all nations. 
 
 Ah, that young man knew how to walk — how to 
 ride too ! AVhen he came and went, whether on foot or 
 on his Arabian, the servants would run to every conven- 
 
120 THE CUSTOM HOUSE. 
 
 lent outlook to wonder at the easy grace and majesty of 
 his movements. 
 
 On tlie arrival of the caravan the khan happened 
 to be quite without guests. The pilgrims at once took 
 all the vacant rooms, and remained several days in the 
 city — examining it fully in every direction ; its temples, 
 palaces, harbors, markets, warehouses, manufactures, li- 
 braries, schools. They evidently were very devout per- 
 sons ; not as the idolaters are, but after the Hebrew man- 
 ner. Every morning and evening they gathered all their 
 servants, and read from copies of the Law and Prophets, 
 and prayed most reverently to the Invisible ; and on the 
 Sabbath they went separately to the synagogues; and 
 when they left the city they carried away with them 
 many copies of the Greek Scriptures — also, it was said, a 
 Greek young man, well taught in all the western learn- 
 ing and accomplishments, but who had lost his parents 
 and other near relatives, and so had few ties to detain 
 him here. This was what was said: the Jew could not 
 vouch for it, as he had never seen the young Greek. 
 
 But these were not the most important facts about 
 the pilgrims. Some in the caravan spoke the Greek lan- 
 guage and the people of the inn used to listen with won- 
 der to the story that gradually came to them. 
 
 For generations it had been widely understood in 
 parts of the East that a great king would some day ap- 
 pear in Judea in whom all the families of the earth 
 would be blessed. But lately it was revealed to each of 
 the three chiefs that the birth of this king was about to 
 take place, and that when it had taken place the fact 
 would be signified to them by the appearance of a new 
 star-like body in the western sky, and that on seeing it 
 
THE CUSTOM HOUSE. 121 
 
 they should journey westward to carry the homage and 
 presents of the East to the new-born monarch. So they 
 conferred together, made ready their caravans, and 
 watched the heavens nightly for the promised sign. 
 
 At last it came. The day had faded away into the 
 night, when lo, a glorious beam shot to the watchers, 
 and they saw a great star hanging low in the west — a star 
 wholly unlike the evening star, or any other star ever 
 seen in that quarter of the sky. The signal was 
 promptly and joyfully obeyed. Meeting at a place be- 
 fore agreed upon, the chiefs joined caravans and pro- 
 ceeded toward Judea — the star appearing and going be- 
 fore them whenever their journey needed special guid- 
 ance. So at last they came to Bethlehem, where the 
 meteor sank low and blazed over the house where a young 
 child was. Then they knew that they had found the 
 King ; though it was in no palace, but in a very humble 
 home bare of all but the barest necessaries. 
 
 Was it a beautiful child? Even as Moses, exceeding 
 fair. Was he afraid of the bearded men as t'hey kneeled 
 before him and presented their gold and frankincense 
 and myrrh? Not at all. There were the dawnings of a 
 kingly repose and welcome in his eyes as he fearlessly 
 stretched out his little hand and laid it on the thin white 
 hairs and on the dense brown locks that were successively 
 bowed low before him. 
 
 And then they heard of things even stranger than 
 those they had themselves experienced. For the mother 
 told them of angels who came to predict the Messiah 
 and his forerunner : and many people of Bethlehem, at- 
 tracted by the star and the stately caravan, came hasten- 
 ing up and told how their shepherds had seen and heard 
 
122 THE CUSTOM HOUSE. 
 
 on the night of the Birth a glory of angels that shone and 
 sang above them like a descending heaven, and sent them 
 to a manger to find their long expected King. 
 
 The youngest of the three chiefs was so much im- 
 pressed by the story of the shepherds that he put it into 
 a song which some in the caravan learned and often 
 chanted. 
 
 *' Did you hear it?'' interrupted Cimon. 
 
 "Yes: and our father would have us commit it to 
 memory. I think that even now I can recite it word for 
 word." 
 
 " Please do so." 
 
 The Jew, after a few moments of recollection, pro- 
 ceeded to recite as follows : 
 
 *' No tongue can tell the sacred pomp, 
 
 That swept from Heaven one day, 
 And trailed its glory past the spheres, 
 
 To where the Infant lay — 
 Lift up your eyes in vast surprise, 
 
 Ye shepherds, on the scene, 
 And see the flaming forms that hang, 
 
 The heavens and earth between I 
 
 Upon their heads are golden crowns. 
 
 Their robes are white as snow, 
 Soft lightnings from their faces flash 
 
 Upon the vale below; 
 Before the glory of the Lord 
 
 The stars turn pale and flee — 
 Oh, what a sight that gracious night 
 
 For shepherd swains to see I 
 
 Through all the still and scented air 
 
 There comes a deeper calm, 
 As if from fear lest it should hear 
 
 Naught of the coming psalm : 
 
THE CUSTOM HOUSE. 123 
 
 t 
 
 And now the air grows sweeter still ; 
 
 Slow beat the balmy wings ; 
 Clear o'er the mute and raptured earth 
 
 The choir of angels sings. 
 
 Sings praises in the highest song 
 
 That highest Heaven can raise; 
 Sings praises to the highest king 
 
 That hears the voice of praise ; 
 To Him who to the earth descends 
 
 In pity and in love, 
 And o'er its warring tribes extends 
 
 The white wings of the dove. 
 
 And far across Judean hills, 
 
 Swell out the storms of praise — 
 I would that tempests such as this 
 
 Might gladden all my days! 
 For lo, 'tis Paradise to hear 
 
 The glory of that sound. 
 That swells so grandly to the skies, 
 
 So humbly seeks the ground. 
 
 Full many an age will vanish, 
 
 Full many songs be given, 
 But ne'er again such wondrous strain 
 
 Will shake the arch of Heaven ; 
 And yet each year our hearts will see 
 
 A glory on the wing, 
 And still each year our hearts will hear 
 
 That winged glory sing. 
 
 And ever as we give our gifts, 
 
 And deck our homes with green. 
 Our souls will kindle in the blaze 
 
 Of that strange midnight scene. 
 And sing His praise in joyful lays, 
 
 By whom the Child was given. 
 Whose advent here sent mighty cheer 
 
 Through all the choirs of Heaven." 
 
124 TUE CUSTOM HOUSE. 
 
 There were tremblings on the tongue of the Jew as 
 he closed his low chiint, and tears in the eyes of the 
 Greek ; but the latter said nothing for a few moments, 
 and then merely asked that the narrative might proceed. 
 So the Jew resumed. 
 
 The chiefs would willingly have lingered long in 
 Bethlehem ; but the same Divine Word that had brought 
 them almost immediately sent them away. The next 
 night the message came, " Let them return— and return 
 by another way." So they returned by way of Egypt and 
 
 the Red Sea. 
 
 • Shortly after the pilgrims had left Alexandria, news 
 came that Herod, in a fit of jealousy, had massacred all 
 the male children in Bethlehem under two years of age. 
 It was like him. Everybody believed the story. But 
 could it be that the Messiah of whose triumphs and reign 
 so many prophets, in so many ways, had spoken, had 
 perished in his infancy? Could the promises of God be 
 broken by the cruelty of man? Was Herod strong 
 enough to defeat the Almighty? 
 
 The khan had hardly begun to ask these questions 
 before there appeared at its gate a man leading an ass, on 
 which was seated a young woman who carried in her 
 arms a little boy. The mother was interesting — the boy 
 was wonderful. Never had the landlord seen such a 
 child. It was not merely that he was comely in the 
 highest degree — it was the mystery of expression in his 
 face. As one looked on it nothing seemed too good or 
 great to be believed of him. His body seemed a thin veil 
 through which flashes of inexhaustible treasures of wis- 
 dom and goodness and power were continually strug- 
 gling. You who have seen a light shining through thin 
 
THE CUSTOM HOUSE. 125 
 
 alabaster— you who have seen a gem in whose heart rain- 
 bows seemed imprisoned — you who have seen a soft, 
 white cloud around whose edges have crept suggestions 
 of an intolerable glory within and behind, can have some 
 idea of how that wonderful Child impressed the people of 
 the khan. By degrees they learned that the family had 
 come from Bethlehem, that fear of Herod was the cause 
 of their leaving, that the eastern princes had been under 
 their roof — at last, when confidence was full-grown and 
 all reserve thrown away, that they had among them the 
 very Star-Child to which the journeying East had 
 brought its loyal homage and tribute. 
 
 It was strange to see the mixture of tenderness and 
 awe with which the mother dealt with her son — strange 
 to see the mixture of weakness and power, of humbleness 
 and superiority, of dependence and independence with 
 which the son dealt with his mother. At one moment it 
 seemed as if she was acting the part of a Providence t© 
 him ; at another as if he was acting the part of a Provi- 
 dence to her. 
 
 The house was a different house from the time that 
 Jesus (for such was his name) entered it. A new ele- 
 ment had come into its air ; a new light seemed to rest 
 on every object ; never had its inmates found it so easy 
 to pray and lead a good life. It was as if a new life had 
 silently come under their own ; and, like a broad wave, 
 was lifting it heavenward. The eyes of Jesus, from their 
 fathomless depths, seemed to invite to all that was holy 
 and to forbid all that was sinful. 
 
 But even Alexandria was too near Herod. So, after 
 the sacred family had well rested from their journey, 
 they went still farther south. It was a sad day for the 
 
126 THE CUSTOM HOUSE. 
 
 khan when they went away. The host would take notli- 
 ing in the way of compensation — save a smile from the 
 young mother and a touch from the child for each child 
 of his. How that touch thrilled them through and 
 through as with some mysterious healing ! They think 
 they can feel it to-day. 
 
 The khan kept its secret. After a while news 
 came that the Holy Family went as far as Mantareeh^ 
 and remained there till the death of Ilerod, when they 
 returned to their own country. After that, ears were 
 kept wide-open toward Judea; for it could not be 
 thought that such a beginning would end in nothing — 
 that man and circumstance would be allowed to defeat 
 God. 
 
 But the waiting was long. Ten years passed, 
 twenty years, almost thirty, and yet no further news 
 came of Jesus. The khan was sorely puzzled. It knew 
 not what to think. Yet it still clung to faith and hope. 
 At last it began to hear vaguely of strange excitements 
 and movements in Judea. The eyes and ears of the 
 whole family turned in that direction as never before. 
 And soon they learned that a great reformer had burst 
 suddenly on the people from the wilderness — austere, 
 fearless, mighty of speech, smiting the sins of high and 
 low with the sword of his mouth, baptizing, followed by 
 immense crowds, who inquired. Is not this the Christ? 
 
 And this, too, was the question that was asked at 
 the gate of Canopus. But they reflected that, according 
 to the prophets, Christ must have a forerunner of just 
 this Elijah-like character ; and so they were prepared to 
 hear, as they soon did, that the reformer's name was 
 John the son of Zacharias, and that he distinctly told 
 
THE CUSTOM HOUSE. 127 
 
 the people that he was not the Christ, only his forerun- 
 ner. Then came rumors of Another ; at first low-voiced 
 and vague, then more distinct and emphatic — that John 
 had introduced him to the people as the Greater One for 
 whom he had been preparing the way ; then that John 
 himself had been slain by Herod; then that the new 
 prophet whose name was Jesus was drawing the multi- 
 tudes after him by a sublime teaching and a course of 
 miracles such as had not been seen since the days of 
 Moses, if ever. Of course the Alexandrian friends then 
 felt sure that they had recovered the long lost Child. 
 The king of whom they had heard from the Chaldean 
 sages, whose star had conducted that most memorable of 
 all pilgrimages, and whose sublime childhood they had 
 been permitted to look in upon, as by a window into 
 heaven, was now being manifested to the nation at large. 
 And though he had not come in the way the nation at 
 large was expecting — was appearing as a king of wisdom 
 and mercies, instead of as a king of battles and conquests 
 — they felt sure that at last the Messiah had come to his 
 own ; and that, beyond all doubt, Jesus was he. In the 
 joy of this great conviction the father died. 
 
 Such, in substance, though not in words, was. the nar- 
 rative of the Jew. As he proceeded in it he gradually 
 came to speak with profound emotion. He ended with a 
 voice that trembled and eyes that wept. Cimon was 
 hardly less moved. They sat for a few moments in si- 
 lence. Then Cimon said : 
 
 '' This has been the fairest of mornings to me. 
 Though a Greek by birth, I am a Hebrew in faith and 
 expectations ; and never did David so long for the waters 
 of Bethlehem as I have longed for news of that Son of 
 
128 THE CUSTOM HOUSE. 
 
 David and of Bethleliem, your Messiah. I say your Mes- 
 siah ; but I have reason to think that he is mine also ; 
 even to think that he belongs to all nations. Sometimes, 
 perhaps, when my young friend is with me I will explain 
 further. But I may now say that, from what you have 
 just told me, and from what I knew before, I am satis- 
 fied that the Christ has at last come and that Jesus is he. 
 God be praised! Some difficulties still remain, and per- 
 haps will always remain. Hard questions, questions that 
 I cannot answer, stare at me out of the night. And yet, 
 God be praised! The King has at last come.'* 
 
 The Jew grasped the hand of the Greek and mur- 
 mured Brother. 
 
 **Let me tell you another thing," the Jew added, 
 after a moment. "I have seen him. Yes, I have seen 
 Jesus and recognized in the full-grown man the unutter- 
 able something that spoke so powerfully to us in the 
 child." 
 
 *' When and where?" demanded the other. 
 
 " Not in dreams, though I scarcely dream of anything 
 else, but with these bodily eyes. You see that, as news 
 of the wonderful doings in Judea thickened upon us, I 
 became too restless to remain quietly here while the 
 world was being shaken only a few days' journey away. 
 My brother, who long before the death of our father had 
 taken this khan, felt very much as I did; and so we 
 agreed to go together and see for ourselves, instead of 
 having the facts filtered to us through the imaginations 
 and prejudices, it may be, of other people. Accordingly 
 we went ; and not only recognized him, as I have said, 
 but were at once recognized by him and called by our 
 names. None of our acquaintances were about him, we 
 
THE CUSTOM HOUSE. 129 
 
 knew not a soul in Capernaum, and yet, as soon as he 
 saw us, he said ' Shaphan and Nathan, sons of Reuben, 
 welcome.' .... AVe were with him se\eral days and 
 heard him teach the people as surely people were never 
 before taught. We said, as did his other hearers. Never 
 man spake like this man. And then the things that he 
 did ! Oh, it was good and yet awful to be there ! How 
 mightily and easily he did things which God alone can 
 do! We saw lepers white as snow turned into sound 
 men at his simple word: also one man who had lost a 
 hand had it instantaneously restored in our presence. In 
 passing through the country we met many who testified 
 that they had been cured by him of the worst forms of 
 disease in their last stages— cured in a moment, and 
 without the use of any natural means whatever. Indeed, 
 the land is full of such cases, so that not even the worst 
 enemies of Jesus pretend to doubt his miraculous 
 powers.'' 
 
 " Tell me of the man whose hand was restored," said 
 Cimon. 
 
 "A company of us were passing through a street when 
 some blind men met us and cried to Jesus for help. We 
 halted just before a butcher's stall where a man was di- 
 viding some meat with a cleaver. Another man and my- 
 self were pressed by the crowd close to the block where 
 the work was being done. In his anxiety to see Jesus 
 deal with the blind men, my neighbor laid his hand on 
 the block suddenly, for the purpose of raising himself 
 somewhat to get a better view, when the cleaver de- 
 scended and struck off his entire hand. The blood 
 spouted. A great outcry was made, and Jesus came up. 
 He calmly said to the maimed man as he held up the 
 
130 THE CUSTOM HOUSE. 
 
 bleeding stump. Be tohole : and at once I saw a new hand 
 occupying the place of the old. The wliole crowd, as 
 well as myself, carefully inspected the substitute and 
 compared it with the original hand that still lay on the 
 
 block." 
 
 ** Missing limbs are not suddenly reproduced by 
 human art," said Cimon. 
 
 " I am tempted to mention another matter more per- 
 sonal to myself," continued Shaphan. " I have already 
 said that Jesus called us by our names. We found the 
 next day that he knew more about us than our names. 
 As my brother and myself were sitting by the wayside, 
 Jesus came to us and said: 
 
 *''You are troubled. When you reach home look 
 again for the missing document and you will find it.' 
 
 "And truly we were in trouble. AVhen we were chil- 
 dren our father was in partnership with a young man. 
 But this young man gradually drew off into other busi- 
 ness, and at length sold his interest in the khan to my 
 father, who paid him for it in full and took from him a 
 paper acknowledging the fact. In process of time this 
 paper was lost. Of late this loss has somehow come to 
 the knowledge of the man, and he now claims that he 
 has never received payment, and demands both the prin- 
 cipal and the interest on it for more than thirty years. 
 To pay this sum would ruin us. We had been again and 
 again to our oppressor to ask for mercy. But in vain. 
 So we luere in deep waters when Jesus put out his hand 
 and drew us out. For since my return I have found the 
 missing paper." 
 
 Who is this oppressor?" 
 Malus." 
 
 n 
 ii 
 
THE CUSTOM HOUSE. 131 
 
 
 Has he already begun a suit against you? " 
 
 No : but he threatens to do so within a short time, 
 unless payment is made." 
 
 " Can it be that he is honest, and has merely for- 
 gotten?" 
 
 " He does not say that he does not rememher having re- 
 ceived the money. He absolutely denies having received 
 it — could make oath to that effect ; has a perfect recollec- 
 tion of all the circumstances, and has only been pre- 
 vented from pressing his claim during all these years by 
 tenderness of heart." 
 
 ** Have you yet told him of the discovery? ^'' 
 
 Not yet." 
 
 Would you be willing to withhold the news from 
 him for a while? " 
 
 If you wish." 
 
 I wish you would : and perhaps we may be of ser- 
 vice in helping you bring this crafty and powerful rogue 
 to justice. But it will be a hard matter. My fear is 
 that the officials of the city are themselves in league with 
 him in some of his practices, and so will be disposed to 
 shelter him in all But this speaking of Mains re- 
 minds me of a matter that I must now attend to." 
 
 Cimon rose. It was time to proceed to the custom 
 house. So, promising Shaphan to see him again as soon 
 as possible : also informing him more particularly where 
 they now lodged, in case he should have occasion to seek 
 them ("and," said he, "I hope that your brother will 
 soon make occasion by bringing further particulars about 
 Jesus"), he took leave cordially. 
 
 The lake frontage was, and had long been, all alive 
 with business. The cry of all nations was in the air. 
 
 
 
132 THE CUSTOM HOUSE. 
 
 Ill the lake itself vessels of all sorts were coming and go- 
 ing ; on tlie wharves boxes, bales, sacks were being han- 
 dled with the same dispatch and carelessness that men 
 now show in handling the goods of other people. Also, 
 the custom house itself (a long, low building extending 
 almost from the Gate of the Moon to the canal which 
 joined the lake to the northern harbors) was in full swirl 
 and roar, and had been for hours. But the chief official, 
 like people of his sort in more modern times, did not 
 make as early hours as his subordinates; had loitered 
 over the morning meal and news, though not newspaper ; 
 and so had only just made himself comfortable in his of- 
 fice when Cimon presented himself — the first visitor. 
 
 The Roman looked up from his tablets on which he 
 had been writing; and, seeing before him a very well 
 dressed and dignified person, laid down his stylus and 
 took an attitude of attention. 
 
 Cimon stated that he had waited on the chief of the 
 customs in behalf of an eminent trader, to make certain 
 inquiries which could not be so satisfactorily put to lower 
 officials. Would it suit his convenience to hear them? 
 
 " What are they?^' said the chief politely. 
 
 "If my principal were to send here a lot of eastern 
 good (silks, shawls, rugs, jewels), what duties would he 
 have to pay?" 
 
 The Roman took down from a shelf a framed sched- 
 ule and read from it certain figures. He looked up. 
 The Greek was making a memorandum. 
 
 When he had finished, Cimon asked, " Can these 
 rates be relied on for some time to come? " 
 
 "Doubtless: they have not been changed since the 
 times of the Ptolemies." 
 
THE CUSTOM HOUSE. 133 
 
 Cimon made another entry on his tablets. 
 
 ** Can you give me some idea what the course of trade 
 has been in these eastern goods — what its annual amount, 
 whether subject to fluctuations, whether on the whole 
 increasing or decreasing?^' 
 
 ** I cannot/' said the official. '* To do this would 
 require much time and labor in examining the registers." 
 
 *' Then you register all lots of goods that come to 
 you, and preserve the registers? '' 
 
 " Certainly. We preserve them till they become too 
 many for preservation." 
 
 *' May I ask how long that is? " 
 
 * 'About fifteen years. At all events, we have the reg- 
 istry books for the last fifteen years." 
 
 Cimon made another entry, and then asked whether 
 one willing to expend the time and labor would be al- 
 lowed to examine the books, and if so on what terms. 
 
 After some hesitation the official replied that the 
 theory was that the books should be open to the inspec- 
 tion of suitable persons, but that there were practical 
 difficulties in the way. 
 
 " For example," said he, *' the books of this year are 
 in constant use for record and consultation by the offi- 
 cers of the custom house ; the books of previous years are 
 often needed by them for reference ; and then, of course, 
 an examination of the books by outside parties would 
 have to be made in the presence of an official, and all the 
 officials we now have are fully occupied with other duties 
 from which they cannot well be spared ; and one spe- 
 cially appointed would be expensive, if permissible." 
 
 Cimon said that he was ready to charge himself with 
 all expenses. 
 
134 THE CUSTOM HOUSE. 
 
 The Iioniaii hastened to say that even in that case an 
 express permit from the prefect of the city, possibly 
 from the Governor, might be necessary. He would make 
 inquiry, and, perhaps, would be able to inform him 
 within a day or two. 
 
 The Greek bowed. Meanwhile would the chief look 
 over the memoranda he had made and see whether they 
 were correct? He passed over the tablets. 
 
 The Roman looked them over carefully and pro- 
 nounced them all right. 
 
 " Would the chief oblige him by writing as much on 
 the tablets over his own signature ? '' 
 
 Yes — the chief would do that ; and did it. 
 
 Cimon bowed again and withdrew. 
 
 On his way out he saw Mains entering. The two 
 men seemed to recognize each other at the same moment. 
 Instantly there flashed into the look of each something 
 that told the other that the encounter was not pleasant. 
 On the part of the Greek the flash was one that gave new 
 erectness to his form and new gravity to his features: on 
 the part of the Jew it was a flash of suspicion and alarm 
 that for an instant expanded his eyes and perceptibly 
 checked his movement. For an instant only. Then 
 came a new woodenness into his face, and he seemed to 
 retreat still further behind those small, half-closed eyes 
 which yet lost nothing of their watchful expression. So 
 on they came toward each other — the Greek uncon- 
 sciously increasing the dignity and firmness of his tread, 
 and keeping his eyes fixed on the approaching face as if 
 bent on improving to the utmost an unwelcome opportu- 
 nity for reading on that hard page whatever might be 
 read. So they met and passed. Cimon never looked be- 
 
THE CUSTOM HOUSE. 135 
 
 hind him. Had he done so he AvoukI have seen Malus 
 standing at the door of the office just left and looking 
 after him. 
 
 But the Greek did not need to see this. That steady 
 look into the face of Malus, though brief, was enough to 
 assure him that the suspicions of the man were all ablaze, 
 and that he would not rest till he had found out whatever 
 the custom-house chief could tell him. And probably he 
 would be successful in suppressing any further light from 
 that quarter. Cimon was thankful, however, that he 
 had secured as much as he had. He trusted that it 
 would be sufficient — perhaps it could be used to compel 
 more. 
 
 He was now more than ever impressed with the ne- 
 cessity of hastening Avhatever further inquiries he had to 
 make. It was still high day — why not proceed at once 
 to the dealers in eastern goods whose addresses he had 
 jotted down at the khan, and try to find out what had 
 been the selling prices of eastern goods for as many years 
 as possible? Why not even improve the opportunity of 
 Malus' absence from his warehouse to go there and see 
 what would be said by the subordinates when not over- 
 looked by the master? As soon as the idea suggested 
 itself, he accepted it. He would go to Nos. 110, 111, 
 112 Emporium Street first of all. 
 
 . Accordingly, as soon as he had passed through the 
 Gate of the Moon, turning leftward into the Greek quar- 
 ter to lessen the chances of recognition, he proceeded 
 northward till he thought he might be opposite to the 
 warehouse of Malus, and then struck eastward into Em- 
 porium Street again. His venture was successful. Be- 
 fore him stood the establishment he was seeking. As 
 
136 THE CUSTOM HOUSE. 
 
 soon as he presented liimself at the door he was politely 
 saluted by a young man and invited to enter. AVhat 
 could he do for my lord? 
 
 My lord wished to be conducted to the chief man in 
 charge of the department of eastern goods. 
 
 " Certainly, it would be done with the greatest pleas- 
 ure. AVould my lord be pleased to follow? " 
 
 This following took Cimon through a large part of 
 the establishment. He could well believe it to be the 
 largest warehouse in Alexandria. It was really an im- 
 mense bazaar. One could find there almost anything 
 that was bought and sold in the Roman world— from the 
 toys of infants up to the furnishings of a royal palace, 
 and even of a royal person. Messengers were hurrying 
 about, crowds were coming and going, salesmen were 
 crying out and displaying their goods from hundreds of 
 stalls. It was a tempest of assault on the pouches of vis- 
 itors. And many were evidently being captured. 
 
 The department to which Cimon at last came was 
 specially attractive. Here, in an air through which stole 
 the sweetness of the Indian nard and other costly aro- 
 matics, were piled or suspended miracles of the loom and 
 needle, on some of which had been expended the labors 
 of a lifetime— veils like sea-foams, embroideries to which 
 the glowing oriental fancy and patient fingers had trans- 
 ferred landscape and legend and history and the starry 
 heavens; gold and silver brocade from beyond the 
 Ganges; silks, tapestries, housings, rugs, shawls from 
 Persia and Cashmere : the whole brightened and multi- 
 plied wonderfully by polished steel mirrors judiciously 
 placed. At the centre of the department was the collec- 
 tion of precious stones. In a compartment whose walls 
 
THE CUSTOM HOUSE. 137 
 
 were formed by suspended tapestries richly hued and pic- 
 tured, in a case whose beauty and strength seemed to 
 certify to the great value of its contents, lay pearls from 
 the Persian Gulf, emeralds from the Caucasus, diamonds 
 from the Oxus, turquoises from Medea, rubies from Bok- 
 hara, and many other gems — all skillfully arranged into 
 a stony rainbow. 
 
 As Cimon passed close to the sparkling collection, 
 and lingered over it for a moment as he passed, it 
 struck him that the sparkle of some of the brilliants was 
 not exactly that of genuine stones. But he might be 
 mistaken. Something more than a passing glance is 
 needed to enable even an expert to identify paste in its 
 better specimens. But one thing he was quite sure of 
 by this time, and that Avas that the light in the establish- 
 ment was such as to make an accurate judgment of most 
 of the goods very difficult to an average customer, while 
 such as to set them off to the best advantage. 
 
 But he was now standing before the desk of the man 
 whom he came to see. 
 
 *'You have this department in charge, I believe," 
 said the Greek, as he courteously saluted a Jew who was 
 no longer young. 
 
 Receiving an affirmative bow, Cimon proceeded : 
 
 *' I am here in behalf of a friend who is not living in 
 this city, to inquire the prices at which certain goods of 
 the very best quality can be obtained. If you will fur- 
 nish me with a large blank bill I will specify the articles 
 in writing." 
 
 A large blank bill was readily handed to him, on 
 which he wrote a list of considerable length. 
 
 *' Now will you oblige me," said he, after having 
 
138 THE CUSTOM HOUSE. 
 
 carefully read over what he had written, "by setting 
 down opposite these several items the prices at which you 
 could furnish them to-day?"' 
 
 The man's eyes snapped as he looked over the long 
 list and saw how many expensive articles it included. 
 When he had set down prices as requested, and had 
 handed back the paper to Cimon, he said : 
 
 " The figures may seem to you somewhat large; but 
 they are for first-class goods. In fact, I have made the 
 prices smaller than they would be for small lots, consid- 
 ering the length of your list." 
 
 Cimon examined the paper carefully. 
 
 "The prices are unexpectedly large, I confess," he 
 said gravely. " Have these goods risen in value lately? " 
 
 "By no means. The figures I have given you are 
 the lowest we have made in many years." 
 
 " Then you have been in charge of this department 
 for a considerable time? " 
 
 " For twenty years." 
 
 "Are these the bottom prices for so long a time as 
 that?" 
 
 "Just so." 
 
 " You surprise me. Are you quite sure that there is 
 no mistake in this — that your memory serves you faith- 
 fully in regard to so many years? " 
 
 " Perfectly sure," with emphasis. " You see, all the 
 business of this department, so far as sales are concerned, 
 has been in my hands for the number of years I have 
 mentioned ; and I remember perfectly that never during 
 all that time have we offered or sold such goods as these 
 at such low figures as I have written." 
 
 " I think, then," said Cimon, "it would be well for 
 
THE CUSTOM HOUSE. 139 
 
 you to add as much to this paper. AVould you object to 
 write at the bottom, ' These are the lowest figures at 
 which the above goods have been sokl for the last twenty 
 years r 
 
 " Not at all/' said the man — and wrote accordingly. 
 
 Cimon took the paper and courteously withdrew. 
 
 In very much the same manner and with like success 
 he dealt with several other establishments in the same 
 neighborhood — obtaining from each a written statement 
 of present prices and of how these compared with the 
 prices of the years immediately preceding. The last 
 place he visited was that of Simeon Ben Simeon. Here, 
 for the first time, he saw himself recognized — Simeon 
 himself being present — and was received in a very cordial 
 way. 
 
 " We certainly are under great obligations to you and 
 that magnificent young friend of yours for your spirited 
 help yesterday in the synagogue. I have been quite de- 
 sirous to meet you again : especially as I saw that both of 
 you were much interested in my report of matters in 
 Judea, and, as I ventured to think, took very much the 
 same view of them as I did. Also, I have something 
 new to tell you." 
 
 Simeon then gave the account with which we are al- 
 ready familiar, as given to Aleph by Eachel. And, in 
 return, the Greek related what Shaphan had told him — 
 keeping back, however, the part that related to Mains. 
 And they rejoiced together. 
 
 *'Tell me," said Simeon suddenly, *' about that 
 young man — you know whom I mean. Somehow he has 
 a way of walking into one's confidence and affections 
 after a very wonderful fashion. AVho is he?" 
 
140 THE CUSTOM HOUSE. 
 
 Cimon smiled at this downrightness and furious 
 driving at the mark. 
 
 "For the present/' said he, "he is only the friend 
 and pupil of Cimon the son of Cimon. I may, however, 
 add that he is one who is quite worthy of the impression 
 he makes. The gold is solid. I have now known him 
 for twenty years— that is to say, ever since he was born 
 —and I have nothing but good and great things to say 
 of him. Is he my son? Of course not— as one can 
 easily see— but though not my son he is a remarkably 
 good substitute for one. I could hardly have a better. 
 And," he added archly, " I think seriously of adopting 
 
 him." 
 
 The Jew laughed at the cleverness of the Greek, and 
 forebore to press; only adding, ''I could adopt him with- 
 out thinking seriously of it." 
 
 As he rose to leave, Cimon said, "I am really sorry 
 that I cannot at present give you the information you 
 wish about my young friend. But I am under bonds. 
 His father only can release me, and that father is far 
 away. So I must confine myself to saying that, unlike 
 most plants which begin to wither as soon as they are 
 parted from the parent root, this plant daily freshens 
 into a larger life. I am the more sorry that I cannot go 
 beyond this, both because you have already given me in- 
 formation of the highest value, and because I came here 
 for the very purpose of getting still further information 
 from you— provided you can consistently grant it. I 
 wish to get from the leading dealers in eastern goods in 
 this city the present selling prices of a number of articles 
 —also how these prices compare with those of as many past 
 years as possible. I have already obtained written state- 
 
THE CUSTOM HOUSE. 141 
 
 meiits from all, save yourself, on whom I proposed to 
 call. Do you see any objection to giving me yours?" 
 
 " None in the world. Let me see your list." 
 
 So in a few moments Cimon added another to his pa- 
 pers. As Simeon handed it to him, he said : 
 
 " I think you can hardly have called on Mains to-day, 
 and yet he has the largest establishment of your sort in 
 the city. He would hardly care to give you such a paper 
 as this. He is much too dee\) for that." 
 
 Without a word, the Greek singled out one from his 
 parcel of papers and passed it to the Jew — who as soon as 
 he had glanced it over, exclaimed : 
 
 ^' Where was Mains when this was given .^ " 
 
 "Absent." 
 
 " Of course. Of course he was absent — as his deputy 
 will probably be when the master learns of his indiscre- 
 tion." 
 
 As Cimon had noticed no sign of recognition in 
 street or shop, save at Simeon's, he had begun to feel 
 that perhaps his precautions had been unnecessary ; so, 
 when he had taken leave of Simeon and saw how large a 
 part of the day still remained, instead of crossing directly 
 into the Greek quarter again and so j^roceeding home- 
 ward, he turned northward on Emporium Street till he 
 came to the great square at the intersection with the 
 street of Canopus. Here, seeing a crowd that seemed 
 greatly interested with something in their midst, he 
 crossed over to them, and finally managed, by a patient 
 use of the impatience of others, to secure a place where 
 he could see what was going on. 
 
 And this was what was going on. A number of 
 street boys, altogether Jewish, were busy practicing a 
 
142 THE CUSTOM HOUSE. 
 
 new game. They had drawn on the pavement with a 
 charred stick the ground [)Uin of a hirge buikling which 
 Cimon at once recognized as the Diapleuston. Just be- 
 fore him was an unmarked place for the principal door : 
 half way down on the left was a pile of boxes to stand for 
 tlie main henia with its canopy and lecturn : in front of 
 this stood a group of boys pretending to be in earnest 
 conversation among themselves. After this show had 
 continued for a while, all but two of the boys walked off 
 and squatted silently behind the boxes. The two boys 
 left continued the pantomime of conversation for a few 
 minutes, when a noise was heard and lo, another group 
 of boys who had been hid behind the fountain came 
 marching in at the door, two by two, with papyrus hel- 
 mits on their heads and long, sharpened sticks for 
 spears, trying to keep pace together in soldierly fashion, 
 and carrying in their midst, transfixed on an extra long 
 stick, a very ragged, dirty, and hideous doll. At the 
 head of this company swaggered, perhaps the best 
 dressed, but certainly the ugliest little rascal of the whole 
 lot. He had taken some pains to add to his natural ac- 
 complishments such smutches of loveliness as a liberal 
 use of mud and charcoal could ^ve, and would have 
 frightened his own father and mother. About his waist 
 was a rope for a sash : to this was attached a bit of papy- 
 rus cut into the shape of a scabbard; in his hand he 
 flourished as sword a short strip of lath that had just 
 come from the shambles and was red enough to be the 
 sword of Mars. 
 
 This high and mighty captain at once led his com- 
 pany straight to the two boys, surrounded them, and fell 
 to abusing them with Jiis tongue as only a practiced 
 
THE CUSTOM HOUSE. 1-13 
 
 street Arab could do. On this, the other boys behind 
 the boxes hurried to the scene of action, and threw in a 
 liberal accompaniment of voice and gesture to swell the 
 interest of the occasion. Soon Captain Mars worked him- 
 self into a tempest, flew at one of the two boys, with his 
 bloody weapon uplifted. The other boys so crowded 
 about the encounter with outstretched and swaying arms 
 as to confuse the view of the spectators ; but in a few 
 moments they saw the mimic sword flying high in air, 
 and then its owner in close custody in process of being 
 marched helplessly toward the door, followed by his tat- 
 terdermalions hanging their heads and staggering about 
 as they were pushed and pulled and cuffed by the scream- 
 ing and enthusiastic escort that hemmed them closely in. 
 At the door the leader was dismissed with a rousing box 
 on the ear which sent him off on a stagger, which finally 
 ended in a runaway toward the Roman quarter. His fol- 
 lowers each received a like compliment with a like result. 
 The spectators seemed to enjoy this conclusion 
 hugely. They cheered and gesticulated with great en- 
 thusiasm; and when the hot chase took place they all 
 hurried off to keep it in view. The last to follow was a 
 man who had been standing just before Cimon. This 
 man, glancing right and left as if to make sure that the 
 ground was clear, directed his course across the square so 
 as to take on his way the two boys who had personated 
 Cimon and Aleph, and dealt each of them in passing a 
 thwack on the head that was none of the mildest. At 
 all events, it was not a mild wailing that the little fellows 
 set up. Luckily, however, Cimon had noticed the move- 
 ments of the man, and half divining his purpose, had fol- 
 lowed him so closely that he was near enough when the 
 
1-i-i THE CUSTOM HOTjSE. 
 
 blows were given to follow them with prompt punish- 
 ment. The two hearty cuffs he gave the fellow were 
 quite equal in value to those he had administered, and 
 seemed very surprising. In the startled and inflamed 
 face that was suddenly turned toward him, Cimon recog- 
 nized, as he thought, Roman features, though considera- 
 bly disguised. Could it be that he had again encoun- 
 tered the son of the Governor? But the man gave him 
 no opportunity for a closer examination. He went rap- 
 idly off with a Latin oath and a fist-shaking that belonged 
 to all languages. 
 
 Cimon consoled the children with a friendly pat on 
 the head and a piece of money for each— such as he had 
 never before possessed. But they hardly needed this 
 consolation — they were so delighted with the summary 
 judgment on their oppressor. Smiles were already rip- 
 pling over their tearful faces like sunshine over a wet 
 landscape. And when the friendly look and touch and 
 money were added, their sorrows were all forgotten in a 
 caper of delight. But Cimon was really sorry that the 
 urchins had not chosen some other theme for their sport. 
 
 '*Ten to one,''^'said he to himself, " this affair, with 
 liberal embellishments, will be carried straight to Bru- 
 chium, and will still further stir up ill blood between the 
 sections. There will be trouble here before long. These 
 Jews are too reckless and provoking to be left alone. It 
 may be that their expectation of a conquering Messiah at 
 the door has something to do with their audacity." 
 
 With such thoughts as these running through his 
 mind, he made his way homeward through the Greek and 
 Egyptian quarters. His thoughts ran, but his feet 
 walked — walked very leisurely ; for so at this hour of the 
 
THE CUSTOM HOUSE. 145 
 
 day did most of the people ; and he did not care to draw 
 attention to himself by doing differently from others. 
 Besides, he wished to study the people, as far as he could 
 
 without being observed. And it is wonderful how 
 
 much some people can see without the appearance of see- 
 ing. They could hardly see more if their heads were set 
 with a coronet of eyes. Do they divine the situation? 
 Do they absorb the facts lying about them at every pore 
 as they do heat and moisture? So it would seem. Cimon 
 belonged to this class of men. He did not stare, he did 
 not look this way and that, and sometimes turn about, 
 with curiosity flooding every feature and saying, " I am a 
 new-comer," but he pursued his way with quiet and equal 
 steps and with '' eyes that looked right on, and eyelids that 
 looked straight before him" — and yet nothing escaped 
 him ; not even that shadow of a portly man just disap- 
 pearing within a shpp on his left and that ragged little 
 urchin that almost immediately darted out of the same 
 and followed him at a little distance. 
 
 AVhat should he do? A thought came to him as he 
 came to a baker's shop. He turned in and called for a 
 loaf and some cakes — keeping an eye on the open door 
 while his parcel was being made up. Presently the little 
 ragamuffin appeared cautiously peeping within. Cimon 
 held out toward him a large, tempting cake, and beck- 
 oned. The boy came in slowly, as if resisting an irresist- 
 ible magnet. 
 
 '^ Hungry, my lad? " 
 
 The hungry eyes and pinched features of the little fel- 
 low answered the question before his bobbing head could 
 say Yes, as it was not slow to do. 
 
 '* Had anything to eat to-day, my poor boy? Eeally, 
 
146 THE CUSTOM HOUSE. 
 
 I do not believe you luive," he added pityingly, as he 
 looked more carefully into the thin, dirty face. 
 
 The face began to cry. 
 
 "And you had no money to buy food with — had 
 you? '^ inquired Cimon, as he softly patted the curly head. 
 
 " He said he would give me some money when I came 
 back/' said the boy. 
 
 " Who said it?" asked Cimon. 
 
 *' The man who sent me to see where you were going." 
 
 *' He did not think I was going into a baker's shop to 
 get you something to eat — did he? Come, sit right down 
 here on this bench and eat this loaf and these cakes. 
 Any more hungry ones at home?" 
 
 The boy at this began to sob, and at last broke into a 
 perfect canter of sobs. He muttered something which 
 Cimon had to bend low to make out. 
 
 ''What, poor mother and little sister! Alas, alas — 
 how sorry I am ! But do you sit here and eat this ; and 
 when you have finished, the baker shall give you twice as 
 much to carry home to your hungry mother and sister, 
 for here is the money. If I could help, they should never 
 be hungry again." 
 
 I do not know what the baker thought of this way of 
 treating the little beggar. But I know what the little 
 beggar thought. He highly approved. He soon dried 
 his tears in the presence of kind looks, kind words, and 
 kinder food. What a glorious appetite that was ! And 
 while it was being satisfied, or at least gratified, our 
 friend quietly went his way — unshadowed. 
 
VII. 
 THE MATRICULATION. 
 
 Aei 6e avTuc rag fijjTepag tu TEKva Tpe<peiv. 
 
 — Plutarch, De Lib. Educ. q. 5. 
 
 Mothers must cherish their children. 
 
1. An ettiical lecture. 
 
 2. How stiadents examine. 
 
 3. Is Jesus a. nnagician? 
 
 4. Let Nliriam testify. 
 
VII. 
 
 THE MATRICULATION. 
 
 A LEPH was greatly interested in Cimon's account of 
 J^\- his adventures — most of all in the story of Sha- 
 phan. He determined to communicate it as soon as possi- 
 ble to the daughter of Alexander. But when would it 
 be possible? On referring to his syllabus he found that 
 Seti would lecture early the next morning. He would 
 attend that lecture, and afterward would go to look after 
 the sick woman Miriam. Perhaps he would find Rachel 
 with her : if not he might learn when she was likely to 
 come, and so manage to meet her. 
 
 Before the third hour the next morning, both Cimon 
 and Aleph found themselves in the great lecture hall of 
 the Serapeum. The students came in scatteringly ; but 
 at length the room waft well filled, for Seti was popular 
 with the young men. This was owing partly to the 
 splendor of his lineage and office, which always weighs 
 much with even the most democratic young men ; partly 
 to his repute as the heir of the mysterious wisdom of Old 
 Egypt; and partly to the wonderful contrast between his 
 years and the unabated vigor of both his bodily and intel- 
 lectual faculties. And then this son of the Pharaohs and 
 supreme Egyptian pontiff was fond of young men, rea- 
 sonably tolerant of their ways, and knew how to unite 
 
150 THE MATRICULATION. 
 
 familiarity witli dignity in his intercourse with them. 
 But he was specially in favor with the dominant aristo- 
 cratic element. Some of the other teachers were new 
 men. Nobody knew who their fathers were. The patri- 
 cian young men from Rome and elsewhere declared that 
 they had no fathers. What had the Fabii and Claudii 
 and Scipios to do with such people? 
 
 Cimon and Aleph had taken seats well in the rear of 
 the hall. So they had opportunity to notice the bearing 
 of the young men as they came in. On the whole they 
 were pleased with it. While a few had the air of trifiers 
 and coxcombs, and here and there one had the jaded look 
 that suggested late hours and early dissipation, the most 
 had in various degrees that regulated and purposeful air 
 which teachers like to see. Among the more thoughtful 
 and earnest looking Aleph noticed one of the two Ro- 
 mans whom he had met at the banker's. He also noticed 
 that the ages of the students seemed to average about the 
 same as his own. 
 
 Almost every one who entered seemed to notice the 
 new-comers ; and soon there was considerable whispering 
 and passing to and fro among the young men — which 
 continued till Seti appeared. H^ stopped for a moment 
 to exchange salutations with our friends, and then con- 
 ducted them to a seat on the right of the bema. This 
 was the customary seat for newly matriculated persons : 
 and was greatly for the convenience of older collegians 
 who thus not only became promptly aware of a new arri- 
 val, but could quietly study him up without the fatigue 
 and incivility of turning about in their seats for the pur- 
 pose. Of course it was at the expense of the lecture. 
 But never mind — there are some things more important 
 
THE MATRICULATIO]^. 151 
 
 than lectures to young people ; and one of them is the 
 discipline of guessing out characters from faces and bear- 
 ing. 
 
 From the seat they now had the friends could see well 
 what they had not before noticed, viz., a small latticed 
 gallery just opposite to them from which came occasion- 
 ally some hints and glints of white draperies. Though 
 none of the schools of the time distinctly contemplated 
 the co-education of the sexes, there was nothing in public 
 opinion, especially at Alexandria, to hinder the daugh- 
 ters of the professors and other approved ladies from 
 hearing the lectures given to the young men ; though it 
 was thought best to place the beauties where they could 
 not be seen. The professors generally favored this invis- 
 ible presence as being conducive to good order and gen- 
 tlemanly conduct among the students. The chivalrous 
 instinct was not a medieval invention, nor even an inven- 
 tion of Christianity. The students at the Serapeum in 
 the First Century knew that bright eyes were watching 
 them and behaved accordingly. 
 
 The lecture of Seti was on the ethics of truthfulness. 
 It was delivered with a grave and quiet dignity and au- 
 thority well befitting his years and station, and yet with 
 a subtle fire and force of thought and expression that 
 suited wonderfully youthful tastes. He had no manu- 
 script before him, nor did he seem to have one within 
 him from which he was reading; but he seemed to find 
 his thoughts in the faces and eyes of his hearers as his 
 keen glances went to and fro among them. And the 
 young men felt that they were being perused. 
 
 On the way home, the day before, Seti had informed 
 Aleph of a custom among the students. He had matric- 
 
152 THE MATRICULATION". 
 
 ulated with the Faculty of the University : the students 
 would ask him to matriculate also with themselves. 
 Each new-comer was not considered by them as invested 
 with full membership till they had examined him for 
 themselves and settled his grade among them as a colle- 
 gian. It was possible to avoid the ordeal, if he saw fit ; 
 but a cheerful acceptance of it would conduce to popu- 
 larity, and, if the trial should be well sustained, would 
 give him a commanding influence. What would Aleph 
 prefer? Seti had asked with a shade of anxiety in his face. 
 
 '*By all means/' Aleph had said with a smile, ''let 
 not this custom be waived on my account. I rather fancy 
 the double matriculation." 
 
 So he was not surprised when at the conclusion of the 
 lecture all the students retained their seats. He was, 
 however, somewhat surprised to see that Seti retained his 
 also. But he had no time to speculate on the matter : 
 for a fine looking young man at once came forward and, 
 courteously calling attention to the badge the stranger 
 wore, inquired whether he wished such further member- 
 ship and privileges among them as an examination by the 
 students would confer. 
 
 Aleph rose and as courteously replied that such was 
 his wish; and that he would not on any account have any 
 of the usual formalities omitted. 
 
 "This being so," continued the young man, "your 
 full consent to our ancient custom having thus been gra- 
 ciously conceded, I call on our committee for testing can- 
 didates to come forward in proper order and discharge 
 their duty. I will only premise for your information 
 that the examination will ask two questions — first. What 
 do you knotu? and second, Wl/af can you do 9 
 
 >f 
 
THE MATRICULATION. 153 
 
 Whereupon two young men presented themselves, and 
 one of them said, " I have the honor to put the first ques- 
 tion — What do you kiioiu ? " 
 
 Aleph smiled. 
 
 "Excuse my smiling/' said he, "at the exceeding 
 largeness of your question. If I attempt to answer it, I 
 must begin with confessing that my knowledge is very 
 limited. Compared with what there is to be known, it 
 is practically nothing ; compared with what I wish to 
 know it is very trifling indeed ; perhaps further exami- 
 nation may show that it is also very trifling in compari- 
 son with what some of my fellow-students know,'' and he 
 bowed to the young men. A ripple of laughter went 
 through the room. 
 
 " If you find my associate's question," said the other 
 member of the committee, " a little too large to be man- 
 ageable, perhaps you will tell us what you already know 
 of the various branches of knowledge preliminary to 
 those studied here. Doubtless you have informed your- 
 self as to our curriculum ; it not being considered in gen- 
 eral a wise thing to leap into the dark." 
 
 "This question," returned Aleph, "is not indeed as 
 broad as the other ; but still it would be hard to give you 
 a satisfactory answer (I mean one satisfactory to yourself, 
 for this I could wish to do) unless you will tell me what 
 branches of knowledge you consider preparatory to this 
 Institution. I fancy there might be a difference of opin- 
 ion as to that matter — after setting aside a few element- 
 ary things. I can read and write and speak the Greek 
 and Latin languages after a fashion : have such acquaint- 
 ance with the literature in these tongues as, I should 
 hope, would enable me to understand such references to 
 
154 THE MATRICULATION. 
 
 them as may occur in your lectures; have also had some 
 little practice in moral and mathematical reasoning, suffi- 
 cient, I should hope, for understanding a good argument 
 when presented. Is there any further preparation 
 needed? I have indeed heard (what I suppose to be true) 
 that a little knowledge of religion — some just and clear 
 ideas of Deity and duty and responsibility— is a good 
 thing in the way of preparation for university life. In 
 regard to that sort of knowledge, I can only say that if I 
 do not possess it the fault does not lie with my parents 
 or other teachers " (he slightly inclined his head toward 
 Cimon). '' They have done their duty. But perhaps my 
 questioner does not lay any stress on this last sort of 
 knowledge as a valuable preliminary to the speculations 
 and associations of college life. It is even possible that 
 he considers it a decided disadvantage. I know that such 
 views are sometimes found among students." 
 
 Aleph had drawn his bow at a venture. But the 
 broad wave of laughter that now swept through the hall 
 assured him that somebody had been hit. Was it not 
 the questioner himself, whose color had sensibly deep- 
 ened? 
 
 His mate took up the broken thread. " Certainly we 
 did not all come here with as good a preparation as that : 
 but perhaps you have done more than the preparatory, 
 and already know considerably of the branches of study 
 which engage us here. Such advanced students often 
 come to us for various reasons." 
 
 "I cannot say," returned Aleph, *'that I am alto- 
 gether ignorant of the subjects discussed here. It has 
 been my good fortune to have as teacher one who in his 
 youth passed much time in both the Athenian and Alex- 
 
THE MATRICULATION. 155 
 
 andrian schools. And he has attempted, not as success- 
 fully perhaps as he could wish, to put his own knowl- 
 edge into his pupil. What I know I owe to him and my 
 parents : what I do not know I owe to myself. Certainly 
 I do not come here because I know so much, but because 
 I know so little. I hope to enlarge my knowledge, such 
 as it is. In thirty years not a few changes must have 
 taken place here — new teachers have come to the front, 
 new ways of presenting and illustrating old truths are 
 used, and it is barely possible that some things then con- 
 sidered branches of knowledge are now known to be 
 branches of ignorance. So I hope to profit. Is this sat- 
 isfactory? or would the committee like to have me ex- 
 plain a syllogism, epitomize Plato or Aristotle or Zeno, 
 or expound the astronomy of Pythagoras?" just the 
 glimmer of an amused expression stealing from his eye. 
 
 "Not either of these," answered the committee. 
 " Doubtless you are well prepared on what you volunta- 
 rily offer. Allow us to ask you for something which, as 
 it is wholly unprecedented on such occasions as this, you 
 can hardly have made special preparation for. AVe will 
 ask you for an epitome of the lecture to which we have 
 just listened. This is a compliment we owe to our ven- 
 erable teacher who, I think, has never before honored us 
 with his presence on a similar occasion."' 
 
 Turning to Seti, Aleph expressed a hope that he 
 would excuse any injustice that might be done to his 
 lecture under such a stress of circumstances, and then 
 proceeded as follows : 
 
 " The lecture was on the ethics of truthfulness. It 
 held up to abhorrence the general character of a liar and 
 hypocrite; and said that men must tell what seems 
 
156 THE MATRICULATION. 
 
 truth to them whenever tney profess to tell it. In war, 
 hostile forces do not profess to tell the truth to each 
 other, but the contrary : the very fact of war certifies to 
 all that feints, stratagems, deceptions of all sorts will be 
 used, and they are just as proper as war itself. Under 
 certain circumstances one can properly withhold truth 
 from his neighbor without notice given. No man is 
 bound to tell all he knows to all sorts of persons without 
 regard to how they will use the information. A glass 
 house would not be a good one to live in — especially 
 where stones and sinners are plenty. Silence is often 
 both the privilege and duty of a man, as well as his wis- 
 dom. Deity himself keeps back much truth permanently 
 from us, and chooses his own times and ways for reveal- 
 ing other truth. In the interest of justice we can prop- 
 erly make inquiries which, if their object were known, 
 would not be answered : we can be silent on what crimi- 
 nals have no right to know. In government, in busi- 
 ness, in social intercourse a measure of reticence is indis- 
 pensable to the Avisest living, and even to righteousness. 
 Without notice given, one may never affirm what he 
 thinks to be false: he may without notice sometimes 
 keep back what he knows to be true. These positions 
 were defended by considerations drawn from natural con- 
 science, the general voice of mankind, the testimonies of 
 illustrious teachers, and the grave difficulties that would 
 arise were the world to accept and act upon other princi- 
 ples." 
 
 Aleph folded his arms and looked inquiringly at the 
 committee. The committee looked inquiringly at Seti. 
 
 " May we ask the venerable Seti whether this is a sat- 
 isfactory account of his lecture?" 
 
THE MATRICULATION. 167 
 
 He bowed assent : and a general cheer went up from 
 the benches. 
 
 " I perceive," said the master of ceremonies, " that it 
 is the mind of our community that I pronounce the first 
 part of the examination well sustained. Accordingly I 
 so pronounce." " 
 
 Another round of applause. 
 
 The young man continued, addressing Aleph, ''As 
 you have doubtless perceived, our object has been not so 
 much to find out how much you know as your powers of 
 knowing. I think we have gotten sufficient light on 
 that point. May we get as much on the point that still 
 remains to be inquired into, viz., your powers of doing. 
 Our community lay considerable stress on physical ac- 
 complishments, and, we think, with good reason. An 
 efficient mind does its best in an efficient body. We but 
 follow the traditions of more classical times when we ask 
 whether you can run and ride and row, can leap and lift 
 and shoot and wrestle and fence — in short, protect your 
 
 mother and sisters and such maiden as the gods may give 
 you.^' 
 
 " I have had some teaching in all these matters," re- 
 plied Aleph: "whether I have duly profited by the 
 teaching it does not become me to say." 
 
 ''Are you willing to appear in our pahestra for a test- 
 ing ; and if so, do you choose to compete with the good 
 or the better or the best in each department?" 
 
 " I am willing to appear: and defeat would be less 
 mortifying to me at the hands of the best," said Aleph 
 with infinite composure. 
 
 " But one thing remains to be attended to here," con- 
 tinued Publius Cornelius (for this was the name of the 
 
158 THE MATRICULATION. 
 
 young Roman "who acted as master of ceremonies). "Ac- 
 cording to our rules, when a young man has elected the 
 best competitors — which indeed rarely happens — it is 
 necessary that he stand face to face with them in our 
 presence, that he may fully understand what he under- 
 takes, and have an opportunity to recede from his choice 
 if he thinks best : also that we may judge whether his 
 choice is a reasonable one. Our best will now please 
 present themselves with the candidate in front of the 
 bema." 
 
 A number of young men rose in different parts of the 
 hall, and made their way to the open space before Seti. 
 Aleph also advanced and stood near, facing them. 
 
 There was a profound silence for a few moments as 
 the confronting parties surveyed each other, and were 
 closely surveyed and compared by the rest (many stand- 
 ing on their seats for the purpose). Then burst out an 
 almost deafening cheer. 
 
 The fact was that as long as Aleph stood by himself 
 his extraordinary physicar advantages had not fully dis- 
 played themselves. But when he came to stand with 
 others everybody at once saw that in that group there 
 was no face so noble and winning, no figure so majestic 
 and exquisitely proportioned, no bearing so lofty and 
 poised and full of suggestion of power and leadership as 
 Aleph's. So evident was all this to the "best" them- 
 selves that they could not prevent the consciousness of it 
 from appearing in their uneasy faces and attitudes — es- 
 pecially after that spontaneous cheer which they well un- 
 derstood. 
 
 "Well?'' inquired Cornelius, looking at Aleph. 
 
 Aleph again passed his eyes naturally and serenely 
 
THE MATRICULATION. 159 
 
 through the grouj) before him, resting them for an in- 
 stant on one taller and brawnier than the rest, and then 
 said quietly, *' I adhere to my choice." 
 
 A young man started up. " Our president has stated 
 that we are to judge of the reasonableness of this choice. 
 It seems to me a very unreasonable one. The advantages 
 are too much on one side. Unless the gods interfere 
 (and somehow they are not apt to do so in these days) 
 there can be but one result to such an unequal competi- 
 tion. It is foreordained. I therefore propose, in the in- 
 terest of our Best, that the candidate be at once passed 
 to his matriculation with all the honors and with no 
 conditions whatever. This course, it is true, is unprece- 
 dented ; but then the circumstances are unprecedented. 
 Those of us who know a good thing when we see it, are, 
 I think, quite prepared for this action." 
 
 Action, Action was exclaimed from all parts of the 
 hall. 
 
 Cornelius stepped on a bench, and looking about the 
 assembly called out, " Is there any objection on the part 
 of any to the course which Quintius Fabius proposes?" 
 
 After waiting a moment for responses that did not 
 come, the president proceeded, ' ' Let every one who re- 
 gards the examination as already sufficient, and would at 
 once admit the candidate to full membership in our body, 
 stretch forth his hand." 
 
 And such a showing of hands ! They flew out and up 
 as if from a catapult. Some voted with two hands. 
 Some, not content with a simple uplifting, made their 
 hands shake and triumph in the air. Even the Best 
 voted with the rest. 
 
 "Your mind is clear/^ cried the president. "By 
 
160 THE MATRICULATION. 
 
 your vote, and witliout dissent, this gentleman is now a 
 member in full of this university. In your name '' (as he 
 advanced toward Aleph with outstretched hand) '' I, Pub- 
 lius Cornelius, offer greetings and fellowship to^^ — and 
 he hesitated. 
 
 "Aleph the Chaldean," said Aleph, as he gracefully 
 took the proffered hand. 
 
 Seti remained sitting for a while longer, keenly 
 watching, as many of the young men gathered about 
 Aleph and were introduced to him by Cornelius. Among 
 these were the Best ; who were at first somewhat back- 
 ward and awkward, but whom Aleph so welcomed with 
 frank and unpretending cordiality that they were soon 
 quite at ease. Seti watched and admired. He saw that 
 the young man had quite won those who might easily 
 have become his enemies — in short had fairly conquered 
 the position he had coveted for him. 
 
 Aleph lingered till the other students had left that he 
 might inquire of Seti whether he had heard from Miriam 
 that morning. He had not ; but was not sure but that 
 he might hear something by going to his rooms. Would 
 not Aleph and his friend accompany him? 
 
 As they approached the apartments of the high-priest 
 they saw before them in the distance what seemed the 
 fluttering of female robes: and, as soon as Seti had 
 opened his door, he found himself in the arms of his 
 grand-daughter. 
 
 " Mother-father " (this was her favorite style of ad- 
 dress), she exclaimed, looking up fondly into his face, 
 *' are you not very tired after such a long session? But 
 what a good lecture that was, and then " 
 
 "Ah, child," he hastily interrupted as he patted her 
 
THE MATRICULATION. 161 
 
 cheek, *'what a flatterer you are! Why not begin to 
 practice on my lecture by telling me the truth? Tired! 
 Antiquity is never tired. The tired ones are your mod- 
 erns — such young men as you may see behind me." 
 
 Cimon was surprised at the magnificent beauty that 
 now disengaged herself from the arms of Seti and stood 
 blushing before them. Aleph had indeed spoken of her 
 as beautiful, but with no particularity and effusion : and 
 so he was not prepared for the lovely vision. It seemed 
 to him for a moment as if he had before him one of the 
 Hellenic goddesses — a sort of compound of Aphrodite and 
 Athene and Artemis. As to Aleph — such a look of glad 
 recognition sprang to his face at the unexpected meeting 
 that she could not but notice it. It gave her courage to 
 advance and give her hand to Cimon, saying, "The 
 daughter of Alexander gratefully remembers our friend 
 of the Diapleuston " — to then turn to Aleph with a wel- 
 coming look and a new flush on her cheek as she said, 
 " You see one has to make much of her grandfather, es- 
 pecially when she has but one. Perhaps you, too, have 
 a mother-father and know how good it is to have him." 
 
 " The lady has guessed rightly," returned the young 
 man. " The last thing I did when leaving my country 
 was to bow my tearful face on the shoulder of a white- 
 haired man whose form was not bent, nor eye dim, nor 
 natural force abated, though he had long passed his cen- 
 tury ; and who laid his hand on my head and sent me 
 away with the blessing of a grand sire. God willing, I 
 shall see him again. The mother-fathers of Chaldea live 
 long." 
 
 " May the God of Chaldean Abraham grant it," said 
 the maiden devoutly. 
 
/ 
 
 162 THE MATRICULATION. 
 
 (C 
 
 'And grant also that I may carry back to him the 
 news he has so long waited for — that the Desire of all na- 
 tions has at last come ! " 
 
 "Amen," said Kachel; *' and, according to my prom- 
 ise, I have something new to tell you touching that mat- 
 ter. So come with me, all of you — I mean yoti, mother- 
 father,^' and she threw a graceful gesture at Seti as she 
 led the way to seats near a window. 
 
 While the young people had been talking, Seti, with 
 folded arms, had kept his eyes fastened on them as if by 
 some irresistible attraction. Rousing himself at the call 
 of Rachel, he said to Cimon with a smile, " In these days 
 the Egyptian is in bondage to Israel," and added as he 
 closed the door and followed, "and is not very discon- 
 tented — certainly not enough to make an exodus." 
 
 When they were seated, Rachel said to Aleph, "I 
 promised that if I obtained any new facts about Jesus I 
 would communicate them to you. And this is what I 
 have heard this morning." 
 
 She then proceeded to say that on her way to the 
 Serapeum she had seen Miriam, found that her husband 
 had not appeared, found that she had improved so much 
 that she was able to tell her sad story since her marriage. 
 She had first gone with her husband to Tyre, where he 
 professed to have property. After a few days he removed 
 her to a small house near the city. This was the first of 
 a succession of removals east and south. They never 
 stopped long in a place — never lived in any but the poor- 
 est and obscurest part of a place. She never knew her 
 husband do any work, or seek for any. She often won- 
 dered at first how he obtained such scanty and irregular 
 supplies as they had. Once when she asked him about 
 
THE MATRICULATION. 1C3 
 
 the matter, he said that he was living on his property ; 
 and accompanied the information with such a storm of 
 abuse that she never after dared to refer to the subject. 
 She did not need to do so. He was abroad much at 
 night ; and she noticed that when abroad during the day 
 he shunned thoroughfares, and sometimes disguised him- 
 self. Moreover, the men whom he brought to the house 
 were of the lowest sort, and she could not well avoid 
 overhearing enough of their talk to assure her that they 
 agreed in thinking that property was robbery and might 
 be taken wherever it could be found. After the first few 
 weeks he cast off all semblance of regard for her. He 
 would often leave her for weeks without any means of 
 support ; and had it not been for the compassion of the 
 poor people about her she would have starved. As it 
 was, her suffering from exposure, privation, and remorse 
 reduced her almost to a skeleton. Ah, what days those 
 were ! She shuddered when she spoke of them. Such 
 wretched living as they had was gotten by robbery, and 
 sometimes by murder. He no longer pretended the con- 
 trary. She came to know that their frequent changes of 
 place were made necessary by his crimes. As soon as he 
 found himself an object of suspicion, he went to a new 
 place and there repeated his thefts and burglaries until 
 his safety required him to move on. In this way they 
 slowly drifted from the Phenician coast to the Sea of 
 
 Galilee. 
 
 She now thinks that she could not have lived through 
 that awful pilgrimage had it not been for one thing. 
 Wherever she went she met with poor people who had 
 been cured of some incurable ail by the new prophet 
 Jesus — cured by a touch or a word. Sometimes it was a 
 
1G4 THE MATRICULATION. 
 
 piilsy, sometimes consumption, sometimes leprosy, some- 
 times blindness or deafness or a lost limb, sometimes 
 devils or death. And he asked nothing in return for 
 such wonderful deliverances. Of course all mouths were 
 full of his praises. They told of his gentle and compas- 
 sionate ways ; how he did not disdain publicans and sin- 
 ners, saying that he came to seek and save the lost : how 
 he took little children in his arms and caressed and 
 blessed them ; how patiently and wisely and wonderfully 
 he taught the humblest as well as the highest — told of 
 such things till her heart burned and ached to see him, 
 to be near him, to pour out her oppressed soul into his 
 pitiful ears. 
 
 At last her wish was accomplished. One day, while 
 they were living at Chorasin, after some new tempest of 
 abuse and wickedness from her husband, she slipj^ed away 
 into the fields to give vent to her grief and despair. 
 There she saw in the distance a number of people on an 
 eminence : and, on mounting a rock, she saw that others 
 were moving toward the eminence from all directions. It 
 flashed upon her that perhaps Jesus had come, and that 
 now was her opportunity. She at once made for the hill 
 — determined that if indeed Jesus was there she would 
 get as near to him as possible. She felt as if some 
 mighty loadstone was drawing upon her. Being unen- 
 cumbered, she sped along quickly, passed many who were 
 carrying sick people or were sick themselves, and was not 
 long in assuring herself that it was indeed Jesus toward 
 whom all the streams of infirmity and suffering were set- 
 ting. 
 
 She quickened her steps into a desperate haste. She 
 flew rather than ran — flew to the side of the hill where 
 
THE MATRICULATION. 165 
 
 the people were fewest, pressed through them as if on an 
 errand of life and death, saw one who was plainly the 
 central ligure, fell down before him panting, disheveled, 
 eyes streaming, and tried to look up through her tears 
 into his face. And she dimly saw there such gentleness, 
 such pity, such insight, such power, that a great wave of 
 rest swept in on her soul as she murmured. Lord, tliou 
 knoiuest. And he answered, in a voice strangely sweet, 
 that somehow seemed to penetrate every fibre of her being. 
 
 ^' Yes, I know, thou daughter of many sorrows. 
 Wait patiently for the hour of deliverance which will 
 come in thy own country by the hands of those whom I 
 will send. Meanwhile go in peace — thy sins be forgiven 
 thee." 
 
 She rose — all the harshness and bitterness of her 
 soul gone, a calmness and strength and peace within that 
 were indescribable. She did not withdraw from the 
 scene ; only fell back among the crowd. And there she 
 saw with her own eyes the wonderful things done of 
 which she had been hearing ever since she landed in 
 Tyre. It seemed as if the whole country about had 
 searched out its desperate cases and brought them to- 
 gether to test his power and pity. And she saw that no 
 case was beyond him. Not an ail in all the throng but 
 had instant relief as he touched or spoke. The number 
 and variety of the miracles almost took her breath away. 
 When the last sufferer had been helped she could no 
 longer contain herself, but, as if filled and pressed irre- 
 sistibly by a heavenly breath, burst forth with song, " 
 give thanks unto the Lord, for he has done marvellous 
 things: " and all the people joined their voices to hers 
 till the country side rang. 
 
ICG THE MATRICULATIOK. 
 
 She went back to her husband, but not to her misery. 
 The memory of that look, and that voice, and that prom- 
 ise was like a strong man under her cross. Her husband 
 was no better ; they still drifted from place to place, but 
 always with a compulsion by circumstances toward the 
 south and west. Her strength grew less as they ap- 
 proached the seacoast, and quite broke down at Joppa as 
 she saw her husband, as he was hurrying her aboard a 
 vessel for Alexandria in the night, rob and kill a man; 
 yet even then the memory of that divine hour in Galilee 
 was a mighty peace in her heart, and she felt that she was 
 on her way to deliverance. 
 
 Said Seti to Rachel, after the few moments of pro- 
 found silence that followed her narrative, *' Did you ever 
 notice in Miriam in former days any tendency to — exag- 
 geration?^' 
 
 "Never," she replied. ''On the contrary, Miriam 
 was noted for great care not to overstate facts. You may 
 depend upon it, grandfather, she is fully up to the 
 standard of your lecture.'' 
 
 Seti seemed not to notice this sally, and the accom- 
 panying shadow of a smile that flitted across the shining 
 face, but said, " To say nothing of his marvellous deeds, 
 the attention which Jesus pays to the lowly and uninflu- 
 ential, rather than to the great and powerful, is very un- 
 like what one would expect in a scheming impostor." 
 
 *' That he is not that," said Aleph, *' is still further 
 confirmed by what my preceptor and friend here heard 
 yesterday. I am sure you will agree with me if he will 
 tell the substance of what Shaphan of the gate of Cano- 
 pus related." 
 
 All wished to hear. So Cimon proceeded to relate 
 
THE MATRICULATION. 167 
 
 the story of Shaplum — omitting, however, the circum- 
 stances bearing on Mains, and one or two other particu- 
 lars. 
 
 When he had finished, Rachel exclaimed, " How won- 
 derful all this is ! Surely there is but one thing to be 
 said, unless we are prepared to discredit all human testi- 
 mony ! I have heard my father speak of Shaphan as a 
 very good man : I must see him and ask him many ques- 
 tions." 
 
 ''Would it not be better," said Seti, "to first ques- 
 tion some expert magician as to what he can do by his 
 art? It is not incredible that there should be beings be- 
 tween the Supreme and ourselves who can do very won- 
 derful things." 
 
 " No, my dear grandfather; but if these superior be- 
 ings are good they will not lend themselves to a great re- 
 ligious imposture ; and if they are bad they would fight 
 against themselves by endorsing such teaching and doing 
 such works as those of Jesus. Would Satan cast out 
 Satan?" 
 
 " Hardly. Still, have not magicians sometimes been 
 good men? Perhaps our friends here can throw some 
 light on that matter. Time has been when Chaldea was 
 famous for its magicians" — and Seti looked toward 
 
 Aleph. 
 
 "In my country, as in Egypt,'' said Aleph, "the 
 name magicians has always been used to cover all stu- 
 dents of extensive knowledge, especially all students of 
 the powers and processes of Nature. As to such persons 
 as profess by certain arts to enlist the powers of mightier 
 spirits in their service there is, at least at present, but 
 cue opinion among us, and that a very unfavorable one. 
 
168 THE MATRICULATION. 
 
 It is that of the Hebrew Scriptures which denounce and 
 forbid all magical arts under heavy penalties. However 
 it may be with others, those vi^ho profess to accept these 
 Scriptures and at the same time use magical arts, it 
 seems to me, cannot be good men, or other than very 
 bad. This is the case of Jesus. As I understand it, he 
 professes to hold faithfully by Moses and the prophets. 
 This being so, if he is a magician he is one of the worst 
 of men — especially as he solemnly declares that he works 
 his wonders not by magic, but by God.^' 
 
 ^And consequently," added Cimon, "all evidence we 
 have that he is one of the best of men is evidence that he 
 is not a magician." 
 
 "And what evidence of this sort have we? " asked Seti. 
 
 "At least we can say," returned the Greek, " that no 
 evidence against Jesus has yet reached us, while we have 
 heard much for him. We have heard that his miracles 
 are wholly beneficent and his teachings wholly right- 
 eous ; and that the worst thing his enemies can say of 
 him is that he does the very thing the prophets said the 
 Christ would do, viz., stoop to the humblest while claim- 
 ing with the highest. For myself, I would also lay con- 
 siderable stress on the impression which the mere per- 
 sonal presence of Jesus makes on such a man as Sha- 
 phan. It is plain to me that this man would profoundly 
 believe in the worth of Jesus, even if he had not seen a 
 single miracle of his, nor heard from him a single word. 
 Is this unreasonable? Two or three times in the course 
 of my life, I have been similarly impressed — I have had 
 merely to look into the eye and watch for a few moments 
 the play of the features to get an immovable confidence 
 in the character that lay behind them. Ordinary good- 
 
THE MATRICULATION. 1G9 
 
 ness, I confess, does not manifest itself in this royal way ; 
 nor does extraordinary, except under certain physical or- 
 ganizations ; but tliere are organizations through which 
 it is self-revealing— through which it looks forth as 
 through pure crystal and shines by its own light, as does 
 any mathematical axiom— through which it is able to put 
 forth a' heavenly atmosphere into which at least a sym- 
 pathetic soul cannot enter without feeling its heavenly 
 character." 
 
 " So it seems to me,'' said Seti. " I, too, have met a 
 case or two of that sort." 
 
 "The venerable Seti," said Aleph; " has doubtless 
 met with many so-called magicians in this land of the 
 strange and mysterious. May I ask whether he has ever 
 met one who has claimed to do his prodigies through the 
 Supreme God, or to do them in such vast variety and 
 magnificence as are conceded to Jesus?'' 
 
 "Certainly not," answered the Egyptian; "and I 
 ^m quite sure that if we could get together all the pro- 
 fessors of the magical art that are or have been, they 
 could not, all together, make out such a list of wonders as 
 is conceded to Jesus." 
 
 "I would also ask of the venerable Seti," continued 
 Aleph, " if he will not express his views more fully as to 
 the suggestion of the lady Rachel, viz., that it is incredi- 
 ble that bad spirits of vast intelligence would lend their 
 powers to give currency and authority to a system of 
 teaching whose whole stress they must see to be to defeat 
 and destroy their influence." 
 
 " It is incredible. She only needs to show that the 
 teaching of Jesus is plainly and thoroughly against the 
 feelings and objects of evil spirits." 
 
170 THE MATRICULATION^. 
 
 " Why, my dear grandfather, all the accounts agree 
 that Jesus teaches altogether in the line of our Scrip- 
 tures, though with new fullness and illustrations — and no 
 one knows better than you how holy the teachings of our 
 Sacred Books are — exposing the devices of Satan, de- 
 nouncing him and all his works, calling to watchfulness 
 and prayer against him, rebuking and casting out his de- 
 mons, assailing the very foundation of his kingdom in 
 disloyalty to God, binding our consciences to a perpetual 
 war on sin in both life and heart, threatening it with the 
 terrors of an avenging heaven." 
 
 Seti inclined his head gravel}^ toward the maiden, 
 whose earnestness was now glowing in her face and add- 
 ing to it new charms, but was silent. 
 
 ''The lady has expressed my thought," said Cimon. 
 " It used to be a part of the Roman law, and I presume 
 is so still, that when a man is accused of doing what 
 would neither suit his passions nor his interests, the ac- 
 cusation may be dismissed at once. It is incredible. 
 Neither men nor devils act against all motive." 
 
 "Now, great teacher," cried Rachel, "it is time to 
 sum up, as you do sometimes in your lectures ; and (she 
 brightly shook her finger at Seti) be careful to sum up 
 on the right side." 
 
 "Which of course means your side," said the Egyp- 
 tian, with a slight lifting of his eyebrows Well, 
 
 how will this please you? 
 
 "Jesus, it is universally conceded, has done many 
 things far beyond mere human power: he claims for 
 them a divine origin : they are worthy of such an origin 
 in the grandeur and beneficence of their character: such 
 an origin agrees with certain ancient predictions appar- 
 
THE MATRICULATION. 171 
 
 ently relating to these times : unless they have such an 
 origin, neither had the miracles of Moses and the other 
 prophets; and indeed it seems impossible for God to fur- 
 nish reliable credentials to any messenger ; for, so far as 
 we can see, his credentials must be miracles and could 
 not well be greater miracles than Jesus has wrought : un- 
 less they have a divine origin they are demoniacal — which 
 is wholly inconsistent with the apparent (say certain) 
 character of Jesus and also with his teachings, which are 
 such as no evil spirit could reasonably be supposed will- 
 ing to promote Is this satisfactory?" — turning 
 
 to Rachel. 
 
 '* I think you could do better; but that will do — will 
 do very well for the present,'^ she returned smiling; 
 *' especially as you have gratuitously supplied some miss- 
 ing links to the chain. Go on, illustrious house of 
 Seti and heir of all the Pharaohs, I have great hopes of 
 you yet." 
 
 *'You see, gentlemen," said Seti, ''what comes of 
 teaching our daughters to know and argue like other peo- 
 ple. As soon as we furnish them with arms they turn 
 them against us. And this they call gratitude ! " 
 
 *' But," he added gravely, seeing Cimon rising to 
 take leave, " if your affairs now call you away I wish to 
 make an inquiry of you — if you will step this way." 
 
 Cimon followed him to a distant part of the room. 
 
 After a little hesitation, Aleph said to Rachel, " Your 
 grandfather has surprised me very much in this conversa- 
 tion. From the position he holds I should have thought 
 such views on his part impossible." 
 
 " There is a mystery about the matter, I confess," re- 
 plied the maiden; '' but then this is not the only right- 
 
172 THE MATRICULATION. 
 
 eons mystery in Alexandria to-day " — and her eyes 
 laughed into his in a very wonderful way. 
 
 " Let us hope," said he with an answering gleam 
 from eyes quite as wonderful though mysteriously differ- 
 ent, "that they both will clear up satisfactorily in due 
 time, as the mystery of Jesus seems to be doing. I am 
 grateful to you for what I have heard to-day. But I would 
 be glad to speak with Miriam myself. Do you think she 
 will be strong enough to bear another talk to-day?" 
 
 ' ' Perhaps so. I return to her as soon as my sedan 
 comes ; and if you will accompany me we will see what 
 she is equal to. If you do not object, I wish to be pres- 
 ent when you question her." 
 
 "That would be delightful to me (and a new light 
 sprang to his eyes as he said it) — especially since I have 
 come to know that you have mind as well as beauty, and 
 can inquire and reason with the best." 
 
 He said this as if half soliloquizing, _and with such an 
 air of glad heartiness that she at once felt that the words 
 had in them nothing of the emptiness of mere compli- 
 ment. 
 
 She hastened to say timidly, " If we find that she is 
 not able to talk with us to-day, we can arrange to see her 
 to-morrow when she is fresh. Perhaps, too, she will then 
 be able to bear removal to our house and — could I count 
 on your aid in transferring her, for my brothers are away 
 and my father has gone to Rome? " 
 
 " How gladly I agree to this the lady Rachel, I trust, 
 already knows. At the same time, I must confess, I 
 have some doubt as to what the morrow may bring 
 to me ; and so I would fain do as much as I can to- 
 day.' 
 
 )} 
 
THE MATRICULATION. 173 
 
 "You do not mean — I trust you do not mean dan- 
 ger 9^^ and she looked anxiously at him. 
 
 Before he could answer a knock was heard at the door 
 and a servant entered to say that the sedan of the lady 
 was waiting at the gate. Rachel hastily prepared for the 
 street. Going to Scti, who now stood by the door, she 
 kissed him and — stood embarrassed. 
 
 "Well, what is it, my Gem of Alexandria?" said 
 Seti. " What can we do for you? Do you want the old 
 man to send you off with a formal blessing? The bless- 
 ing of a heathen is not worth verj much.'^ 
 
 " You are no heathen," rejoined the maiden; "and 
 I have already a great store of your blessings carefully 
 laid up at home among my treasures. Give your blessing 
 to-day to these friends of ours who, I fear, are in danger, 
 and who have deserved well at our hands. You are wise 
 and powerful — protect them, or you and I will have to 
 part company. I hate ingratitude " — and she shook her 
 finger at him. 
 
 " By the way," she added, " do you think that so val- 
 uable a jewel as the Gem of Alexandria ought to pass 
 along the street without an escort?" 
 
 " I was about to offer the lady my escort on her way 
 as far as Miriam, whom I wished to question: but it 
 seems that I am a person who himself needs protection," 
 said Aleph with a smile. 
 
 "Judging from what we have seen, Aleph the Chal- 
 dean is remarkably well qualified to protect himself, to 
 say nothing of others," said Seti with great composure. 
 Yes, against a fair enemy," protested the maiden ; 
 but against others one needs all the help he can get 
 from both earth and heaven. What I want of you, 
 
 
17-4 THE MATRICULATION. 
 
 grandfather, is to sec that earth does its part. If you do 
 not, I promise you that you shall see how a woman can 
 bestir herself." 
 
 *' Just as if Seti needed all this eloquence, child ! " he 
 said reproachfully. 
 
 " Mother-father, I am ashamed of myself. I know 
 that you mean nobly. But then you men are so manly that 
 you are not so quick as a woman at divining the presence 
 of danger, though far better at meeting it when discov- 
 ered. At least, so I am told ; and I shall not deny it till 
 necessary. So forgive me, and — do as I say." 
 
 I am not sure,'' said the Egyptian thoughtfully, 
 but that both of you are right. If Rachel must return 
 by way of Miriam an escort may be a protection to her, 
 as Antis is capable of the worst ; and to be seen in the 
 streets with the daughter of Alexander may in the end 
 be a protection to Aleph the Chaldean, for it will show 
 whom it may concern that he is not without friends. So 
 go, you two — but I will ask our friend Cimon to remain 
 a while longer.' 
 
 
 )} 
 
VIII. 
 
 THE ESCORT. 
 
 Ovd' aXXo 6va<{>vXaKTov ovSlu wf yvv^. 
 
 — Anon. 
 
 Nothing is so hard to guard as a ivoman. 
 
1. Twin serpents fronn Ten^ecios. 
 
 2. News fronn. Galilee. 
 
 3. An escort dealing with escorts. 
 
 4. Home at last. 
 
VIII. 
 
 THE ESCORT. 
 
 TN going to the Serapeiim, our friends had noticed near 
 J- the gate of the khan the Cretan who, as agent for 
 Mains, had dealt with the Phenician dealer in dyes. They 
 recognized him readily, though he turned hastily away as 
 they approached him. The cats^Miu of Makes ! they 
 both thought ; and would perhaps have thought no more 
 of it had not 
 
 But, on going a little farther, whom should they see 
 but Mains himself coming toward them ! They could not 
 be mistaken— the same obese figure, the same waddlino- 
 gait, the same wooden face and gimlet eyes. He stopped 
 almost immediately at a fruiterer's stall, and seemed busy 
 in selecting some fruit as they passed. After they had 
 passed he turned and watched them. They did not turn 
 to notice the fact, but they knew it all the same— knew 
 that Mains had tracked them to their quarters and made 
 sure of a close connection between them. 
 
 When Aleph came out with Rachel to her sedan, he 
 very naturally looked about to see if he was still under 
 surveillance. But he saw only the porters of the rich 
 conveyance that waited for the daughter of Alexander. 
 Nor did he, on the way to Miriam's, as he walked by the 
 side of the chair and occasionally exchanged a word with 
 
178 THE ESCORT. 
 
 its inmate, observe anything but that courteons general 
 observation which a very distinguislied looking man in 
 honorable attendance on a great lady might be expected 
 to draw. 
 
 There was one interruption on the way — a pleasant 
 one. Rachel, through her curtains, happening to descry 
 Shaphan at a distance, stopped her bearers and begged 
 Aleph to beckon the Jew to them. He promptly crossed 
 the street. The lady gave him her hand and said that 
 she had been hearing with great interest the story of his 
 visit to Judea, but wished to hear it again at first hand. 
 Could he not go with them a short distance to where her 
 nurse lived and there gratify her ? He could : in fact, 
 his brother, who had just returned from Judea, and him- 
 self were even now returning from the Egyptian khan 
 near the Serapeum, whither they had gone for the purpose 
 of seeing the young Chaldean (he bowed to Aleph) and 
 his friend, and communicating some new information 
 about the Messiah. 
 
 Aleph expressed his gratification at the meeting, and 
 warmly seconded the lady^s request. So Shaphan beck- 
 oned to his brother, and the two followed the chair to the 
 house of Miriam. 
 
 They found the door guarded by a stout servant of 
 Alexander, and by bars still stouter. It appeared that 
 Antis had lately been there, demanded admittance, and, 
 on being refused, had become violent, tried to break open 
 the door, and finally had gone away threatening to return 
 shortly with authority and force that could not be resisted. 
 
 Aleph suggested that the sedan be brought within the 
 house. Should violence be used it might be well to add 
 the porters to the resisting force. 
 
THE ESCORT. 179 
 
 They found that Miriam liad been so agitated by the 
 attempt of her husband that she was unfit for the further 
 conversation that Aleph desired. But with so many 
 friends now about her she was in a restful state ; and 
 when Rachel proposed that, if it would not tire her too 
 much, Shaphan and his brother should give an account 
 of their visit to Palestine and Jesus, she declared that she 
 could well endure it. Indeed, it would strengthen her. 
 To hear of Jesus again would be as cool water to a thirsty 
 soul. 
 
 So Shaphan told again the story with which we are 
 already familiar — told it, however, with omission of the 
 part relating to Mains ; for Aleph had suggested that all 
 the servants, excepting the door-keeper, should be present 
 at the recital. *' This was a matter that concerned every- 
 body.^' 
 
 When Shaphan had finished, his brother Nathan 
 added substantially the following account : 
 
 After the departure of his brother, he had remained a 
 few days longer with Jesus, listening to his teaching and 
 seeing further examples of his wonderful power. Two of 
 these examples were specially impressive. 
 
 One day, as the night drew on, Jesus, who had been 
 teaching the people from a boat belonging to his disciples, 
 was overheard saying to them. Let tis go over to the other 
 side. Whereupon they put out into the lake and headed 
 for Gadara. Some of his hearers, of whom Nathan was 
 one, hating to part comjiany with him for even a short 
 time, immediately sprang into another boat and followed. 
 Soon the night shut down — one of the blackest nights 
 ever known. Jesus' boat could no lonc^er be seen. Sud- 
 denly the wind rose into a gale. It wrestled with the sea 
 
180 THE ESCORT. 
 
 like a iriant ; and the sea rose in its wrath and wrestled 
 back again with a mighty ontcry. For a moment they 
 wonld lie breathless in each other's arms ; and then, re- 
 viving, fling themselves madly at each other in mortal 
 duel. It was an awful scene. It seemed as if all the 
 demons were abroad. The waters which, when they em- 
 barked, were almost without discernible wrinkle, were now 
 furrowed into mighty chasms by the plow of the storm 
 king. Up went the little boat to heaven on the thunder- 
 ing billow ; down it went into a hell of Avaters as thun- 
 derous. The watery monsters shook their white manes 
 and lashed their black sides and leaped at and over their 
 prey with open jaws. They laughed to scorn oar and 
 rudder and seamanship. They shouted, and howled and 
 shrieked, and seemed to swear by the Eternal to the help- 
 less crew, ^' We have you now ; nothing can save you ; to- 
 morrow your corpses will be drifting silently about ; no, 
 nothing can save you, not even the mighty Christ." Such 
 blaspheming, frantic, frightful madhouse of the ele- 
 ments — who ever saw the like ! Not Nathan and his 
 companions. It seemed to them as if hell had emptied 
 itself on the sea of Galilee ; and that all the fiends, astride 
 of whirlwinds and crested billows, were fiercely battling 
 together for the privilege of drowning every living thing. 
 They struggled. They prayed. They were in despair. 
 Drenched, rudderless, oarless, they clung to the sides of 
 the fast filling boat in a paroxysm of horror and helpless- 
 ness. In a few moments all would be over. They com- 
 mended their souls to God. 
 
 What noise was that ? Off at their right, hidden in 
 the darkness, evidently was another crew of affrighted 
 and sinking men, crying out in their extremity. Can 
 
THE ESCORT. 181 
 
 they be Jesus and his disciples ? Are they too in the very 
 jaws of death ? Cannot he who has done such great 
 things manage to save his own, to save himself ? Or are 
 these rao-ing, howling elements a field to which his power 
 does not extend ? Such thoughts flashed through the 
 mind of Nathan even as he seemed on the point of being 
 swallowed up. But just then he distinctly heard (for the 
 boats had neared each other) a distressful voice which he 
 recognized as that of one of the disciples, exclaiming, 
 Lord, save us, we perish ! 
 
 '' Can he do it ? If so, why has he not interfered 
 before ? Why permit such a horrible fright to his 
 friends ? No, he cannot do it. Jesus has at last found his 
 master. There seems the exultation of conscious omnipo- 
 tence and universal mastery in the leapings and thunder- 
 ings of this hurricane-tossed sea ! " 
 
 Such thoughts rushed upon Nathan as fiercely as the 
 tempest itself— as if Satan himself were riding the storm 
 and dashing them into his face with the spray and foam. 
 Still he was all ear for what might follow that cry for 
 help. Clinging to the side of the boat with both hands, 
 he kept his face set toward where the other boat seemed 
 to be, and almost stilled his heart-beat as he listened. It 
 seemed as if his soul had gone to his ears, and was lean- 
 ing forth, as men sometimes do from a casement, to catch 
 the faintest word that might come from the Master in 
 answer to the despairing cry of his followers. And there 
 came— a faint ripple of speech, a shadow or ghost of artic- 
 ulate sound almost lost amid the deafening and majestic 
 outcries of the storm ? No. A wailing prayer for help 
 to One above the clouds? No. A quavering, hesitating 
 voice as of one doubtful of himself and of the issue ? No. 
 
182 THE ESCORT. 
 
 The voice that came was so clear, so penetrating, so dom- 
 inant among the wild noises of the storm, so full of calm 
 decision and unquestionable authority and sovereign 
 forces, that one felt sure in advance of what the result 
 would be. 
 
 Peace — be still ! 
 
 No sooner had these words gone forth on the wrestling, 
 roaring winds than they fell dead in full career. No sooner 
 had these words gone forth on the wrestling, roaring bil- 
 lows that went charging against the sky with their crested 
 battalions than they sank in their places as sinks the ox 
 when smitten on the forehead by the axe of some mighty 
 man. And there was a great calm. Hardly a ripple was 
 left in sea or air. What a sudden silence ! In an instant 
 the demons of the storm had not only taken flight, but 
 were already beyond hearing and sight. And, looking 
 up, Nathan and his companions saw that even the clouds 
 had wholly fled, and left the stars looking down on them 
 as peacefully as if nothing had happened, or ever would 
 happen again. And off, a little way, the starlight was 
 softly shimmering on a summer sea, on gently plashing 
 oars, on a boat and boatmen, and in the stern on the emi- 
 nent form of Him who had now shown himself King of 
 Nature as well as King of men. 
 
 Nathan and his companions reached the shore very 
 soon after Jesus. They had scarcely landed and joined 
 him when, from one of the cave-tombs that skirt the shore, 
 there rushed toward them a figure that seemed scarcely 
 human. He came as if driven by the tempest that had 
 just maddened the lake. He was himself a tempest of the 
 most frightful kind— as appeared when he drew near. He 
 was quite naked. His face and body were covered with 
 
THE ESCORT. 183 
 
 scars and filth and fresh blood. In his hands he carried 
 sharp stones, with which he beat and cut himself as he 
 shrieked and ran. His long hair streamed in the wind 
 and seemed like a cluster of flying serpents biting at his 
 brain. And when he came near — ah, what an expression 
 in those fiery eyes and tormented features ! It was as if 
 hell itself, with all its fiendishness and misery, had been 
 condensed into that aAvful face. Nathan had seen not a 
 few demoniacs before, but never such a specimen as this. 
 The very recollection made him shudder. The possibility 
 of such suffering and such wickedness as were pictured in 
 that face had never before entered his mind. 
 
 The man came directly toward Jesus with frantic leaps 
 and cries, as if to destroy him — as he seemed well able to 
 do ; such were the wonderful activity and strength he dis- 
 played. But Jesus, standing a little in advance of his 
 disciples, calmly awaited the coming. His face was an- 
 other wonder to see. It was sublime — it was divine. 
 Such unutterable calm, such boundless pity, such inex- 
 haustible resources of force and authority and sovereignty 
 spoke in every feature that Nathan could not but say to 
 himself, Lo, God is here. 
 
 The monster sank on his knees under the spell of that 
 divine gaze — uttering a fearful cry as of many voices 
 crushed into one. 
 
 " What is thy name ? " said Jesus. 
 
 And through the parted but unmoving lips of the 
 madman, and as if from deep within, came a mystery of 
 speech that said : 
 
 '^ My name is Legion, for we are many. What have 
 we to do with thee, thou Son of God most High ? Art 
 thou come hither to torment us before the time ? If 
 
184 THE ESCORT. 
 
 thou cast us out, suffer us to go into yonder herd of 
 swine/' 
 
 Jesus said, Go ! 
 
 Promptly at the word, the crowd of evil spirits that 
 had captured that body, bound its inhabitant, and seized 
 the reins of power, fled headlong. Nathan knew it from 
 the mighty change that at once flashed over the demoniac. 
 The monster became a man. The face just now terrible 
 with the lightnings of hellish passions, more terrible than 
 the storm on the Sea of Galilee or any other sea, suddenly 
 became a new face — transformed almost beyond recogni- 
 tion into repose, sanity, sweetness, joy. Nathan was 
 astonished at the transfiguration. He could not help 
 crying out. Glory to God! and his heart cried louder 
 than his lips. He had seen dispossessions before ; and 
 they were delightful things to see. But he had never 
 before seen a man delivered from an entire synagogue of 
 devils, from the Nemesis of a whole army of evil spirits. 
 That was a deliverance past speech. That was an exodus 
 to bring out the sun in the face of a man. 
 
 The man was saved, but the swine were lost. For the 
 whole herd of about two thousand, just now stolidly feed- 
 ing along the steep bank, pricked up their ears, stood 
 snuffing the air, and then, as if possessed by as many 
 whirlwinds, rushed headlong down the steep into the lake 
 and perished. The disciples understood the judgment as 
 well as the mercy. Those swine, kept contrary to the 
 law, and serving as a standing defiance of the law 
 through all that region, were felt to have been justly con- 
 fiscated. But the owners were naturally sore at the loss 
 of their property, and others were afraid of like losses ; 
 and so they persuaded the people of the district to go in 
 
THE ESCORT. 185 
 
 a body to Jesus and beg him to leave. The people did 
 it — though they saw the man who had been the terror of 
 the whole country-side sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed 
 and in his right mind. Strange infatuation ! The peo- 
 ple themselves were possessed. The evil spirits that had 
 forsaken the man, and forsaken the swine, had entered 
 into them. — as a legion of fools. Jesus did not refuse their 
 suicidal request. So the two boats immediately returned 
 to Capernaum. 
 
 This ended Nathan's visit to Jesus. He left the same 
 day for Egypt — left with stronger faith than ever in Jesus 
 as the Messiah. The absence of all the usual magical 
 preparations for his wonders, the exceeding magnitude 
 and variety of them, the magnificent ease with which 
 they were performed, the fearless manner in which they 
 were exposed to the blaze of public observation, the uni- 
 versal consent to their reality on the part of even his worst 
 enemies, the plain antagonism of his whole teaching to 
 the idea that they were of Satanic origin, together with 
 the sovereign and divine expression that reigned in his 
 mien while doing them, seemed conclusive. It seemed 
 impossible for any fair-minded man to look into that face 
 and watch its expressions without getting the impression 
 of unutterable genuineness and goodness. He could doubt 
 neither the reality nor the divine origin of the miracles of 
 Jesus. 
 
 But, somehow, the people at large were not impressed 
 as he was. They were getting used to the wonderful 
 works. And the leaders of the peojile were industriously 
 encouraging the idea of a Satanic agency in them — and 
 with growing success. About the Sea of Galilee, where 
 most of his mighty works are done, Jesus has very few 
 
186 THE ESCORT. 
 
 who believe in him. He does not conform to the current 
 notion of what the Messiah sliould be. He gives no en- 
 couragement to 2)olitical unrest ; he makes no attempt to 
 form a political party, collects no military stores, gathers 
 no army, assumes no state. He seems to aim at no worldly 
 grandeur for himself or nation. He has even been under- 
 stood to say that rejection and suffering and even death 
 await him — that, in short, his kingdom is not of this 
 world. This is very unsatisfactory to the people at large. 
 If he would only proclaim a temporal kingdom, set up the 
 standard of revolt against Rome, and summon the people 
 to rally about it, no doubt they would rush to him at 
 once. But as it is, they will go from him. So it seemed 
 to Nathan as he watched the people ; and so it seemed to 
 him it would be as he read the prophets. The more he 
 studied them the more inclined was he to think that they 
 had been misunderstood. 
 
 "I think very much as you do," said Aleph, '^and 
 shall not be at all surprised if Jesus the Messiah should 
 prove a Sacrifice as well as a king. King he certainly is 
 — king of devils, king of diseases, king of the elements, 
 king of teachers " 
 
 Here he was interrupted by the door-keeper, who came 
 to say that through the eyelet of the door he could see 
 Antis approaching with what seemed a police force. 
 
 '^ Oh, do not let him enter," exclaimed Miriam in great 
 distress ; ^^ if he enters I shall die. You do not know all 
 I know." And she raised herself in the bed and wrung 
 her hands in an agony of apprehension. 
 
 ^' Do not disturb yourself," said Aleph calmly. 
 '* Though we do not know all, we know enough. But 
 Jesus knew it all, and you have his promise. Trust it and 
 
THE ESCORT. 187 
 
 reserve such strength as you have till it is needed. We 
 will not desert you."" 
 
 A violent blow on the street-door was now heard. 
 
 "I will go to the door," said Aleph, ''and if I need 
 any help you will discover it, as I will leave the passage 
 open so that you can hear what is passing." 
 
 Taking his cane, he proceeded to the door ; and, bid- 
 ding the door-keeper undo the fastenings, he suddenly set 
 the door widely open and stood in its place. 
 
 This was unexpected. Antis was just in the act of re- 
 peating his blow on the door, but suddenly finding him- 
 self confronted by a formidable looking man instead of a 
 door, he stepped hastily backward. 
 
 ''What do you seek," demanded Aleph, fixing on the 
 man a stern eye, " that you knock in so unbecoming a 
 manner ? " 
 
 " I seek the possession of my own house," said the fel- 
 low sullenly. 
 
 "Are you the owner of this house ? I think you will 
 hardly venture to claim that." 
 
 " I claim that I have purchased the right of an owner, 
 so far as occupying this house is concerned, for one month, 
 and that it is the will of the owner that I have possession 
 at once." 
 
 " Show me that such is the will of the owner. '^ 
 
 Antis produced a paper and handed it to Aleph. 
 
 After reading it, Aleph said, " It seems that this house 
 belongs to Mains, and that he wishes it transferred to you, 
 and that he has sent this police force which I see behind 
 you to enforce his wishes, if necessary. — Are you the cap- 
 tain of this force ? " he added, looking at a man who stood 
 a few steps behind Antis. 
 
188 THE ESCORT. 
 
 " I am/' he said. 
 
 *'In ordinary cases/" said Alei")li slowly, as he surveyed 
 the man — ^'in ordinary cases we should be warranted in 
 putting you in immediate possession ; but this case is ex- 
 traordinary — so extraordinary that we have a right to pre- 
 sume that neither Mains nor the chief of the police under- 
 stood the circumstances when they gave the order just 
 shown me."' 
 
 ^'We have no discretion/' said the captain. "We are 
 sent here to put this man in possession, not to judge of 
 the righteousness of it." 
 
 ^' Do you mean to say that if you should see reason to 
 believe that your force of some six men is quite insuffi- 
 cient to accomplish your object, you would not be at lib- 
 erty to return to your superiors for further instructions? 
 Are you not expected to use discretion in judging whether 
 such is the case ? " 
 
 " Certainly : but such does not appear to be the pres- 
 ent case/" said the officer with a chuckle. 
 
 AVithout noticing the manner of the man, Alepli went 
 on, " Do you mean to say that if you should see grave 
 reason to fear that this man in whose behalf you are in- 
 terfering would use the house to waylay and murder Mains 
 and your chief, you would not be warranted in at least 
 returning for further instructions ? "" 
 
 ''Well — in such a case as you suppose, I should of 
 course return : but this is not such a case, nor anything 
 like it,'" said the man doggedly. 
 
 " Very considerably like it : for I shall show you grave 
 reason to fear that this man"" (he pointed his finger at 
 Antis) ''is capable of doing all that and worse — that he 
 is a desperado of the worst sort, and— 
 
 }) 
 
THE ESCORT. 189 
 
 Here Antis broke in, screaming out, It is false ! It 
 IS false ! ^' 
 
 Aleph fixed on him eyes that blazed calmly into his 
 for a moment, and then said sternly, ^' You know it is 
 true, you ruffian. It is written in your face for everybody 
 to see. And everybody sees it. If you want to be taken 
 for anything less than a desperado, wear a mask over your 
 tell-tale face. So do not interrupt me again ; '' and he 
 gave him another look so full of insight and authority 
 and menace, and at the same time of a certain pitying 
 wonder (as the man who walks easily finds it hard to 
 realize that anybody else is lame, so the good man finds it 
 hard to understand how anybody can be a villain), that he 
 dropped his eyes, grew pale and red by turns, and made 
 no further attempt to speak. 
 
 Aleph resumed, turning again to the captain : ^^ I was 
 saying that I would show you grave reason for thinking 
 this man a desperado of the worst kind ; that he is a 
 robber and murderer by j^rofession ; that if put in posses- 
 sion of this house he will make it a den of thieves and 
 murderers. He is strongly suspected of designs on the 
 life of his sick wife, who for some days has been in a crit- 
 ical condition, and whom he has long abused. It is for 
 such reasons that her friends have excluded him from the 
 house. Do you suppose that your principals, if responsi- 
 bly informed of these facts, would persist in wishing you 
 to hand over these premises and the sick woman to such 
 a man ? " 
 
 " I admit," answered the officer, ''that if you can show 
 that he is such a dangerous character, and that putting 
 him in possession will endanger the public as well as the 
 sick woman, or even can show that this is so in the opin- 
 
190 THE ESCORT. 
 
 ion of responsible parties, I ought to return and report 
 tlie fact to mj superiors. Who are the persons who make 
 these charges ? '' 
 
 ''His wife, supported by Seti, the Egyptian high- 
 priest, the lady Rachel, daughter of the Alabarch, and 
 myself, a member of the University. 
 
 The captain had for some time appeared uneasy. He 
 now folded his arms, shifted repeatedly from one foot to 
 another, fumbled aimlessly with the short sword at his 
 side. Aleph watched him narrowly ; and at length said 
 with a grave irony of tone : 
 
 " Perhaps you do not consider Seti and the Alabarch 
 as responsible parties ! " 
 
 But immediately changing his tone and raising his 
 voice, he added, ''I call to witness both those before me 
 in the street and those behind me in the house '^ (half 
 turning as he spoke, he became aware that he had already 
 been followed into the passage by all his friends), '' that I 
 have repeatedly informed this officer that this house has 
 been occupied by parties whose responsibility it were ab- 
 surd to question, for the sole purpose of preventing its be- 
 coming a danger to life and a public nuisance, and that if 
 he puts it into the possession of this man he will, in their 
 opinion, imperil the lives and property of the people of 
 Alexandria. I wish you all to distinctly notice this. Take 
 notice, also, that we do not propose to resist the law — 
 only to retain possession till the law can be properly in- 
 formed of facts that were unknown to it at the time its 
 order was given. And so our very moderate request is 
 that this officer return to headquarters, report what he 
 has heard, and ask for new instructions. If the officials 
 then repeat their order, it will be with full knowledge of 
 
THE ESCORT. 191 
 
 the responsibility they are incurring, and they can prop- 
 erly be held to account for all the consequences : and this 
 must be a very serious account unless the laws and public 
 opinion of Alexandria differ very considerably from those 
 of Heaven/^ 
 
 '^ It is he of the Diapleuston ! '^ cried a voice from the 
 street. " Give him a cheer ! " 
 
 And a great cheer there was ; for though the street 
 was a retired one, quite a body of spectators had gathered 
 one by one behind the police and were watching the con- 
 ference with lively interest. They now showed audibly 
 on which side their partialities had settled. That cry. It 
 is he of the Diapleuston, opened their mouths, and opened 
 them widely. But, long before they had chosen their side, 
 Antis made a very sorry ajDpearance over against Ale^^h ; 
 and as the citizens watched the lofty composure of the 
 young man and his princely bearing, and caught a glimpse 
 of Shaphan and Nathan and the womanly star in the back- 
 ground, they thought the house was well occupied as it 
 was. And they proceeded to say so. They became very 
 free in expressing their minds. 
 
 One cried out scornfully, ^' Turning out such to put 
 in such ! '' 
 
 " Go away ! " cried a second, as he shook his fist ener- 
 getically at the police. 
 
 " Off with you ! " shouted a third, with both hands in 
 the air, and with the air of one driving away a flock of 
 geese. 
 
 ^'Go ! " screamed a fourth, '^and you may confiden- 
 tially tell those who sent you that you were not mean 
 enough, as well as not strong enough, to do the work set 
 you ! " 
 
192 THE ESCORT. 
 
 And so the cries went on in a very amusing (to the 
 citizens) and significant variety — went on growing in 
 strength and urgency. 
 
 The captain phiinly saw that but one course was open 
 to him. He must make a virtue of necessity, and with- 
 draw for the present with as good grace as he could. So 
 he said that perhajis it would be well for him to report at 
 headquarters what had been told him, and see what his 
 principals thought of it. Of course, they did not intend 
 to establish a den of thieves and murderers. So off he 
 marched with his detachment — Antis closely following 
 with a face in which fear and mortification and rage were 
 contending for the mastery, and greeted as he passed with 
 many a See the hangdog and other like complimentary 
 exj^ressions. 
 
 Aleph bowed to the friendly citizens with a smile, got 
 another hearty cheer in return, and closed the door. 
 
 Shaphan and Nathan were warm in their congratula- 
 tions. As for Rachel — her eyes were more lustrous than 
 ever, and a richer color was in her cheek, but she said 
 nothing. She did not even look at him. 
 
 The two brothers, however, were by no means sure 
 that Mains would give over his effort. It was not his 
 way. He made it a point to carry his point on all occa- 
 sions. To be sure, the case as Aleph had presented it 
 seemed wholly true and reasonable ; it even seemed unsafe 
 to Mains personally to proceed ; but then he was a man 
 of mauy resources, had grown venturesome by the habit 
 of success. So they were afraid that it was only a brief 
 respite that had been obtained. 
 
 Aleph was inclined to the same view. He had little 
 doubt but that Malus would recognize his antagonist, and 
 
THE ESCORT. 193 
 
 would find ill tlio fact additional motive to persevere. So 
 he expressed his regret that it was not possible to remove 
 Miriam at once to some other house. 
 
 This brought back Rachel from her abstraction. She 
 went at once to the bedside of Miriam, who clasped her 
 hands and looked up piteonsly into the loving eyes that 
 beamed inquiringly upon her. 
 
 " Do you think that you could bear to be carried^ home 
 now ? '' they asked. 
 
 ^^ Right away! right away!" broke out the poor 
 woman with unexpected strength of voice. ^^ It is better 
 to die on the way than to stay here. I should die of fear. 
 Let him not leave me " — and she turned her eyes beseech- 
 ingly toward Aleph. 
 
 He approached, took her hand gently, and said a few 
 soothing words while he watched her. She grew quiet 
 and peaceful as her eyes rested on his face. 
 
 ^'It seems to me," he at length said, ^Hhat she can 
 better go than stay. She can summon resolution for the 
 one, but not for the other. The effort may even reinforce 
 her vitality." 
 
 ^' Then let it be done," said Rachel. " My sedan is 
 large, and I can take her in my arms, and ease all the 
 motions, and the bearers will move very carefully. Shall 
 we do it ? " — she bent to the ear of the sick woman. 
 
 Miriam looked at her gratefully, and said with some 
 hesitation : 
 
 ^af /^e will go." 
 
 '' Certainly he will go," cried Rachel, ^'and will walk 
 by the side of the chair, and will steady it with his hand, 
 and will every now and then look in upon us through the 
 curtains to see that we are all right j and when we reach 
 
194 THE ESCORT. 
 
 lionie he will tiike you out all carefully and tenderly and 
 carry you in his strong arms up to your own room and lay 
 you on your own bed — of course he will. He shall not 
 have my approbation for what he has done to-day till he 
 sees us both safe at home" — and the great dewy eyes 
 flashed half merrily and half timidly on Aleph. 
 
 Aleph bowed. ^'The approbation of the lady Rachel 
 is very far from being a matter of indifference to me. So 
 I will do as she says. We will all go — our friends of the 
 khans, the leech, and all the servants, save the janitor, 
 who on demand shall put Mains in possession. Do you 
 approve ? " — he had turned toward Shaphan and his 
 brother. 
 
 '^'^ We do," said Shaphan, ^^but before we go into the 
 street, I wish to mention a fact which perhaps may con- 
 cern you. We saw Mains to-day in close talk with Simon, 
 the famous magician ; and later in the day, on going to 
 your khan, we found that Simon and the beautiful 
 Helena, whom he sometimes calls his daughter and some- 
 times his sister, had established themselves there and had 
 placarded the neighborhood with invitations to the i:>ublic 
 to come and witness his wonderful performances at a 
 stater a head. For as much more fee he promises to put 
 the resources of his a^rt at the service of any visitor ; 
 whether he wishes to have his fortune told, or to consult 
 spirits, or to prosper in love, or in war, or in money-get- 
 ting." 
 
 "Have I not heard,'' said Rachel anxiously, '^Hhat 
 this magician is an agent of Mains and is suspected of 
 aiding him in his undertakings by the magical art ? " 
 
 ^'As much is said," answered the Jew. ^'The two 
 men are cousins, though not often seen together. It is 
 
THE ESCORT. 195 
 
 supposed, however, by some that there is much secret 
 intercourse between them, and that the great success of 
 Mains in his affairs is largely due to his being in league 
 with evil spirits. This, of course, he stoutly denies. He 
 laughs at the idea. At the same time he sj^eaks highly 
 of his cousin, the sorcerer, and does not a little to give 
 him patronage. '"' 
 
 ''And yet,'^ said Aleph, "the Law is severe against 
 sorcerers. '^ 
 
 " But Mains denies that Simon is a sorcerer in the 
 sense used in our Scriptures. He does not deal with evil 
 spirits. He is only a man of great skill and learning, 
 who has studied nature j^rofoundly and so found out 
 many scientific means of doing many wonderful things, 
 and even of subjecting the elemental spirits that inhabit 
 water and fire and lightnings and stars to his will and the 
 public service. His spirits are not devils. His sorcery is 
 only science. And God forbid that the Law should de- 
 nounce science. So Mains presents the case. The two 
 men certainly uphold each other and play into each other's 
 hands. I wonder what mischief they are brewing now 
 between them ! " 
 
 '^I thank you for this information," said Aleph. "It 
 may prove of service to me. But now let us proceed to 
 the work before us." 
 
 Under the direction of Rachel, the servants in a few 
 moments collected the various articles of furniture and 
 comfort that had been sent from the mansion of Alexan- 
 der. She then placed herself in the sedan : and, the 
 nurse having wrapped Miriam in the bed-coverings, Aleph 
 carefully took the light burden in his arms and placed it 
 in the arms of Rachel. As carefully the porters lifted the 
 
196 THE ESCORT. 
 
 chair and made their way into the street — preceded by the 
 two brothers, accom2:>anied by Aleph, and followed by the 
 remaining servants. In a few moments the house was in 
 the solitary charge of the janitor, with instructions to wait 
 a while and, if no one should appear, to lock the door and 
 carry the key to the police headquarters for the district. 
 
 The escort stopped at the priVate family entrance. 
 Here the two brothers took leave ; and Aleph, receiving 
 the sick woman into his arms, followed Eachel into the 
 mansion, along halls and courts and flights of steps, to 
 the room the nurse had formerly occupied. When he had 
 laid his light burden on the bed and had satisfied himself 
 that she had borne the transfer without serious harm, 
 though much wearied and needing to be left in profound 
 quiet, he turned to depart. 
 
 The sick woman beckoned feebly to Rachel— more 
 with her eye than with her hand. The young lady drew 
 near and bent to listen to the faint whispers. 
 
 " She wishes me to thank you for what you have done 
 for her," said the maiden after a moment, ''and to beg 
 that you will not forsake her now that she is safe among 
 friends." 
 
 Alei^h looked inquiringly at the lovely interpreter— 
 not knowing exactly how to interpret the interpreta- 
 tion. 
 
 She suddenly turned to Miriam. " Of course he will 
 not forsake you. He is coming here often to see you— to 
 see how you get on. No good physician neglects liis pa- 
 tient till she is well ; and not even then if he is wise. Be- 
 sides, he wants to talk more with you about Jesus the 
 Messiah as soon as you arc able to bear it. Yes, of course 
 he is coming, coming often, coming to-morrow. He win 
 
THE ESCORT. 197 
 
 suffer in our good opinion if lie does not. So now close 
 your eyes and rest in peace." 
 
 Instead of doing this, Miriam burst into a flood of 
 tears and nervous sobbing. Up to this time she could 
 not fully realize that the dreadful nightmare of her life 
 was over. But now that she found herself in her own 
 room, and looking about on the familiar objects, and rec- 
 ognizing one thing after another that she used to call hers, 
 and saw only kind faces beaming upon her — all at once a 
 sense of absolute safety came surging in upon her like a 
 mighty billow. Ah, what a relief — Heaven in place of 
 Hell ! Then all the flood-gates of feeling gave way. It 
 was some time before she could control herself enough to 
 articulate. But at last the words came — though very 
 faintly : 
 
 ''Home at last ! Thank God, who has fulfilled the 
 words of Jesus and sent me the deliverer whom he prom- 
 ised ! " 
 
 The great sea went down as suddenly as it had risen. 
 In a few moments the exhausted woman closed her eyes 
 and was sleeping peacefully. 
 
 Aleph and Rachel stood together for a little, watching 
 the peaceful slumber. 
 
 '' The experiment seems more successful than I feared," 
 said Aleph at length ; ''I am glad that we made it." 
 
 Her voice trembled a little, and her color came, as she 
 said, without turning toward him and w^ith downcast eyes, 
 " And he to whom the success is due, and who is doubt- 
 less the friend whom Jesus promised to Miriam, has now 
 the express and warm approbation that I promised him, 
 and which I have found it hard to keep back till now." 
 
 Aleph answered, '^ Your compensation is large — I fear 
 
198 THE ESCORT. 
 
 much too large for doing what to me has been a pleasure 
 and an education. And yet I cannot decline to accept an 
 approval which my heart values so highly." 
 
 In parting he extended his hand. She placed her own 
 within it. He carried the snowy prisoner in grave and 
 reverent courtesy to his lips. Was she offended ? 
 
IX. 
 
 THE MAGICIAN. 
 
 Stt* Tcic u<pavei^ KadiaravTai, fiavTiKTJv re koL xPV^f^ovg '^^^ Toiavra. 
 
 Thucydides, v. 103. 
 They have recourse to the invisible realm — to necromancy, and 
 fortune-telling, and such things. 
 
1. Thie greatest show on earth. 
 
 2. Simon IMagus at his best. 
 
 3. Also at his worst. 
 
 4. Avatint, Sathanas! 
 
IX. 
 
 THE MAGICIAN. 
 
 ON" his return to the khan, as Aleph entered the 
 Egyptian quarter, he began to notice the papyrus 
 placards of which Shaphan had spoken; and, as he ad- 
 vanced, they became numerous — pasted on walls, booths, 
 boxes, whatever conspicuous object presented itself. 
 Had the art of printing been known to Simon, he plainly 
 would have been a famous advertiser As it was, he had 
 made a very liberal use of the scribes of the city. Aleph 
 stopped to read one immense sheet, beautifully written 
 on, which a boy was carrying aloft on a pole. This sheet 
 informed the public that Simon, the greatest magician 
 and master of occult wisdom in modern times, would ex- 
 hibit his wonderful powers this eve at the khan near the 
 Serapeum at the rate of two drachmas a head. The price 
 for admission had been put so low in order that the en- 
 tertainment might be within reach of all. Let all come. 
 They would see the greatest show on earth. Whatever 
 the wizards of Thessaly, the astrologers of Chaldea, the 
 sybils of Magna Grecia, the soothsayers and diviners of 
 Etruria, and the sorcerers and necromancers of ancient 
 Egypt and India could do, he was able to do — and more. 
 Let all the peojile come and see. For an extra didrachma 
 
202 THE MAGICIAN. 
 
 there would be seats reserved. Seats or no seats, the peo- 
 ple were sure to get more than their money's worth. If any 
 wanted their fortunes told by the stars ; if they wanted 
 to know the critical times in their lives so that they 
 might be on their guard ; if they wanted to know what 
 would be the best times for any undertakings they have 
 in mind, or to have such helps in them as the elemental 
 spirits can give, or to compound love potions, or to com- 
 municate with distant and even dead friends, or to defend 
 themselves from enemies — in short, whoever wanted help 
 of any kind that he could not get by the common and 
 natural means, now was the opportunity of a life-time ; 
 let him come to Simon, the great magician of the age. 
 He will not be disappointed. Admission to the court of 
 the khan one didrachma — seats under the piazza two di- 
 drachmas. 
 
 Cimon was found waiting just outside the khan; 
 from the inside of which came the sound of busy axes 
 and hammers. He proposed that they should go for their 
 evening meal to some quiet stall in the neighboring 
 Egyptian market and there talk over their concerns. Ac- 
 cordingly, they were soon established in a nook by them- 
 selves, and Aleph proceeded to relate his experiences dur- 
 ing the day thus far. 
 
 In return, Cimon said that the object of Seti in call- 
 ing him aside was to ask whether he had as yet seen any 
 sign of a hostile movement on the part of the son of the 
 Governor; also whether he knew of any reason why 
 Mains would favor such a movement. The first question 
 he answered in the negative: as to the second, he was 
 obliged to say that there were circumstances that made 
 it likely that Mains would favor any scheme to their dis- 
 
THE MAGICIAN. 203 
 
 advantage of which he might happen to learn. On this, 
 Seti said that, knowing well as he did the violent and re- 
 vengeful character of the young Roman, he had thought 
 it best to have his movements watched ; and had discov- 
 ered that, since the disturbance at the Diaplenston, and 
 especially within the last twenty-four hours, there had 
 been considerable stealthy intercourse between him and 
 Mains. It looked very much as if they were concerting 
 mischief. After what Cimon had told him he had no 
 doubt as to the objects of the mischief. Might he ask 
 whether the circumstances referred to were such as to en- 
 list Mains thoroughly in any enterprise, however bad, 
 against himself and his young friend? To this Cimon 
 had answered that the circumstances were indeed such 
 that their entire disappearance from the scene would free 
 Mains from a great peril. 
 
 "Then," said Seti emphatically, "he will join the 
 Roman in trying to do you all the mischief he can. He 
 will have no scruple as to way or means." 
 
 After Aleph and Rachel had left, Seti had still de- 
 tained him for a while with various examples of the un- 
 scrupulous craft and daring of the man — so plainly for 
 the purpose of putting them on their guard against him 
 that he was almost on the point of explaining their rela- 
 tions to Mains in full; especially after Seti had con- 
 cluded with asking that for the sake of greater security 
 they would exchange their present quarters for rooms in 
 the Serapeum. " It was an unusual thing to do, not to 
 say unprecedented; but the circumstances were un- 
 usual." So he begged that they would transfer them- 
 selves without delay. But Cimon thought that he ought 
 to confer with Aleph about the matter before accepting 
 
204 THE MAOICIAK. 
 
 the offer. So, thanking the priest for it, and promising 
 to report the next day, he took leave. 
 
 " AVould it not have been well," said Aleph, *'to 
 leave in the hands of the high-priest that parcel which 1 
 saw you making up last evening of the results of your in- 
 quiries as to Mains — I mean for safe keeping?" 
 
 *'That is what I did," replied the Greek; "going 
 back for that purpose after I had made another visit and 
 added to the parcel some account of that." 
 
 He then proceeded to say that, finding it still so early 
 that he might hope to find the custom house superintend- 
 ent at his post, he determined to call upon him and as- 
 certain the result of the inquiry he had promised to 
 make. This he did. The oflficial reported that the emi- 
 nent merchant Mains had entered the office shortly after 
 Cimon had left it, and, on hearing of the reqnest to ex- 
 amine the registers, had kindly offered to solicit a permit 
 from the Governor. It would be very little trouble, as he 
 was about going to Bruchium on business of his own. 
 But he proved unsuccessful. Despite his efforts, the 
 most he could obtain was a permit for himself to make 
 the examination in behalf of the stranger ; and then only 
 in case the person should approve himself to him as a 
 person of standing and consideration. Of course this 
 ended the matter. Cimon bowed and retired. 
 
 He was not disappointed. From the moment when 
 he met Mains in the passage he had not counted on any 
 other issue; though without any idea of the ingenious 
 way in which it would be brought about. 
 
 '* How much will this failure be likely to embarrass 
 our cause?" inquired Aleph. 
 
 *' It makes it impos.^ible for us to charge Mains with a 
 
THE MAGICIAN. 205 
 
 crime against the State ; that is, tlie crime of smuggling, 
 or of colhision with some custom house officials to de- 
 fraud the government/' 
 
 " I understand. You have certified copies of the re- 
 ceipts at Myos Hermos ; also certified copies of the re- 
 ceipts given for the same goods by Malus as harbor-mas- 
 ter here ; so that you know that Malus has received all 
 the goods sent. If any of these do not appear on the 
 registers here, it must be because he has brought them 
 into the city without passing them through the custom 
 house, or, if through the custom house, is in conspiracy 
 with some of its officials to defraud the State — a crime 
 more likely to get prompt attention than one that is 
 merely against an individual — and a foreigner." 
 
 " Exactly. Still our case, as it now stands, would 
 naturally compel a formal examination of the registers : 
 for we can prove that Malus has received everything up 
 to the gates of the custom house. Beyond the gates he 
 declares himself to have received much less — that is, 
 much has been lost in passing through the custom house. 
 This is really charging its officials with crime. Such a 
 charge, it would seem, must compel an examination of 
 the registers. Still I would have been glad to set the of- 
 fense against the State in the foreground of the battle." 
 
 *'Then," said Aleph, "supposing the registry ac- 
 counts to agree with ours, Malus would be liable to re- 
 fund the value of the missing goods according to the 
 prices ruling at the times they were received, and to add 
 to this a considerable sum on nearly every one of the 
 many other lots consigned to him for thirty years on ac- 
 count of false statements as to the duties imposed and 
 the prices current — in regard to both of which you have 
 
206 THE MAGICIAN. 
 
 gained sufficient information. Have you estimated what 
 the whole indebtedness amounts to?" 
 
 *'Not closely; but it must amount to an immense 
 sum. And then, if Malus should incidentally be con- 
 victed of smuggling, half of the large sum forfeited by 
 the Koman law would fall to the party establishing the 
 fact. If the courts are equitable our success means the 
 ruin of Malus (or what he would consider such) — esjie- 
 cially as it would bring upon him the claims of many 
 other persons whom he has wronged, but who hitherto 
 have been afraid to contend with him. Of course a man 
 with so much at stake must be expected to make great 
 efforts to secure himself ; and such a man as Malus will 
 stop at nothing, however criminal, that promises to help 
 him. By this time, no doubt, he is wide awake." 
 
 " Do you suppose,^' inquired Aleph after a moment's 
 silence, *'that the exhibition this evening is inspired by 
 him and covers some designs against us?'' 
 
 "I fear so," said Cimon, moving uneasily, "though 
 I do not see clearly how it can be made to serve his pur- 
 pose. I would that we and our belongings were well in 
 the Serapeum. But it is now too late in the day to 
 make a change : all that we can do is to be wary while re< 
 maining for the night at the khan." 
 
 " I should have some scruples about being present at 
 a professedly magical exhibition if it were not practically 
 involuntary. But, since we have no choice in the mat- 
 ter, we may at least get the advantage of noticing the 
 contrast between the miracles of Jesus as they have been 
 reported to us and the marvels of the most famous magi- 
 cian of our time — for such I understattd he is consid- 
 ered." - r ; 
 
THE MAGICIAN. 207 
 
 *' Try to imagine some advantage to his cousin Mains 
 in this movement/' suggested Cimon. 
 
 *' Is it not supposable that Mains is very superstitions 
 (as I believe such men are apt to be) and has great confi- 
 dence in the magic art, and hopes to weave about us 
 some hindering if not destructive spell, enlisting against 
 us demoniacal forces? Perhaps, too, he proposes to 
 frighten us from our purpose by astrological and other 
 predictions of impending evil : also will seek to enlarge 
 his knowledge of us by asking for the facts needed for 
 constructing a horoscope/^ 
 
 "That will do very well for a guess," said Cimon. 
 "And since we are guessing I will make a small contri- 
 bution. Perhaps the darkness which is sure to accom- 
 pany the exhibition at some stage will be used for an at- 
 tack on us bodily. This can be imputed to spirits. If I 
 should see among the spectators any persons with villain- 
 ous and cut-throat faces, I should feel called on to be on 
 
 the watch." 
 
 During this conversation their simple meal had been 
 brought and dispatched (not without an audible thanks- 
 giving) ; and Cimon now proposed that they should at 
 once return to the khan and acquaint themselves with 
 their new surroundings somewhat in advance of the even- 
 ing's performance. 
 
 The sun was about setting, and many people were al- 
 ready collected about the gate, reading the large poster 
 that hung upon it and comparing views and expectations, 
 when our friends came up. They were at once admitted 
 as being guests of the establishment. 
 
 They found a platform erected in the middle of the 
 court, and closely drawn about by curtains on which 
 
208 THE MAGICIAN. 
 
 were various cabalistic characters. From within issued a 
 smoke, an odor as of strange drugs, a hissing sound as of 
 boiling, faint flashes of light, and various sounds as of 
 people moving about and arranging. Around the stage, 
 at a small distance, hurdles had been set up— also about 
 the piazza. The only break in these two lines of hur- 
 dles was opposite the room which Cimon and Aleph oc- 
 cupied. Here were two gates giving access from the 
 stage to the piazza by means of a flight of steps from the 
 
 former. 
 
 '' AVhat does this mean?" thought our two friends. 
 
 " Did it liayi^en so? " 
 
 In passing to their room along the piazza they found 
 benches, each of which could seat four persons, standing 
 before each room, but set forward so as to allow free pas- 
 sage behind them. Before their own door, however, 
 stood only a single short bench seating only two persons. 
 Eight before this seat, under the eaves of the piazza, 
 hung a single lighted lamp— the only lamp visible any- 
 where. 
 
 "And what does all this mean? " thought our friends. 
 " Does it mean honor to us as the guests of the house or 
 to make us easier marks for the archer? '^ 
 
 Without stopping to answer such questions they un- 
 locked their door; and, entering, held their usual even- 
 ing devotions with no appearance of distraction or hurry. 
 When they came out, staff in hand, and took seats on the 
 bench before the door, they found that the shadows had 
 considerably deepened, and the signs of activity within 
 the curtained stage had considerably increased. As yet 
 no spectators had been admitted. 
 
 Soon, however, people began to enter the court: 
 
THE MAGICIAN. 209 
 
 then, after a while, the piazza began to be occupied. 
 Our friends watched narrowly every successive arrival as 
 long as the deepening shadows allowed ; but it soon be- 
 came impossible to form any idea of faces and figures. 
 But they Avere very many — so many at last that there 
 seemed to be no more standing room in the court, nor 
 sitting room under the piazza. The seats nearest them, 
 on the right and left, somehow came to be occupied last, 
 and though Aleph bent specially on them his young 
 searching eyes, the light had become too dim to be of ser- 
 vice. He then noticed for the first time that the lamp 
 before him had protruding sides that fended off the rays 
 to the right and left. Himself and companion would 
 have the sole benefit of the illumination. Would it be a 
 benefit ? 
 
 A bell tinkled. Up went the stage curtains. In the 
 midst of a blaze of light stood a man of unusual stature. 
 His beard was long and black, and long black locks hung 
 below the close-fitting black cap. A long black mantle 
 covered with geometrical and other figures hung grace- 
 fully from his shoulders. Supreme confidence in his 
 own powers and position breathed in his whole attitude 
 and expression. His air was that of an acknowledged 
 sage. He stood motionless for a few moments as if to al- 
 low the people a full opportunity to see what a dignified 
 and promising person was before them. He then turned 
 quietly and took a cool survey of the packed court and of 
 the piazza beyond as if to acquaint himself with the sit- 
 uation—to see how many persons and what sort of per- 
 sons made up his audience. His survey ended with his 
 confronting Cimon and Aleph for a moment. 
 
 A little back of this remarkable figure stood another 
 
210 THE MAGICIAN. 
 
 scarcely less noticeable— a beautiful woman richly, 
 though sctantily, dressed, in the Greek fashion. Behind 
 her, at the two corners of the platform, stood two Nu- . 
 bians, bla-ck as midnight, who could scarcely be said to 
 be dressed at all. Between these latter stood a table on 
 which was a seething cauldron over a brazier of live coals 
 —also a large shallow dish. Two stools and a number of 
 tools were under the table. 
 
 Simon turned and bowed low to Helena— for that Avas 
 the Aspasia-like woman near him. Then, turning to the 
 
 people : 
 
 " I always make it a point,'' said he, '' to begin with 
 acknowledging my obligations to my sister, to whom I am 
 indebted for much of my success." 
 
 He then added, " I wish it to be distinctly understood 
 at the outset that a part of what I shall do this evening 
 is only skillful illusion ; another part will be done simply 
 by means of my acquaintance with the more mysterious 
 laws and forces of Nature ; a third part will be done by 
 the help of powerful spirits Avhom I have subjected, to a 
 certain extent, by my art, but who do not belong to that 
 class of spirits with whom intercourse is forbidden." 
 
 He at once began to draw a ribbon from his mouth. 
 He drew and drew — apparently there was no end to the 
 stock of ribbons within him. At last, with a gesture of 
 impatience, he broke off the endless thing at his lips, 
 and gulped down the remainder. He then went to the 
 brazier of glowing coals and proceeded to eat them as so 
 much fruit — to eat with excellent appetite. 
 
 Suddenly turning from this feast, he took up the 
 large dish on the table and poured out from it a quantity 
 of sand on the platform. He completely reversed the 
 
THE MAGICIAN. 211 
 
 dish and shook it. He then rephiced the sand, inserted 
 in it a small seed, spread his two hands over the dish, and 
 waited for what might happen. AVhat happened was a 
 little olive tree — as everybody could see as soon as Simon 
 had removed his hands and held up the dish for general 
 view. He then set down the dish on the floor, covered it 
 for a moment with a corner of his mantle, and then held 
 it up to view again. Lo, the little olive of a few inches 
 had doubled its size. Once more he covered it from view. 
 On removing his robe, he showed to the people a plant 
 so large that its roots had crowded out all the sand from 
 the vessel and protruded from it on all sides. Using an- 
 other corner of the mantle, he reversed the process. The 
 great plant dwindled by successive stages into the origi- 
 nal seed which was held up for the people to see. 
 
 Taking the same dish, shaking the saiid out of it, 
 even taking the pains to wipe it vigorously with one cor- 
 ner of his robe, he reversed it on the floor. Muttering a 
 few words over it, he lifted it and a cat appeared. He 
 replaced the dish over the cat; after a moment lifted 
 again, and behold, a dog instead of a cat. Replacing the 
 dish over the dog, and after a moment lifting it again, 
 he astonished the people with the sight of a litter of pup- 
 pies. Reversing the process, he produced in succession 
 the dog, the cat, and the empty dish. 
 
 He concluded this part of the entertainment by 
 drawing a sword from under his mantle and swallow- 
 ing it. 
 
 Next, Simon seated himself at the table, and laid the 
 tips of his fingers upon it. Helena set a seat by his side 
 and did the same. The two Nubians came forward, and, 
 having removed the brazier, seated themselves on the 
 
212 THE MAGICIAN. 
 
 table itself. In a few moments it began to tip, and finally 
 fell to swaying and leaping so violently that the blacks 
 were unable to keep their seats, though they struggled 
 hard to do so. Having dislodged the two bulky fellows, 
 the table rose several feet into the air and remained sus- 
 pended; and the brazier with its cauldron rose gently 
 after it and resumed its old place without any disturbance 
 of their contents — and all the while raps and musical 
 sounds both over and under the table were heard. The 
 Nubians caught hold of the legs of the table and tried 
 with all their might to pull it down ; whereupon it rose 
 still higher, dragging the men after it. Simon made a 
 downward pass with his hand, and at once it descended 
 gently and noiselessly to the floor. 
 
 Again Helena seated herself. Simon approached, 
 took hold of both her hands, and looked steadily into her 
 eyes. Shortly, relinquishing her hands, he made passes 
 downward along her arms. Gradually her eyelids drew 
 together and she slept. 
 
 " Now tell us what you see," said Simon. 
 
 *' I see," said she, slowly, and as if looking afar, " a 
 beautiful country of mountains and green valleys and 
 crystal streams, sprinkled with flocks and herds and 
 white-faced keepers." 
 
 "Look again. What do you see now?" continued 
 the magician. 
 
 ''I see," replied Helena, ''a magnificent palace 
 perched on an eminence. It is of stone; and it has 
 around it walls and towers; and into its court-yard is 
 now coming a caravan dusty and wayworn — loaded horses 
 and mules and camels ; and, escorting them, many armed 
 horsemen before and behind." 
 
THE MAGICIAN. 213 
 
 " Enter the palace. What see you now? " continued 
 the soothsayer. 
 
 "I see steps of marble, doors of brass, a lofty hall 
 with sculptures and suits of armor, sumptuous apart- 
 ments after apartments— a library in which are four per- 
 sons; two sitting on a couch, and two standing before 
 them. The first two are a man and woman venerable 
 with white locks, but with no other signs of great age : 
 the other two, also a man and woman, are much younger 
 and still in the fullness of mature life. All are of 
 princely features and bearing." 
 
 " What are they doing? " demanded Simon. 
 
 " The younger couple are untying tablets bound about 
 with a black ribbon. They are now reading— plainly 
 with surprise and grief." 
 
 "Approach and read with them," said Simon. 
 
 "I cannot read. The characters are strange. Be- 
 sides, tears haye fallen copiously on them," said the 
 woman. 
 
 Simon reversed his passes, and the woman, giving a 
 great sigh, opened her eyes. 
 
 He then came forward to the edge of the stage next 
 
 to our friends. 
 
 "We come now," said he, "to something very im- 
 portant. It has been known from remotest times that it 
 is possible to determine from the stars the general char- 
 acter of a man's fortunes, the critical times in his life, 
 the sort of dangers to which he will be most exposed. 
 Becoming acquainted with these, he can take precautions 
 accordingly. For example, if one finds that to-morrow 
 will be a time of special peril to him, and that the peril 
 will come from a city, he can leave the city at once and 
 
314 THE MAGICIAIT. 
 
 SO secure himself. So it is very important that each one 
 of you inform himself in advance all about these critical 
 and dangerous times that are sure to come to him. Do 
 not neglect this opportunity of consulting the stars. It 
 is the opportunity of a life-time. For the very small 
 consideration of only one gold stater he can have the 
 benefit of my profound studies among the stars, studies 
 which I can assure you have been profounder and more 
 successful than those of any other man, not excepting 
 Hermes Trismegistus himself. All you have to do is to 
 hand me the piece of gold, together with the exact time 
 and place of your birth, and I will construct the twelve 
 Heavenly Houses, and find the places of the planets 
 therein, and take account of their mutual bearings and 
 modifications, and so make out for you a horoscope that 
 will tell you just what is to be done in every trying situa- 
 tion as long as you live. And you will live twice as long 
 for it. Now, who will, at the trifling expense I have 
 mentioned, protect himself from great harm and secure 
 to himself wonderful advantages?" 
 
 He folded his arms and waited. But no one re- 
 sponded. Either there was not sufi^cient faith in the 
 people, or they had already invested in horoscopes, or the 
 gold piece required was wanting. The astrologer ex- 
 pressed surprise at this backwardness to seize the splen- 
 did o})portunity they were having for having their for- 
 tunes told by the truth-telling stars through their most 
 illustrious interpreter. It was a great mistake. They 
 would surely regret it. He was only passing through the 
 city on his way to Rome at tlie invitation of the Emperor 
 Tiberius, and when he should return, if ever, it was im- 
 possible to say. What was the difficulty? Was it the 
 
THE MAGICIAiq-. 215 
 
 ready money demanded? Well, he would make it easy 
 for poor people. They might pay him on delivery of the 
 horoscope and its interpretation. Let them hand in their 
 names and the facts called for, and he would trust them. 
 This brought out the people in the court. Not a few 
 signified their readiness to accept the new offer ; and the 
 Nubians, passing along the inner hurdles with papyrus 
 and stylus, soon collected quite a catalogue of names and 
 appropriate particulars. This seemed very satisfactory 
 to Simon. 
 
 He then looked off toward the piazza from whose seats 
 no response to his appeal had yet come. He was now 
 ready to attend to them. It was kind in them to wait 
 till the less favored class had been cared for. Now let 
 the piazza speak. Though they did not belong to the 
 impecunious class, he would make no distinction between 
 the rich and poor, but would serve all on the same terms. 
 And he walked about the edge of the platform on all 
 sides with one hand behind his ear. 
 
 *'Your voices are too feeble,'' he at length ex- 
 claimed; "I must get nearer," and he descended from 
 the stage by the flight of steps in front of Cimon and 
 Aleph, opened the wicket and stepped on the piazza. 
 
 " Perhaps these friends, one of whom seems to me to 
 have come from the native land of astrology and may 
 therefore be presumed to know how potent in human af- 
 fairs the stars are, will allow me to construct figures for 
 them. Somehow I feel a presentiment as I stand near 
 this young man (and I have never known such presenti- 
 ments deceive me), that he is entering a critical period in 
 his fortunes, and will need all the light my art can throw 
 on the character of the perils surrounding him and the 
 
216 THE MAGICIAK. 
 
 way of escape. If lie will tell me the exact date and place 
 of his birth, I can in a few moments, by means of a great 
 improvement on old methods, make for him a planetary 
 construction that will cover the next few days and be of 
 immense service to him. I trust he believes in the Chal- 
 dean science?" 
 
 "At present I express neither assent nor dissent," 
 said Aleph; " I only say that I have no occasion for your 
 art. If perils come I propose to seek help, not from the 
 stars, but from beyond them.^^ 
 
 This was said in so decisive a tone as to forbid fur- 
 ther solicitation. 
 
 Simon merely added in a voice which plainly betrayed 
 resentment, " Perhaps the young man is aware that the 
 stars are apt to be hostile to those who distinctly refuse 
 them. I foresee that they will be hostile to him." And, 
 swaying his long loose mantle against the knees of Aleph 
 as he turned, he stalked back to his place on the plat- 
 form. 
 
 There, folding his arms and looking upward intently 
 as if carefully perusing the sky at different points, he re- 
 mained silent for a while. He then suddenly exclaimed 
 in a voice of thunder, " Oh, the angry aspects! Oh, the 
 threatening configurations! Oh, the malignant Saturn 
 in Aries shooting his rays aslant yonder ! " — and he 
 pointed his finger toward the part of the piazza which he 
 had just left. He then turned to the people and said 
 with a voice that seemed oppressed by some mighty bur- 
 den, "You have just heard me say that sometimes when 
 I am very near a person, and especially if my robe touches 
 him, there comes upon me a presentiment in regard to 
 him which is, in a measure, a substitute for a horoscope 
 
THE MAGICIAN. 217 
 
 — especially if at once followed by such a consultation of 
 the heavens as I have just now given/' 
 
 ''Tell us what you have discovered/' cried a voice 
 from the court. 
 
 "I see/' he cried, "his enterprise miscarrying, his 
 friends forsaking him, his enemies surrounding him. 
 Flight alone will save him. And let him not linger. 
 The black cloud has settled till it touches him— let him 
 rush from under it. The walls of the house have crept 
 together till they press him on every side — let him leap 
 forth before it is too late. The walls of the city have 
 crowded in upon him till the four gates almost meet one 
 another — let him struggle through this or that as best he 
 can, and flee, flee. Flee on the swift Bactrian drome- 
 dary, flee on the swift galley with sails and oars, flee as 
 does the ostrich before the Arabian with both feet and 
 wings, flee as do the sands of the desert before the hot 
 Simoom. Else the Chaldean home will wail for the son 
 that never returns." 
 
 This he said with the air of a prophet— his tall form 
 strained to the utmost, his hands lifted, and his voice ur- 
 gent and full of horror. He retained his tragic attitude 
 and aspect for a little after he had ceased speaking. 
 Meanwhile Helena had stolen up to him, and stood look- 
 ing skyward as if trying to see what he saw. Suddenly 
 he grasped her arm with one hand and with the other 
 pointed with anxious look toward various parts of the 
 sky : all the while speaking to her in a low voice, as if 
 explaining what they saw. He had an apt scholar. She 
 gave frequent nods of assent, and finally clasped and 
 wrung her hands with as dismayed an air as his own. 
 
 All this seemed to profoundly impress the people in 
 
318 THE MAGICIAN". 
 
 the court, on whose upturned faces the many lights of the 
 stage were strongly shining. They gazed at the astrolo- 
 ger with open mouths: they seemed awe struck at his 
 fiery words and majestic bearing. He glanced from there 
 to Aleph — was it to see whether the same effect had been 
 produced on him? At all events he saw none. A per- 
 fect composure reigned in the face and attitude of the 
 young man. Simon was both disconcerted and angry — 
 as was plain enough to the sharp young eyes that never 
 left him. 
 
 " I have no doubt/' cried he, after an evident effort 
 to recover himself, " that nearly all my friends under the 
 piazza are more respectful to the Celestial Science than 
 the one whose danger and misfortunes have just been re- 
 vealed to me. But, as time presses, I will not ask them 
 to apply for horoscopes to-night. Let them come to me 
 as privately as they choose at my rooms here for the next 
 few days ; and it will be strange as well as pitiful if the 
 book of the stars does not read more pleasantly for them 
 than it has done for one this evening. '* 
 
 He made a sign to the Nubians. They hastened to 
 fan the coals in the brazier ; and, when the cauldron had 
 begun to seethe again, he approached and dropped in 
 something that made the contents hiss and leap as if they 
 would burst away from the vessel. He then drew from 
 under his mantle a sheet of papyrus covered with writing, 
 dipped the manuscript into the cauldron, lighted it at the 
 coals, waved it toward the four points till it was wholly 
 consumed. 
 
 He made another sign to Helena. She went to one of 
 the looped-up curtains and drew from a fold in it with an 
 air of profound reverence— a wand. This, with averted 
 
THE MAGICIAN. 219 
 
 eyes, she brought to Simon : then sank on her knees and 
 covered her eyes with her hand. Whereupon the bhicks 
 came up hastily and crouched behind her with all the 
 signs of abject fear. Dipping the end of the wand in the 
 cauldron, the magician proceeded to describe with it a 
 large circle about them all. Dipping again, he traced 
 just within the circle and all around it a variety of char- 
 acters — allowing no break, however small, in the conti- 
 nuity of the tracing. The lines became gradually lumi- 
 nous — first the circumference of the circle, then the 
 endless chain of mystic characters within. 
 
 " The Ephesian Letters," whispered Cimon to Aleph. 
 
 There was an intense hush of fearful expectation. 
 
 *' I am now about," the magician cried in his gravest 
 tones, *Ho summon here mighty genii and elemental 
 spirits, both to show you the resources of my art, and to 
 convince as many of you as need convincing (and the 
 number of such persons is not small in these days) of the 
 reality of a world of invisible beings possessing great 
 powers. Many of these spirits are exceedingly mischiev- 
 ous as well as mighty, and would be glad to destroy us 
 all. But they dare not cross this circle, and especially 
 the characters traced just within it — though they would 
 do so if they could find the least break in the lines. I am 
 also able to protect those of you without this circle — pro- 
 vided certain conditions are complied with. All seats 
 under the piazza must be set forward from the wall so as 
 to allow free passage behind them for the spirits : and in 
 addition every one must remain quietly in his place, 
 whatever may liappen or seem to be happening, till I dis- 
 miss you. To all complying with these conditions and 
 keeping a reverent attitude of mind toward the spirits, I 
 
220 THE MAGICIAN. 
 
 can promise entire safety. To others I can promise noth- 
 ing. Solomon himself could ])romise nothing. I wish 
 all of you to distinctly understand that I will not be re- 
 sponsible for even the lives of any who violate these con- 
 ditions. I warn you that we are about to deal with very 
 dangerous beings, and that I can only control them un- 
 der certain provisos. If any man is disposed to defy 
 these let him look to himself." 
 
 Both Cimon and Aleph had for some time noticed that 
 the single lighted lamp that hung just before them was 
 getting dimmer; and so were not surprised when it flick- 
 ered and expired while the magician was speaking. 
 
 The man was now looking at his best. He seemed to 
 have reserved himself for this time. His commanding 
 stature, his powerful and oracular face, and his stately 
 bearing enriched by the mysterious and becoming robes 
 of his art, shone out very impressively under the brilliant 
 lights of the stage. He stood in the centre of his mag- 
 ical circle, with his wand in his hand. He cast the wand 
 on the floor. Lo, a serpent, gliding along with erect and 
 hissing head till it came to the luminous belt of Ephesian 
 Letters ! There it stopped ; and then moved along the 
 belt slowly, without touching it, as if looking for some 
 break in it, till it reached the point whence it started. 
 Then with depressed head it moved back silently to Si- 
 mon, who took it by the tail, and lo, he had again a Avand 
 in his hand. 
 
 He extended it toward the East and called out with a 
 great voice in that direction certain uncouth names, say- 
 ing: 
 
 '* Genii, s])irits elemental of air, of fire, of earth, and 
 of water ! By the bond between us, by this wand which 
 
THE MAGICIAN. 221 
 
 ye know, by the spells I have woven, by this magic circle 
 in which I stand, I summon you, 1 summon youl'^ 
 
 He then turned toward the other cardinal points, re- 
 peating to each the same formula, though appealing to 
 different personal names. At once there fell on the ear 
 the faint beat of distant wings. Shadows began to flit 
 through the air, and monstrous shapes vaguely showed 
 themselves on the walls and roofs of the khan. Then 
 the lights on the stage burned blue, grew feeble, flick- 
 ered, went out. Everything was now in profound dark- 
 ness — save that on the stage the circumference of the 
 circle with its inlying border of mystic characters was be- 
 come a glowing belt that cast a wierd light on the magi- 
 cian and his cowering companions, but seemed to have no 
 power of illuminating beyond the stage. Now the beat 
 of wings was heard more distinctly. It grew apace. 
 Soon it was like the rush of winds — high in the air above 
 the stage, and at various points in the passage left behind 
 the seats under the piazza. There it swept along with 
 terrific force — whistling and howling. Into these noises 
 others immediately insinuated themselves. Strange 
 whisperings and mutterings became audible. These grad- 
 ually passed into raps, detonations, groans, shrieks ; and 
 occasionally a yell so fierce and demoniacal as to be ap- 
 palling, rent the air and the ear. 
 
 But the chief place of commotion was the edge of the 
 platform, just outside of the fiery zone. Here, all the 
 noises that were scattered elsewhere were condensed and 
 intensified into the roar of a tempest. To fiendish 
 laughs and screeches and yells that made the ear tingle 
 were added the hayings of many sorts of wild beasts when 
 hot after their prey. It seemed as if the spirits were 
 
222 THE MAGICIAN. 
 
 crowding to get at the magician, and tear him limb from 
 limb, and were chafed to madness on being prevented by 
 the magic circle. It was the many-voiced sea, lashed into 
 fury, leaping in spray and thunder on a rock-bound coast. 
 What a carnival ! Was hell emptied? And through the 
 blackness and the uproar and the fury, pierced voices 
 like swords — voices that cried : 
 
 " We are here, great Master, to do thy bidding. Lo, 
 we are here ! " 
 
 At no time during the evening had Cimon, or even 
 Aleph with his younger eyes, been able to see who occu- 
 pied the adjoining seats on their right and left. These 
 seats had not been taken till it had become too dark to 
 distinguish faces or even figures: and the single lamp be- 
 fore themselves was so ensconced among the ornaments 
 of the eaves of the piazza that it threw no light to either 
 side. But from both sides they occasionally caught low 
 sounds of movements and voices ; and knew very well that 
 they had neighbors. And they felt quite sure that if an 
 attack should be made upon them it would come from 
 those nearest to them. So, as soon as the lights had all 
 gone out, after^a moment's whispered conference to- 
 gether, they noiselessly set their seat back against the 
 door of their room, and as noiselessly took stand in front 
 of it and facing it, but at a distance from it of several 
 feet — and waited for what might happen. 
 
 At the height of the uproar and darkness, their ears 
 caught a stealthy movement at both right and left ; and 
 then the careful footfall of unsandalled feet. A moment 
 more, and there was a stumbling against the seat they had 
 left, as of men who luid been expecting a clear passage ; 
 while they felt the presence of others just before them. 
 
THE MAGICIAN. 223 
 
 At once came a hasty succession of heavy blows, as of 
 bhulgeons, ou tlie seat and door beliind it. Two heavy 
 thuds promptly followed, and as many groans and falls : 
 for both Cimon and Aleph had struck with clenched 
 hands into the dark, and had encountered something 
 more substantial than sjnrits. This done, they stepped 
 back to their former places and waited for what might 
 yet follow. Nothing followed — save the sound of foot- 
 steps hastily retreating to the right and left. And, all at 
 once, the hubbub of wierd noises began to lull ; the whis- 
 pers and howls and other diabolic sounds dwindled rap- 
 idly ; in a few moments the rush of departing wings had 
 died away in the distance. 
 
 *'Nowgo in peace/^ cried the magician. "If any 
 have been injured by the Powers I have summoned, it is 
 because they did not obey my directions. Their blood be 
 on their own heads. I take you to witness that I am not 
 responsible.'^ 
 
 The court and piazza were soon emptied. The people 
 had been too soundly frightened to stand on the order of 
 their going ; and rushed out pell-mell through the dark- 
 ness — overturning benches and hurdles and one another. 
 
 During this final U23roar, which was almost as great as 
 the spirits had made, Aleph felt a hand on his shoulder, 
 heard a whisper at his ear — " Shaphan and Nathan. '' 
 
 "AVelcome," he whispered back. *' Come into our 
 room.'* 
 
 They removed the seat, unlocked the door, and with 
 the aid of the two Jews dragged inside the bodies which 
 their feet had encountered on the floor. Closing the 
 door, they struck a light and proceeded to examine their 
 still insensible assailants. In one of them Aleph had no 
 
224 THE MAGICIAN. 
 
 dilHculty in recognizing Antis : in the other Shaphan and 
 liis brother knew Draco, a noted bully of the city, at 
 present teacher of fence at the Museum, formerly a 
 trainer of gladiators at Rome, and well known as a dissi- 
 pated companion of the son of the Governor. Having 
 satisfied themselves that the men were not seriously in- 
 jured, and needed only the open air to fully recover, they 
 drew them out again on the piazza and there left them to 
 themselves — or their friends." 
 
 The brothers then explained that the lady Rachel had 
 sent a servant to them after their return home to recall 
 them ; and had begged that they would be j^resent at the 
 khan in the evening with some of the family servants and 
 give aid to her friends if they should have need. But 
 various circumstances had delayed them so that they did 
 not arrive till after the performance had begun; when 
 they found no admission to the piazza, and the court so 
 densely packed that it was almost impossible to wedge 
 their way to the neighborhood of Aleph and Cimon. 
 This, however, in the course of the evening they had, by 
 dint of constant effort, succeeded in doing, and were quite 
 near when the assault was made and the assembly broke 
 up. They then dashed violently through the crowd, and 
 over the hurdles — fearing the worst, for they had heard 
 the blows, the groans, and the heavy falls. Thank 
 Heaven, it was the enemy that fell ! 
 
 Very cordial acknowledgments were made to the 
 friendly Jews. In addition, Aleph sat down and wrote 
 on a piece of papyrus the following : 
 
 "Aleph the Chaldean, to the daughter of Alexander, 
 sends greeting: 
 
 '' This is to express my sense of the kindness you have 
 
THE MAGICIAN. 225 
 
 shown to the eastern stnmgers in sending help to them 
 this night in their supposed danger. And truly the dan- 
 ger was considerable ; but through the favor of the Most 
 High Ave have escaped the assault made upon us, and have 
 come to understand better than before the difference be- 
 tween the marvels of Jesus and the marvels of the magi- 
 cian. The latter are due partly to illusion and ventrilo- 
 quism, partly to occult natural law, and partly to diabol- 
 ism. They are favored by darkness and distance, depend 
 on prejjarations and compacts and machinery, proceed 
 from an unworthy person, seek unworthy objects, are 
 aided by unworthy Powers, are connected with phe- 
 nomena that betray a diabolic origin, and are wholly 
 depraving and mischievous in their tendency. 
 
 ' ' When the bearers of this give you an account of what 
 they have seen and heard, you will, I doubt not, see new 
 reason to believe in Him who casts out devils instead of 
 invoking them. 
 
 " May the God of Abraham and Daniel, the Chaldeans, 
 keep you ! 
 
 *' Farewell !'' 
 
 When the Jews stepped out on the piazza they found 
 that the bodies were no longer there. Doubtless they 
 had recovered consciousness and taken themselves off. 
 
 Magic and miracle! Two very different things, 
 thought Aleph again, as he recalled, in the solitude to 
 which he was now left, the account which Nathan had 
 given of the storm on the Sea of Galilee. 
 
 Did ever night with blacker wing 
 
 Swoop down upon the sea? 
 Did ever storm with fiercer flail 
 
 Smite Sea of Galilee ? 
 
/ 
 
 226 THE MAGICIAN. 
 
 God help yon bubble bark that leaps 
 
 Against a ray less sky — 
 God help yon bubble bark flung back 
 
 In rayless gulfs to die ! 
 
 The gates of hell are open wide, 
 Its fiends outscream the blast ; 
 
 *' Up with the bubble boat on high I 
 This plunge shall be the last." 
 
 Alas, alas I ye helpless men 
 
 Who to the skies are tost — 
 Just hanging to the lion's mane, 
 
 What can ye be but lost? 
 
 Yet cry for help — Where is the King?— 
 
 Ye have not far to seek ; 
 Within your very bark is One 
 
 Who storms to calms can speak. 
 
 He speaks — at once the stars look down 
 
 Upon a waveless sea ; 
 The peace of God is in thy winds, 
 
 breathless Galilee I 
 
 And ever when we cry through storms. 
 
 To Christ our cry should be ; 
 Low bow all waves and winds and fiends 
 
 To Him of Galilee. 
 
X. 
 
 THE ARENA. 
 
 McyaAa irpTjyfiaTa fieyuTioai KivSvvouffi. 
 
 — Herodotus, vii. 50. 
 
 Great results from great dangers. 
 
1. An anxious friend. 
 
 2. Seti defends himself 
 
 3. So does Alephi. 
 
 -4. ^A/tlo is to blan:ie? 
 
X. 
 
 THE ARENA. 
 
 AN evening of such experiences as we have just de- 
 -^^j^ scribed would be followed by a sleepless night in 
 the case of most persons at the present day. But those 
 were adventurous times ; the element of uncertainty and 
 peril entered, into them far more largely than it does into 
 our daily life; and the habit of coolly accepting the sit- 
 uation and accommodating themselves to it was common 
 among men of standing and courage. So the reader must 
 not be surprised to learn that our friends, after thanking 
 Heaven for their preservation, slept about as soundly 
 through the night as if they had suffered no narrow es- 
 cape and were anticipating nothing but safety on the mor- 
 row. 
 
 Their morning devotions and meal had been finished, 
 and they were conferring as to Seti's proposal that they 
 should remove to the Serapeum, when a knock was heard 
 on their door, and the high priest himself made his ap- 
 pearance. 
 
 *' What means all this?" he exclaimed, as he closed 
 the door behind him and took the rude stool which was 
 all that Aleph had to offer him ; " the whole khan behind 
 time, everything in a litter, the staging in the court in 
 
230 THE ARENA. 
 
 the last stages of a debauch ; above all the clubs before 
 your door and the battered state of the door itself, to say 
 nothing of the broken seat before it ! " 
 
 Cimon explained. 
 
 " Now you see why I am here so early this morning/' 
 resumed the priest. " My thoughts were so full of ap- 
 prehension on your account during the night that I could 
 not sleep ; and I determined that as soon as possible in 
 the morning I would seek you out and again urge you to 
 remove at once to the Serapeum. This evidently is no 
 place for you. It is plain that Mains and the son of the 
 governor have gotten into communication with each 
 other and have joined their forces — plain that the chief 
 object of the doings here last night was a three fold as- 
 sault on you through your fears, through magical powers, 
 and through human assassins. These were the three 
 strings to their bow. They hoped that if the others 
 failed the clubs of Draco and his helpers would do the 
 work and the magical powers which you defied take all 
 the blame of it. You see with what characters you have 
 to deal. Behold a fair sample of what these men are ca- 
 pable of doing. So come to the Serapeum without de 
 lay." 
 
 " We were speaking of your kind offer just as you 
 came in," said Cimon, "and were debating whether we 
 could properly accept it ; and had about cotne to the con- 
 clusion that we could not do so without dragging the 
 only friends we have in Alexandria into trouble with 
 powerful people — which would ])e a poor return for the 
 kindness we have received." 
 
 "Leave me to judge," returned Seti coolly, " as to 
 the amount of trouble I can afford to be at for your sake. 
 
THE ARENA. 231 
 
 The offer I make is made freely in view of the circum- 
 stances." 
 
 "" We have been afraid/' said Aleph, " that your view 
 of the circumstances is not as complete as it should be be- 
 fore we allow your generous kindness to embroil you with 
 perhaps the government itself. You already know that 
 Malus supposes himself seriously in danger from us, and 
 that so we are seriously in danger from him. But you 
 have not known distinctly who we are, and what we pro- 
 pose to do. As to who we are, we are still compelled to 
 be silent ; but it is fitting that you learn now the nature 
 of Cimon's relations to Malus. Cimon is the dear friend 
 and business manager of an eastern trader who for many 
 years has had large dealings with Malus — consigning to 
 him a large amount of costly eastern goods yearly. We 
 now find, what has long been suspected, that the con- 
 signee has made false returns as to the amount of goods 
 received, and prices obtained for them, and the duties 
 levied on them at this port. Complete proof of this, as 
 we suppose, is contained in the parcel of papers put into 
 your hands yesterday. We also cannot doubt that a com- 
 parison of these papers with the custom house registers 
 (which comparison we have not been able to make) would 
 show that Malus has defrauded the government as well as 
 ourselves, and perhaps that officials are in collusion with 
 him. The interests he has at stake, therefore, are so 
 large that he is sure to be as bitterly hostile to our friends 
 as to us. And besides, as you see, he seems to have se- 
 cured a hold of some sort on the Roman authorities them- 
 selves. So the man who undertakes to befriend us un- 
 dertakes a great deal. We are very reluctant to embroil 
 you, and perhaps the family of the Alabarch in so serious 
 
232 THE ARENA. 
 
 a trouble. On this account we have refrained from ask- 
 ing advice from you in regard to our preliminary move- 
 ments." 
 
 " The case as stated by you," replied Seti, still with 
 the utmost coolness, " is not worse than I supposed; and 
 I still press my invitation. Trouble there will be, no 
 doubt ; but, then, if I do not accept this trouble I shall 
 have a greater from another quarter; for my grand- 
 daughter sent a messenger to me this morning as soon as 
 it was light to stir me up to do what I am now doing. If 
 I were to be backward in this matter," he added with a 
 smile, "I am afraid she would rouse all my students 
 against me ; which she could easily do, for she is a queen 
 to P. Cornelius. Moreover, it is barely possible that 
 both Alexander and myself have just a little of that gen- 
 erous indignation at wickedness that led certain persons 
 of our acquaintance to stand up for us without counting 
 the cost. Who gave Greeks and Chaldeans a monopoly 
 of that sort of thing? No, friends, you must not ask 
 me to do what you would not, I am confident, be willing 
 to do yourselves." 
 
 Of course nothing more was to be said. And our 
 friends said nothing more — save thanks. It was agreed 
 that they should send their effects at once to the Sera- 
 peum by certain servants whom Seti had left without, 
 and follow them in person in the course of the day. 
 
 This matter being disposed.of, Seti continued, " Now 
 tell me what steps you have taken to bring that arch- 
 rogue to justice." 
 
 " I have done nothing," said Cimon, *' save to collect 
 evidence; and have been uncertain what further steps to 
 take." 
 
THE ARENA. 233 
 
 a 
 
 You should put your proofs at once in the hands of 
 Alexander's lawyer. If he judges them sufficient for this 
 latitude and for a Roman Court (for a Roman Court it 
 must be, since the case is between a Greek and a Jew), 
 let him put things in train without delay. You could 
 find no more skillful advocate ; and he has the further 
 advantage, somewhat rare in his profession, of being an 
 honest man. This in itself Avill instinctively enlist him 
 against such a rogue as Malus. He will do all he can to 
 bring the fellow to justice.'' 
 
 " Can you tell me what the prospects for justice in a 
 Roman Court are?" 
 
 " The Roman law, in general, is just; but a case has 
 to be very clear or the strong rogues, in Alexandria as 
 elsewhere, will manage to escape by means of the eva- 
 sions, delays, appeals, and various tricks that are pur- 
 chasable by the free use of money. It is said that all 
 things are venal at Rome. I am afraid the state of things 
 is no better in Alexandria. Malus will use money freely 
 — can you do the same?" 
 
 '^That depends," said Cimon. "For such purposes 
 as the collecting of evidence and the securing of the 
 ablest advocate that can be had, I say Ves to your ques- 
 tion. For the purpose of bribing the judges, I say 
 JVo." 
 
 *' This is the answer I expected from you. But your 
 enemy has no scruples. He will have the freedom of all 
 means — righteous and unrighteous. In this respect he 
 has much the advantage over you — always provided that 
 there is no God, and that there is a devil. But in certain 
 other important respects you have an advantage over 
 him.'^ 
 
234 THE ARENA. 
 
 " Will yon tell us in what?" suggested Aleph. 
 
 '* First, in the intrinsic justice of your cause; fori 
 have no doubt that the case is as you have stated it. 
 Next, the evil repute of Malus among the better class of 
 people is against him. They all know that he is capable 
 of doing just the sort of thing you charge against him — 
 that, in fact, he has done it in multitudes of cases and has 
 only escaped by the terror which he inspires in people too 
 weak financially and otherwise to contend with him. It 
 is worth while for even Koman judges to make some ac- 
 count of the higher grades of public opinion. Further, 
 it would not be strange if many of the small victims of 
 Malus should summon courage in the presence of so large 
 a suit as yours to appear against him with an amount of 
 testimony that would be overwhelming." 
 
 '' I understand then," said Cimon, *Hhat even if our 
 proofs are legally complete, we still have reason to fear 
 that venality on the part of the judges and hostility on 
 the part of the Governor and other officials will find 
 means to set them aside." 
 
 " Yes— it certainly is to be feared. Malus has un- 
 doubtedly patched up an alliance, if not with the Gov- 
 ernor himself, at least with Romans who can bring heavy 
 infiuence to bear upon him and so on the courts. We 
 must not shut our eyes on this fact. It is our main dis- 
 advantage. But to offset this the Alabarch and myself 
 can also bring heavy influences — and they shall not be 
 wanting." 
 
 '* We are fortunate and thankful to find such friends 
 —especially as we have no choice but to proceed. We 
 will proceed and trust Heaven for the result. I think 
 til is is the conclusion to which we have come, and that 
 
THE ARENA. 235 
 
 we tire ready to authorize our friend to place our papers 
 in the hands of the advocate he proposes," and he looked 
 inquiringly at Aleph. 
 
 Alepli slightly bowed. After a moment, however, he 
 added : 
 
 '* Still I would be glad if, before legal proceedings are 
 begun, we could give Malus an opportunity to retrace his 
 steps. I would like to try what effect expostulation un- 
 der the perils of his situation would have. The Most 
 High practices forbearance to sinners ; and such I under- 
 stand is the practice of the Messiah toward his enemies. 
 His miracles show that he has power enough to over- 
 whelm them all with the greatest ease, but he forbears and 
 tries on them the effect of more light and expostulation. 
 I would be glad to imitate God and His Christ." 
 
 Seti started to his feet in amazement. 
 
 *'And this after your very lives have been so foully 
 assailed! This way of doing things is neither Egyptian, 
 nor Greek, nor Koman, nor even Jewish — however God- 
 like and Christ like it may be." 
 
 '* I confess," said Cimon, ^' that I have something of 
 the feeling that my young friend has expressed. I am 
 reluctant to drive a man to what may prove his ruin 
 without giving him a chance for his life. To be sure, I 
 have small hope of a favorable result from any appeal we 
 can make to the conscience and fears of Malus. But I 
 should feel easier if it were made." 
 
 **Well, be it so!" said Seti after a short silence. 
 *' Make the experiment. See what merciful dealings can 
 do. At the most, it only means the delay of a day or so. 
 . . . Now let us see what you will ivrite to this promising 
 candidate for repentance and reformation: for I will 
 
236 THE ARENA. 
 
 never give my consent that you go in person into the den 
 of such a serpent." 
 
 Aleph looked at Cimon. The Greek nodded. The 
 young man seated himself at a table and slowly wrote as 
 follows : 
 
 ^' Cimon, manager and representative, to Mains, con- 
 signee and merchant. 
 
 " It has been discovered that the returns which you 
 have made for many years to the business which I repre- 
 sent are not in accordance with the facts, and that now a 
 very large sum of money is due us. I am reluctant to 
 appeal to the courts to enforce our claims ; and hope that 
 your sense of justice and of responsibility to a Higher 
 Power will make such an appeal unnecessary. A satis- 
 factory assurance from you of regret for the past and an 
 upright purpose for the future will dispose me to abate 
 much from my just claim upon you. 
 
 ^' Let me hear from you to-day at the 
 
 Khan Racliotis, ' ' 
 
 (( 
 
 I have great misgivings as to this merciful plan of 
 yours," said Seti, "and only give my consent to it on 
 condition that you authorize me to place your papers in 
 the hands of our advocate at once, without waiting to see 
 the result of your appeal. If it is successful you can re- 
 call the parcel unbroken. Otherwise it is to be used 
 without delay. You agree?" 
 
 " So be it," said Cimon. 
 
 " Does the parcel contain as full an explanation of the 
 case as the advocate will need?" 
 
 "So it seems to me." 
 
 This ended the conversation. A servant of the khan 
 
THE AREKA. 237 
 
 was immediately called and dispatched with the letter to 
 Malus. Seti himself remained till he had seen the main 
 effects of his friends put into the hands of two servants 
 of his own for transference to the Serapeum. It was 
 agreed that the owners should follow as soon as possible. 
 
 As chance would have it (I confess that I dislike such 
 language on both scientific and religious grounds), they 
 were not detained long. Their messenger met Malus at 
 no great distance from the khan ; and soon returned with 
 a spoken message that they should either see or hear from 
 him at the khan early the coming evening. 
 
 AYliat should they do in the meantime? Aleph con- 
 sulted his programme of lectures, and found that Seti 
 was to sj)eak at the third hour in his course on Compara- 
 tive Religions — special topic, The Religion of Egypt, 
 They would settle with their landlord and then leisurely 
 find their way to the lecture. They were curious to hear 
 what the high-priest of Egypt would say about its relig- 
 ion. Perhaps they would get some light on the mystery 
 of his position. 
 
 Accordingly, in due time they found themselves in 
 the lecture-room of the Serapeum. They noticed that 
 the room was fuller than before, and conjectured that 
 this was owing to the special interest felt in the topic to 
 be discussed. Seti evidently noticed their presence as he 
 came in and passed near them to his seat on the dais. 
 
 AVhat follows is a condensed statement of the main 
 points of the lecture — without the vigorous argument and 
 abundant illustrations by which these points were sup- 
 ported. 
 
 Seti began with reminding the students that he had 
 in previous lectures on the origin and history of religion 
 
238 THK ARENA. 
 
 expressed the conviction that its earliest stage in all 
 countries was monotheism. The evidence of this, he 
 thought to be especially clear in the case of Egypt. All 
 his researches had converged on a remote time when the 
 Egyptian temples contained no visible object of worship ; 
 but were dedicated to a single spiritual Being who was 
 supposed to be the eternal, almighty, and all wise creator 
 of all things else, and who was to be worshipped by 
 prayer and praise and gifts and sacrifice. They called 
 Him Amun Re. 
 
 How long the popular religion remained at this point 
 is not known. Nor is it known by any record how a 
 change came to take place. But probably it was after 
 this manner. Some of the ruder people began to use 
 visible symbols of the Great Spirit to assist their concep- 
 tion and devotion; and by degrees their example was 
 copied extensively by the people at large. The next step 
 was to pass from the worship of the Being symbolized to 
 the worship of the symbol itself — a thing about as easy as 
 the descent of rivers to the sea. 
 
 Before long there crept in a new element. The peo- 
 ple had all along believed, as all other nations have done, 
 in a multitude of invisible beings, intermediate between 
 the Supreme and man in dignity and faculty, and having 
 more or less influence over human fortunes. These, 
 whether supposed good or bad, the people gradually came 
 to think it worth while to propitiate by various services 
 and honors, very much as they were accustomed to do to 
 the various grades of powerful officials under the Pha- 
 raohs; and in process of time the services and honors 
 given to these minor but nearer deities grew to over- 
 shadow those of Amun Uc hiniself, 
 
THE ARENA. 239 
 
 This secondary worship, too, found symbols natural 
 and convenient. Its objects were invisible beings hard 
 to be conceived of and realized. In this case the familiar 
 animals of the country were taken as symbols. Foreign- 
 ers have sometimes wondered at this, and perhaps with 
 some reason ; but there are not wanting philosophers who 
 say that even the humblest living creature is a more won- 
 derful object than any dead statue can be, though of the 
 most precious material and exquisite workmanship ; and 
 that it better represents the wisdom and power of a living 
 spiritual being. AVhatever one may think of the pro- 
 priety of this animal symbolism, it was certainly general 
 in Egypt at a very early period. And men went as nat- 
 urally from such a symbolism to a worship of the sym- 
 bols themselves as they did to sin and death. 
 
 But where, meanwhile, was the priesthood of Amun 
 Re ? Through all these changes among the lower orders 
 the higher Egyptian priesthood held fast the original 
 theory of religion. To them there was still but one God 
 to whom religious worship should be paid, and He should 
 be worshipped without symbol. So they resisted the 
 downward drift — resisted it strongly. But the popular 
 current was too strong for them. And, after long strug- 
 gling against it unsuccessfully, they came by degrees to 
 feel that the lower orders are incapable of worthily grasp- 
 ing and appropriating a strictly spiritual religion — that 
 the gross thoughts and cares and toils amid which their 
 lives are necessarily spent make a grosser form of religion 
 a necessity to them. The heavens are best read and un- 
 derstood from eminences — how can the stars of the higher 
 truth be seen to advantage save from the eminences of 
 human life with their culture and leisure and broad out- 
 
240 THE ARENA. 
 
 look? They cannot. It must not be expected. A spir- 
 itual religion is not for the vulgar. It is too high and 
 sacred for common handling. It were a profanation of 
 the lofty and holy to put them into such hands as hold 
 our plows, work our quarries, and embalm our dead. 
 
 These views at first tolerated, then favored, next em- 
 braced and justified, and finally established as a policy 
 and institution, made two worlds in Egypt, with a great 
 abyss between them, which have continued down to the 
 present time. On the one hand has been the world of 
 Pharaohs, priests and philosophers holding fast the prim- 
 itive religion of Egypt as a sacred Mystery : on the other 
 hand has been a world of peasants and idolaters judged 
 unfit for such high knowledge and carefully excluded 
 from it. 
 
 "Such," continued Seti, "was the Egypt which I 
 found. Such was the policy, solid and venerable with 
 the approval and practice of thousands of years, that I 
 inherited. It was an ungrateful inheritance. I came 
 early to doubt its wisdom and righteousness ; and by the 
 time when power came into my hands I had made up my 
 mind to resist and forsake it just as far and fast as possi- 
 ble. I knew that a sudden change was not wisely possi- 
 ble. I realized that reforms of ancient evils that have 
 become intertwined with the whole structure of society 
 must be carefully and gradually made. Else social con- 
 vulsions will follow. More damage would come from 
 violent and precipitate measures than would come from 
 the evil they attack. With the power of an emperor I 
 could not have wisely abolished the old order of things by 
 edict. 
 
 "All this I felt profoundly. And so when the supreme 
 
THE ARENA. 241 
 
 priesthood came to me, while 1 determined to proceed at 
 " once and thoroughly to the great problem of restoring our 
 religion to its primitive purity among the lower classes, I 
 also determined to proceed cautiously. I labored to 
 change the views of the priesthood already on the stage. 
 As director of all the schools for young priests, I sought 
 to shape their education toward the original order of 
 things. I enlarged as much as possible the number of 
 the initiated in the higher classes. I took pains (how 
 much some of you well know) to impress my views on the 
 young men gathered here for education from all parts of 
 the world — hoping that the truth would filter down 
 through the upper strata into the lower and the lowest. 
 And, further, I have persuaded and instructed the priests 
 who deal directly with the common people to push into 
 the background, more and more, the secondary deities — 
 to bring to the front, more and more, the Supreme One ; 
 and to insist upon it that there be no worship of the 
 symbols of even Him, only of the Being symbolized ; all 
 to prepare the way for withdrawing the symbols them- 
 selves. 
 
 " I may have been too lingering and indirect in my 
 action. Some of my friends think as much. It is not 
 easy to judge in such matters. I would be glad if we 
 could have a Divine Teacher, such as Plato craved, 
 to tell us with authority exactly what to do. But 
 until He comes (if indeed He has not already come) 
 we must take the course that seems to promise the 
 most good with the least harm. Unsuccessful violence 
 on the traditional religious habits of the people would be 
 likely to give us political and social convulsions which 
 would be bad enough : successful violence would be likely 
 
242 THE ARENA. 
 
 to give us general atheism which would be worse. Young 
 men (and his voice grew graver and more emphatic as 
 his eye went searchingly around among the earnest faces). 
 Young men, remember that there is something worse than 
 worshipping Nilus, or the ibis : it is the not loorshipinng 
 
 at all.^^ 
 
 The students now supposed the lecture finished ; but 
 after a silence of a few moments Seti added : 
 
 *' Some of you may feel like asking how this course of 
 mine can consist with the position I hold as head of the 
 Egyptian religion. If an answer to this is not sufficiently 
 implied in what I have said already, let me add that I re- 
 gard myself as being the high-priest of the original relig- 
 ion of Egypt, according to our ancient institutions ; and 
 do not feel bound to the variations from it that have been 
 mistakenly introduced by others. Further, in the course 
 I am pursuing I have the approval of most of those who 
 have always had in charge the religious concerns of the 
 country — the higher priesthood. And still further, I am 
 not chargeable with double-dealing — for, as you will bear 
 me witness, I make no secret of my views and purposes; 
 and my position does not require me to officiate at the 
 worship of any secondary deity, but only at that of Amun 
 Re Himself. Even the symbols of Him under the name 
 of Serapis I do not now use either in public or private. 
 The statue of Him belonging to this temple has not been 
 before the public for a number of years." 
 
 This concluded the lecture. But the young men, too 
 much interested in both the manner and the matter of 
 their teacher to be in any hurry to get away, were still 
 lingering in their seats, when a young man appeared at 
 the door and politely asked their attention. He said that 
 
THE ARENA. 243 
 
 he had been deputed by the Museum to lay a certain com- 
 plaint before them. It appeared that a stranger had been 
 received to student matriculation by the Serapeum with- 
 out actual testing in athletics. This step was certainly 
 very unusual, if not wholly unprecedented ; and the Mu- 
 seum felt obliged to complain of it after a fraternal and 
 gentlemanly fashion, and to ask that the ancient usage of 
 the University may not be violated. 
 
 Publius Cornelius sprang to his feet. " It is, I be- 
 lieve, according to the ancient usage of the University 
 that the examination which satisfies one of its depart- 
 ments shall satisfy the other also. I beg to inform Quin- 
 tius Metellus that we examined the candidate to whom 
 he refers as to athletic matters, and were abundantly sat- 
 isfied with the examination." 
 
 " Still it appears," blandly returned the somewhat 
 foppish and fast looking young Metellus, "that no 
 actual trial of strength and skill was made ; and the Mu- 
 seum cannot but think that if the new-comer is really de- 
 serving of such exceptional treatment he will be willing 
 to content us with an actual instead of an imaginary test- 
 ing in the more advanced athletics. The Museum has 
 presumed on his willingness, and is at this moment pres- 
 ent in a body in your gymnasium awaiting his appear- 
 ance." 
 
 ** This seems to me," began P. Cornelius in a tone 
 just a little tinged with indignation — but Aleph, making 
 a sign to him, interposed: 
 
 "I beg," said he, "that our president will not press 
 his view. I am quite willing to content the Museum, 
 and should be sorry to have any feel that an ancient 
 usage of the University has been unreasonably set aside 
 
244 THE ARENA. 
 
 in my favor. I hope, therefore, that the Serapeum will 
 yield to the wishes of the Museum." 
 
 "This is very satisfactory," returned Q. Metellus. 
 "But I am also instructed to say that inasmuch as the 
 social standing of the new student is unknown to us, it 
 seems to us that the testing should be on the more gen- 
 tlemanly accomplishments. This will throw some light 
 on whether he is entitled to mingle on equal terms 
 with the representatives of the best families of the 
 empire." 
 
 "Nonsense!" exclaimed P. Cornelius. "Use your 
 eyes, Metellus ! " 
 
 But Aleph gravely said, "I do not object to the new 
 proposition of the Museum." 
 
 "One more particular, and I have finished my mis- 
 sion. The Museum also requests that the testing may be 
 by our professional teachers of equestrianism and fence. 
 The testing is likely to be more scientifically done; and 
 if well sustained will be more creditable to the candidate. 
 I hope he will gratify us also in this particular." 
 
 "In this particular also," said Aleph quietly — "as- 
 suming that nothing unfair is intended, and that I shall 
 not be asked to attempt anything which the trainer is 
 not willing to attempt himself." 
 
 "This condition is reasonable — do you accept it?" 
 demanded Cornelius. Receiving a nod of assent, he con- 
 tinued. " Then we will proceed to the gymnasium — un- 
 der 2^rotest, I demur to the whole proceeding. Our new 
 associate is too compliant. The Museum is extravagant 
 and unreasonable. It will bear watching — Gentlemen of 
 the Serapeum! " he exclaimed, after a moment's pause, 
 " I move you that we invite the venerable Seti to accom- 
 
THE ARENA. 245 
 
 pany us to the gymnasium. It will conduce to order and 
 fairness." 
 
 The suggestion was heartily ratified. 
 
 The gymnasium was near. The fair occupants of the 
 latticed gallery already mentioned, and of whose presence 
 some faint signs had appeared during the lecture, had 
 only to remove to the opposite side of the same large 
 room to command as good a view and almost as good a 
 heai'ing of what might pass in the gymnasium as they 
 had been having of the lecture room. Did they remove? 
 Who knows? AVas the Gem of Alexandria, with her 
 lofty brow and shining eyes, among them? Who knows? 
 Certainly not Aleph the Chaldean. 
 
 The large court of the temple had been fitted up for 
 athletic exercises. We need only say in regard to it that 
 it was large enough to inclose a small hippodrome at the 
 centre ; that on the right and left of a broad passage lead- 
 ing down to this from the main entrance were tiers of 
 movable seats rising one above another. Those on the 
 left were already occupied by the Museum in full force 
 when the Serapeum came crowding in and took the seats 
 on the right. Then appeared Seti and took the seat of 
 honor in the middle of the passage. Last of all came P. 
 Cornelius and our two friends. These walked down at 
 once to the edge of the hippodrome, when Cimon took a 
 seat on the right, and Aleph and Cornelius remained 
 standing — 
 
 Before a man, who, a long whip in hand, was holding 
 at full length the rein of a superb looking horse with a 
 riding cloth strapped upon him. 
 
 "What do you wish?" said Aleph to the trainer in 
 equestrianism. 
 
246 THE ARENA. 
 
 (( 
 
 
 
 Handle this Arabian in all ways — mount, trot 
 around the course, canter and gallop, maintain your seat 
 under shouts and the hissing of this whip." 
 
 Has this horse any peculiarities?'' asked Cornelius. 
 This the stranger is to find out for himself," said 
 the trainer gruffly. 
 
 *'The animal has the eye of a demon," continued 
 Cornelius; " and it is agreed between the Museum and us 
 that you, Beco, are not to ask my friend to do what you 
 are not willing to undertake yourself. So I now ask you 
 to mount — in short, do yourself what you ask from him." 
 
 ^' I am here to examine, not to be examined," and 
 the man shrugged his shoulders and tried, unsuccess- 
 fully, to look amused. 
 
 Do you refuse?" demanded Cornelius. 
 I refuse to be tested myself ; I am not a candidate 
 for matriculation," was the surly reply. 
 
 Cornelius looked anxiously around, and seeing the 
 trainer of the Serapeum standing not far away, he beck- 
 oned to him ; and on his approach conferred with him in 
 a low voice for a moment. 
 
 "It is as I thought," he then cried out so that all 
 could hear; "our own equestrian trainer judges this ani- 
 mal to be vicious and dangerous — evidently so dangerous 
 that he would not himself venture to attempt mounting 
 him. I appeal to the University against such unfair- 
 ness ! " 
 
 No notice was taken of this appeal ; for by this time 
 both Serapeum and Museum were watching with breath- 
 less interest the proceedings of Alojih. 
 
 After his first words to the trainer he seemed to take 
 no notice of what others were doing. His whole atten- 
 
THE ARENA. 247 
 
 tion was absorbed by tlie formidable animal before him. 
 Soon he stepped forward to the side of Beco, and stood 
 there for a few moments looking steadily into the flam- 
 ing eyes of the horse. Then he silently took the rein 
 into his hand and motioned Beco with his whip into the 
 background. There they stood alone for a while, con- 
 fronting each other — the soul of the man looking out of 
 his eyes, and the soul of the brute looking out of his — the 
 one calm, confident, masterful ; the other brimful of will- 
 fulness, resistance, determination, passion, and malig- 
 nity. Each of them seemed to be asking the other. 
 Which of us shall be master ? 
 
 Aieph began to draw gently on the rein. The horse 
 showed his teeth, champed his bit, struck the ground 
 fiercely with his forefoot, seemed on the point of spring- 
 ing on his enemy. But Aleph gave not the slightest sign 
 of apprehension. Not the smallest movement that looked 
 toward self -protection was apparent. On the contrary, he 
 advanced a step, and, if possible, his attitude grew firmer, 
 his port more commanding, and his eyes shot out their 
 rays into the brute eyes with a still more confident maj- 
 esty. He saw the fierce eyes before him beginning to 
 soften, to waver. He advanced another step. He laid 
 his hand softly on the thin, quivering nostrils. He 
 began to speak — meanwhile caressing Avith a gentle 
 hand the soft nostril, the long forelock, the tapering 
 ears. 
 
 " You are one of ten thousand — finely formed, power- 
 fully built, full of grace and strength and spirit. A 
 steed for a warrior ! But you are not an Arabian. Par- 
 thia was your mother. And you are as wild as the wild- 
 est of the Parthians. I do not think that you have ever 
 
248 THE ARENA. 
 
 felt the weight of a man. You have been bitted, but 
 never ridden. You have been mismanaged and abused 
 till you think every man an enemy. It is a mistake. 
 You have at last found a friend. Now we understand 
 each other — do we not?" 
 
 The noble head had begun to droop toward the sooth- 
 ing tones when Aleph, putting both arms with the rein 
 over it, drew it gently still lower, patted it, patted the 
 heavy mane, patted the proud arch of the neck, patted 
 the shapely flank, patted the royal curve of the back, 
 patted that royal curve with both hands — a moment more 
 was seated upon it, rein in hand. 
 
 What a bound there was then ! The demon tliat had 
 been cast out came back seven-folded. But the horse 
 seemed to think that he had a demon on his back instead 
 of within him. He sprang into the air with such sud- 
 denness and violence that one would have thought him 
 thunderstruck into a resolution to forsake the earth at 
 once and forever in favor of a higher sphere. Then fol- 
 lowed a rapid succession of pyrotechnic struggles, in 
 which was tried every sort of device and movement, save 
 that of falling, known to a horse, to free himself from 
 his burden. Such mighty wrath ; such desperate and 
 frenzied exertions; such shakings and strikings and kiek- 
 ings and rearings and plungings, and at last such runnings 
 away, had not been seen since the days of Bucepha- 
 lus. But during it all Aleph sat as if a part of the ani- 
 mal, with no strain whatever on the rein, merely watch- 
 fully accommodating himself to the various movements 
 of which he seemed to have some secret intelligence in 
 advance: and when the running began he only used the 
 rein to guide it according to the round of the arena. 
 
THE ARENA. 249 
 
 This was no easy matter — the speed was so great and the 
 round so small. AVhether he would be able to prevent 
 the headlong courser from dashing through the seats oc- 
 cupied by the Museum was so doubtful to those in the 
 front seats that they instinctively made a great outcry 
 and flourish of canes at the flying centaur. This added, 
 if possible^, new wings to the flight : but Aleph so skill- 
 fully combined the use of the rein with limb-pressure 
 and flexions that the round was safely made three times. 
 The quadruped hurricane then stopped of his own accord 
 at the starting point — all in a tremble and covered with 
 foam. 
 
 Aleph sprang from his back, caught up a large cloth 
 that lay near, gently wiped off the sweat from the trem- 
 bling animal, patted and stroked and soothed him with 
 hand and voice till he ceased to tremble. 
 
 Then taking his stand a little in front, he beckoned 
 and called. The horse instantly walked up to him. He 
 laid his hand on the mane, both hands ; they grew heavier 
 and heavier, and still the animal stood motionless. A 
 moment more and Aleph was again mounted and pacing 
 slowly around the course. Arrived at the starting point, 
 he again dismounted, tightened the band that confined 
 the riding cloth, and then in a very leisurely way re- 
 sumed his seat. 
 
 **]Srow, friend Parthia, shall we trot?" A gentle 
 shake of the rein and Parthia trotted around the course 
 with a free and stately action. 
 
 ' ' Now, friend Parthia, shall we see what you can do 
 in the way of the ornamental? '' By this time the steed 
 had recovered his strength and spirit ; and in perfect 
 obedience to rein and foot he curveted and pranced and 
 
250 THE ARENA. 
 
 caracoled about the arena after a most wonderful fashion. 
 But the greatest wonder was not the horse, but the horse- 
 man. Such unaffected simplicity, ease, and repose of 
 manner ! With what grace and even majesty he carried 
 himself! As he went his last round with the sunshine 
 on his royal face and the steed stepping as proudly under 
 him as if he knew that he carried a royal burden — ah, 
 such a shout went up from Serapeum and Museum both ! 
 Aleph happened to look up and lo, on one side of the 
 arena, high up in the Serapeum, latticed windows were 
 all open and bright faces and forms were leaning out 
 waving snowy veils. The ladies of Alexandria, relying 
 on the absorption of the students, and perhaps forgetting 
 themselves in the intense interest of the scene, had grad- 
 ually pushed the lattice aside for the sake of a better 
 view : and when Aleph looked up and saw them he saw 
 also a bouquet of flowers in the air, and a fair hand that 
 had just parted with it, and a glorious face that he knew 
 behind the hand. The horse sprang to meet the descend- 
 ing token; and as Aleph caught it in his hand, he, as 
 gallant knights should always do, bowed low, even to the 
 horse's mane. 
 
 "Who owns this animal, thou villain?" exclaimed 
 Cornelius, with some fire in his voice and more in his 
 eyes, to the trainer. 
 
 The man tapped the ground uneasily with his whip, 
 and was silent. 
 
 Turning to the students, Cornelius cried, " Whoever 
 was the owner of this horse when he came here has for- 
 feited his claim. Let us declare it forfeited to the Uni- 
 versity, and present the aiiimal to Aleph, the Chaldean, 
 to be kept at our expense ; and if the original owner dares 
 
THE ARENA. 251 
 
 to claim him let iis prosecute the wretch before the courts 
 for intent to kill one of us." 
 
 Said Metellus, *' I approve of that. It seems to me 
 that it would be a crime against society to reward the 
 man for his crime by replacing a horse worth considerably 
 less than nothing by one worth a thousand gold staters. 
 May I ask what the venerable Seti thinks?" 
 
 The venerable Seti thought that under the circum- 
 stances the horse had a right to choose his own master — 
 that in fact he had already chosen, and chosen well. He 
 should have free keeping in the stalls of the Serapeum as 
 long as his master should choose. 
 
 The students ratified lustily. 
 
 In the meantime Aleph had dismounted and stood 
 holding the rein over one arm, while the other was thrown 
 caressingly over the arched neck of the horse. As he 
 gave the rein to a servant of the Serapeum who now pre- 
 sented himself he said : 
 
 "I am glad if the Museum regards the trial thus far 
 08 satisfactory. But there remains another trial to which 
 they have asked me to submit — that by their teacher of 
 fence. For this I am now ready" — and the flowers which 
 till now he had held in his hand he secured under his 
 girdle. 
 
 Then up spake Cornelius again. " I cannot but 
 think that the Museum is thoroughly satisfied already 
 with the justice of our matriculation. And to ask a 
 young man after such exertions as we have seen to pit 
 himself against a fresh man and a famous professional 
 seeme to me wonderfully unreasonable. Besides, what 
 has occurred suggests the idea of bad faith somewhere. 
 ^Of course the Museum does not mean anything of the 
 
252 THE ARENA. 
 
 sort ; hut in my opinion they are being made tools of by 
 somebody who has a deadly purpose to serve. Unless 
 Draco of Rhodes is a better and fairer man than Beco the 
 Roman, he can be hired to commit a murder.'^ 
 
 "It must be confessed/' said Q. Metellus, who had 
 come forward and was now standing by the side of Cor- 
 nelius, "that the Museum has made but a sorry show 
 here to-day, either as a tool or worse; and I should not 
 much blame P. Cornelius if he had taken a worse view of 
 us than he does. We have had a most instructive time, 
 but no thanks to the Museum for it. We were trapi^ed 
 into it. For my part I disclaim all fellowship with Beco 
 and his proceedings ; and if I could think it possible that 
 another such scoundrel could be found attached to the 
 Museum I should be tempted to forsake it for cleaner 
 quarters. If I should wish the examination to proceed 
 further it would be solely for the purpose of vindicating 
 our good name and showing that Beco is the only devil 
 among us." 
 
 On this arose another young man among the benches 
 of the Museum who commended in a general sort of way 
 the remarks of Metellus ; but then said that the Museum 
 had formally taken the ground that it was not proper to 
 take any accomplishment for granted, saving as the 
 higher includes the lower. It would not only be incon- 
 sistent but an unfortunate precedent should they leave 
 the testing incomplete. To be sure, the young man who 
 calls himself Aleph the Chaldean has borne himself well 
 thus far ; still he might wholly fail under the remaining 
 test. Certainly the Museum, however well satisfied at 
 present, would be better satisfied if the whole plan 
 agreed upon should be carried out. He did not antici- 
 
THE ARENA. 253 
 
 pate another Beco in Draco. No doubt Draco would be 
 forbearing with the young man, and would only tax him 
 enough to make a reasonable trial of his skill in the gen- 
 tlemanly art of fence. For this purpose no dangerous 
 weapons need be used — only the open hands. As the 
 candidate did not seem to be at all worn by what he had 
 done, let him have a chance to win new laurels from 
 Draco of Ehodes. 
 
 Some of the Museum applauded. 
 
 " But Euphemes of Corinth should consider/' began 
 P. Cornelius; but Aleph laid his hand on his arm and 
 said, '^Excuse me, my friend." 
 
 Then turning toward the Museum, he added in a voice 
 that had in it a touch of humor as well as several touches 
 of decision, " I beg that the Museum may be gratified by 
 the complete carrying out of the plan they have pro- 
 posed. I do not ask for exceptions in my favor, either 
 from my fellow students or from your teacher of fence. 
 Let him do his best — provided he deal fairly and honor- 
 ably." 
 
 This settled the matter, though Cornelius and some 
 others, especially of the Serapeum, looked and muttered 
 discontent. "It is too bad. Talk of fairness and honor 
 in connection with such a desperado as Draco! Depend 
 upon it there is some wickedness in the wind. When 
 such a fellow comes to the front the gods retire." 
 
 And he tvas a formidable figure to look at, as he pre- 
 sented himself in the arena. A man of unusual stature 
 and weight, with prodigious muscular development about 
 the arms and chest, but without obesity and with every 
 appearance of activity as well as of strength. His face 
 was the worst part of him — shaggy, coarse, hard, cruel, 
 
354 THE ARENA. 
 
 with protuberant blood-shot eyes out of which looked all 
 the passions save fear and pity — the whole made more re- 
 pulsive by a large swelling on one cheek which Aleph 
 well understood. 
 
 To this forbidding figure Aleph walked down (fol- 
 lowed at a little distance by Cornelius and Metellus) and 
 stood before him with folded arms and investigating eyes. 
 
 Draco proceeded to pass his hands across the shoul- 
 ders and chest of the young man ; felt of his arms ; took 
 their length; inspected his hands; stood off a little dis- 
 tance to observe the limbs and general build. 
 
 ''Very well to begin upon. I think I could make 
 something of you. Not quite enough like Mars, how- 
 ever." Then, taking the attitude of a boxer, he said, 
 *' Now deliver some blows at me with your open hand." 
 
 Aleph made certain strokes which were more remark- 
 able for the freedom and grace with which they were de- 
 livered than for anything else, and which Draco found 
 no difficulty in parrying. None of them were aimed at 
 the face ; but once the low stroke was so struck up by 
 Draco in the parrying that the hand touched the swollen 
 cheek. Draco's eyes flashed. 
 
 In this preliminary bout it became evident to Aleph, 
 from the force and direction of the parrying, that Draco 
 was aiming to disable as well as to parry. His wards 
 were strokes — his defense an attack. 
 
 "Now take your turn at parry," said Draco with a 
 subtle menace lurking in both eye and voice. 
 
 Aleph saw that the time had come when he would 
 need all his watchfulness. He erected himself to a fuller 
 stature. His feet and limbs set themselves into new 
 firmness. His eye took on new openness and intensity 
 
THE ARENA. 255 
 
 without losing anything of its characteristic repose. He 
 had hardly made this instinctive preparation before the 
 blows began to come — at first with some show of tenta- 
 tiveness and moderation, but, as they were warded off, 
 they returned with ever increasing heat and force, and 
 gradually came to be aimed exclusively at the head. 
 Now it was the mouth, now the eye, now the temple. 
 He seemed bent on at least marring the manly beauty be- 
 fore him, and which contrasted so strangely with his own 
 coarse and brutal features. Gradually the open palm be- 
 came the knotted fist. Gradually the knotted fist came 
 as fast and fiercely as the whole passionate force of the 
 man could wield it. 
 
 Through the whole of this impetuous hail storm, 
 Aleph kept strictly on the defensive. His whole w^ork 
 was parrying. Was not this in the bond? Of course his 
 hands were full of occupation — his feet also when Draco 
 began to shift positions and at length attacked him on 
 whatever side and from whatever direction he could. 
 Aleph hardly had time to wonder at the headlong ferocity 
 of the storm that was discharging itself upon him. 
 
 ^^Stopf cried Cornelius. ''This is fighting, not 
 examining. Sto]) / I say — this is intolerable." 
 
 But Draco paid no attention. The glare of a tiger 
 was in his eyes. His face was that of a fiend. 
 
 ''Shall 1 quit the defensive?" inquired Aleph in a 
 low voice to Cornelius and Metellus — as he gained a mo- 
 ment's respite by a spring to one side. 
 
 " Do so ! " they both exclaimed. " He means to kill 
 you.'' 
 
 Then was a sight worth seeing. Then the youth 
 fairly awoke. Then his whole frame began to work with 
 
256 THE ARENA. 
 
 the yiipreme grace and force of some mighty machine. It 
 was Apollo turned to Mars, or rather to Jupiter Tonans 
 himself — so wonderfully sovereign and commanding be- 
 came his aspect. And perhaps the most impressive thing 
 about it was the mysterious repose and utter self-posses- 
 sion that sat on thrones in every feature. 
 
 Compared with his movements now, all his former 
 ones were mere pastime. It was sublime to see such a 
 face, such a figure, such a blending of all the poetries of 
 expression and motion. He still parried, but every parry 
 was followed by a blow delivered. Swifter and stronger 
 flew that young hand. He, too, could be swift and 
 mighty — he, too, could press, now on this side and now 
 on that, and again, seemingly, on all sides at once. And 
 yet his breathing was unhurried — there seemed in him 
 endless reserves of strength and battle. 
 
 ''Immortal gods! how he handles himself,^' ex- 
 claimed young men as they stood on their benches and 
 watched breathlessly. 
 
 Almost as soon as the defensive became the aggress- 
 ive, a severe stroke on his swollen cheek warned Draco 
 that he must begin to look to self-preservation. He 
 could no longer give his whole attention to assault. He 
 became vividly sensible of the great change that had 
 taken place in the aspect and bearing of his antagonist. 
 He saw how cool and collected he was — how perfectly 
 master of himself. The sight angered him, made him 
 furious. He would have given his life for one fair de- 
 molishing stroke on the young man on whom as yet he 
 had not been able to fasten a single bruise. But scant 
 time had he now for even such flashes of thinking. He 
 had all he could do to ward off the blows that came so 
 
THE ARENA. 257 
 
 mightily and swiftly, and yet with a certain deliberate 
 terribleness and ease that seemed to say that such could 
 be delivered forever. Soon another blow passed his ward 
 and reached the cheek hitherto untouched. But it was 
 with the palm of the hand. Was Aleph affecting to be 
 forbearing and merciful to him who had never given 
 mercy nor needed it? Was he, like some perverse boy, 
 being cuffed into good behavior? The thought was in- 
 tolerable. That a youngster of a score of summers 
 should be sparing him— conquering him with even some- 
 thing less than his utmost, was agony. And yet that was 
 what everybody could now see was bound to happen. It 
 was plain to see that Draco was waning and that Aleph 
 was waxing. The sweat was dropping freely from the 
 face of the one ; the brow of the other was not percepti- 
 bly moist. Spectators could see that the young man 
 often voluntarily neglected advantages that the passion 
 and precipitation of his adversary gave him, and was 
 seeking to close the contest with as little damage and 
 mortification to him as possible. After one of these plain 
 forbearances he said to Draco in a low voice : 
 
 ''Need this go on? Say that you are satisfied with 
 the examination and we will stop just here. You have 
 for some time been in my power." 
 
 For answer the infuriated man leaped at him with the 
 expression of a fiend, and tried to throw his arms about 
 him and bear him to the ground. So sudden and violent 
 was the movement that Aleph eluded it with some diffi- 
 culty; but he did it, and, in passing, dealt the ill-bal- 
 anced man a blow that felled him to the ground. He lay 
 motionless. 
 
 "He is not injured— only stunned," said Aleph to 
 
258 THE ARENA. 
 
 Cornelius and Metellus as they came up. They looked at 
 the speaker and wondered. Not a blow a])peared to have 
 reached him. There was no visible disarrangement of his 
 dress even. The flowers at his girdle were still in place. 
 And the supremely cool and masterful look that had pre- 
 sided through the whole contest was still sitting in full 
 glory on its throne. 
 
 The issue had been anticipated by the students for 
 some time ; but their breathless interest in watching the 
 conflict had kept them from any general vocal expression. 
 But now there was such an uproar — such a waving of 
 canes and caps, such stamping and clapping and lung- 
 rending huzzaing as a thousand frenzied young men could 
 make, and such as the old Serapeum had not known for 
 many a day, if ever. Did Seti make any effort to sup- 
 press or moderate? Not he. Some even go so far as to 
 say that he was seen unconsciously keeping time to the 
 uproar with his foot. Others say (and I am disposed to 
 think they are right) that he sat as motionless as the 
 statue of Memnon, sat as if in a dream, till the tumult 
 had somewhat subsided. Then he held up his hand. Si- 
 lence at once reigned. 
 
 "Young men of the Museum! I cannot think that 
 any considerable number of you have been knowingly con- 
 cerned in this conspiracy. Were it otherwise it would be 
 to the eternal disgrace of the "University, and especially 
 of your part of it. I prefer to think, and do think, that 
 you have been victims. You could not have supposed 
 that it was intended to assail the very life of a young man 
 under pretense of testing his athletic accomplishments. 
 You have been misled and deceived by somebody. I leave 
 you to find out who inspired and contrived this whole 
 
THE ARENA. 259 
 
 thing. It is necessary for your good name. And I shall 
 not wonder if you decline henceforth to have anything to 
 do with these two professional trainers who have allowed 
 themselves to be used for murderous purposes. 
 
 " Perhaps some, if not all, of you have thought it 
 strange that I did not interfere to break off this contest 
 when its true character became plain. I was on the point 
 of doing so several times : but as I looked at the young 
 man I seemed to see in his whole bearing such abundant 
 promise of a successful issue that I felt it would be a 
 wrong to all of you young men to keep from you an in- 
 spiring example, and a wrong to him to keep him from 
 the honor to which he is so justly entitled." 
 
 '* The venerable Seti is right," cried Metellus. " We 
 of the Museum are no better than we should be; 
 but we are not sunk so low as to take part in a plot 
 against the life or limb of a stranger who has done us no 
 harm — much less against a member of our own Univer- 
 sity. We have been imposed upon. We supposed that 
 nothing but a reasonable and safe testing was intended : 
 we even supposed that less danger would attend it under 
 our trainers than would naturally belong to an emulative 
 contest between students. 
 
 " It would be a farce for me," he continued, " to ask 
 the Museum to vote as to whether the examination of the 
 candidate has been satisfactory. There is not one of us 
 but would throw his cap to the moon in token of ap- 
 proval. Of course we adopt the hero into the Museum 
 by a thunder of silent acclamation. We have seen some- 
 thing to-day to tell to the old folks at home — something 
 to tell to our children," he added smiling. And then 
 with a graver face and a graver tone he went on, *'And 
 
2G0 THE ARENA. 
 
 somehow I feel as if I should go away from this place a 
 truer and worthier man for what we have seen to-day. I 
 had heard of magnanimity before ; to-day I have seen it. 
 And I like it. Heroism is good, but heroism with right- 
 eousness is better. I see that it is possible to come down 
 on a great deed, which is even better than rising to 
 meet it. 
 
 " But though the Museum does not need to vote ap- 
 proval of Aleph the Chaldean (what a ridiculous thing it 
 would be!), I think we owe it to ourselves to act on the 
 suggestion of the venerable Seti ; to express formally our 
 condemnation of these villains (the one lying here where 
 he ought to lie, and the other standing yonder dangling 
 a whip which ought to make many a weal across his own 
 back) and their prompters, whoever they may be. Have 
 we any further • need of the services of trainers who are 
 themselves trained by the infernals? I think not. 
 Those agreeing with me will stretch out their hands." 
 
 As far as Metellus could see, every right hand was 
 lifted. 
 
 What congratulations were showered on Aleph, how 
 cordial and admiring both Serapeum and Museum seemed, 
 how profuse the latter were in their disclaimers and 
 apologies and promises to unearth the whole plot, and 
 how modestly Aleph carried himself under it all, I will 
 not attempt to set down in detail. 
 
 " Come with me," said Seti to oar friends, as the stu- 
 dents broke up, "and I will show you your new quar- 
 ters." On the way they told him of their arrangement 
 to meet Mains at the khan in the evening, but promised 
 to return immediately after to the Serapeum. At the 
 door of their apartments a servant met them and said to 
 
THE ARENA. 261 
 
 the priest that his granddaughter was in her sedan at the 
 gate and wished to see him. Would he come at once? 
 She was looking very pale and ill. Seti at once threw 
 open the door, bade them enter and be at home, and has- 
 tened after the servant. 
 
 He did not appear again that day. Very likely he 
 went home with Rachel. And very likely Aleph would 
 have followed in the course of the afternoon, had not Ci- 
 mon happened to mention that he overheard a student 
 saying that news had just come that the emperor had 
 asked the daughter of the Alabarch in marriage for his 
 nephew and heir Germanicus, and that the visit of the 
 Alabarch to Rome had reference to this overture. *' Per- 
 haps," added Cimon, "this is what has disturbed her." 
 
 " She would never marry a pagan," said Aleph decid- 
 edly. 
 
 " Perhaps Germanicus is such a pagan as her grand- 
 father," returned Cimon. "He is said to be a very 
 promising young man, and the son of excellent parents ; 
 and no doubt the Jewish elders will be greatly in favor of 
 an alliance that promises to secure and advance their in- 
 terests so greatly. They will remember Queen Esther." 
 
 Aleph made no answer — unless the silent one of draw- 
 ing out the knot of flowers from his girdle and setting 
 them carefully with water in a vase which he had discov- 
 ered in the room. But luas this an answer? If so, it 
 certainly was not a very clear one. Did it say No to Ci- 
 mon? Did it say that his suggestions were not as weighty 
 as they might be? Did it merely say that the rare and 
 lovely flowers were worth preserving for a day or two on 
 their own account — whether they came from a future em- 
 press of Rome or not? Or did the heart of the young 
 
262 THE ARENA. 
 
 man really speak in the act without consulting his judg- 
 ment — as hearts sometimes do? I am at a loss. Such 
 Delphic conduct is very embarrassing. Why will people 
 put interpreters to so much trouble? If I had been Aleph 
 I would have — but no matter what I would have done. 
 What does the public care? 
 
XI. 
 
 THE TREMBLING. 
 
 KpeiGGov (5f voaeiv j] depaneveiv. 
 
 — Euripides, Hipp. 177. 
 Better to be sick than to act the part of a nurse. 
 
1. How coialdL yoxx ! 
 
 2. Ivazartis, come fortln ! 
 
 3. Empress of the W^est? 
 
 4. Sympattietic advice. 
 
XI. 
 
 THE TREMBLING. 
 
 SETI found Rachel sitting in her sedan and looking 
 more like collapsed alabaster than a human being — 
 her eyes closed^, every trace of color gone from her cheek, 
 and yet with an expression that told of a desperate strug- 
 gle for self-mastery. 
 
 She opened her eyes as she felt Seti's hand on her arm. 
 
 '*^ grandfather, how coitlcl you allow that dreadful 
 combat to go on ! ^^ 
 
 " What, have you then been a witness of it all ? I 
 had forgotten that it was possible. My poor child — it 
 was indeed too much for any lady, save a Roman accus- 
 tomed to a Roman arena ! " 
 
 " I had no idea of what was coming when I went over 
 to the other side of the gallery with the rest. And they 
 pressed me to the best window for seeing and hearing : 
 once there I was under a spell. I could not tear myself 
 away. I felt obliged to see and hear though I died in the 
 act. Every sense was acute beyond anything I can re- 
 member. Oh how I suffered at the earlier stages of that 
 last conflict ! It seemed as if I could neither stay nor get 
 away. It was awful. I was amazed that my companions 
 did not seem to mind the scene as I did. Why did you 
 not interfere ? " 
 
2G6 THE TREMBLING. 
 
 " I liardly understand why, myself. But probably it 
 was the confidence which the whole bearing of the young 
 man, and his superb physique, in which he surpasses all I 
 have ever known — probably it was the confidence that 
 these inspired that he would be more than equal to the 
 occasion. Still, now that it is all over, I wonder at my- 
 self somewhat." 
 
 ^' But suppose that brute of a horse, or that greater 
 brute of a man, had killed him ? I shudder to think of 
 it. I had no idea that anything could have shaken me 
 so.^^ She closed her eyes and involuntarily trembled. 
 
 "But," she added in a moment, " this is not all. I 
 received this morning from my mother a letter which 
 moved me greatly and perhaps unfitted me to bear the 
 scene in the palaestra as well as did the other young ladies. 
 Between the two I feel too weak to go home alone : be- 
 sides, I want your counsel. Can you not go with me?" 
 
 Seti went with her. 
 
 The following is a copy of the letter — omitting the 
 usual epistolary preliminaries — which Seti read and pon- 
 dered that afternoon : 
 
 '' My dear Rachel, you know how little I thought of 
 remaining in Jerusalem till now. But our relative Nico- 
 demus has been urgent, and such great things have been 
 happening here that I have felt more like sending for you 
 and your father to come to me than like returning home. 
 
 " My dear daughter, you doubtless have wondered that 
 hitherto I have said so little in my letters of Jesus of 
 Nazareth (as he is called here), though you have seemed 
 so anxious to hear about him. The fact is that the ideas 
 of the Messiah to which I have been accustomed and 
 which are held by the chief people here, have made it 
 
THE TREMBLING. 2G7 
 
 hard for me to feel my way to a definite and settled 
 opinion ; and I have been unwilling to write much on a 
 subject in regard to which my mind was in so confused 
 and uncertain a state. But I have at last — after much 
 prayer, and much study of the prophets, and much in- 
 quiry of credible witnesses, as well as some seeing with 
 my own eyes — come to see my way clearly. Yes, my dear 
 daughter, I do indeed feel sure at last that Jesus is our 
 long-expected Messiah. If the proofs of this which he 
 furnishes are not sufficient it seems impossible to ^^I'ove 
 anything. Even Moses himself did not more clearly estab- 
 lish his Divine mission. 
 
 '' Nicodemus has helped me not a little. He is a very 
 cautious man — I think somewhat too cautious and slow ; 
 as is not unnatural to one who has so much to lose — but 
 at home he makes no secret of his conviction that it is 
 impossible to account for the wonderful deeds of Jesus 
 save on the supj)osition that God is with him. I hope 
 this influential man will soon get courage to speak out. 
 
 'MVhen I came here I found the realitv of Jesus's 
 miracles admitted ; and, after I had learned the character 
 of his life and teaching, I did not see how they could be 
 accounted for reasonably by the magical art and evil 
 spirits. But I have lately fallen in with some of his dis- 
 ciples, and especially with some friends of his at Bethany, 
 who have given me a more clear and connected view of 
 his doings and teachings than I had before. At Bethany 
 I met the mother of Jesus — a wonderful woman, whom to 
 see and hear is to believe. In answer to my inquiries, she 
 told of the strangest possible events preceding and fol- 
 lowing the birth of Jesus — of an angelic annunciation, of 
 a Divine conception, of the birth at Bethlehem, of shep- 
 
268 THE TREMBLINCx. 
 
 herds sent by a glory of angels to worship the child, of a 
 caravan of princes from the far east who came, star- 
 guided,- to do him homage, of a flight to Egypt, of their 
 return on the death of Herod to live at Nazareth in Gali- 
 lee till Jesus was thirty years old, of how good and holy 
 he was during all those years, so that she never saw a fault 
 in him, though much that was mysterious. She had some- 
 times felt oppressed by the mystery which always hung 
 about him like a silver veil, but through which occasion- 
 ally struggled gleams of a Divine majesty and power. As 
 time rolled on, and the child had long since become the 
 mature man, she wondered that so many years were al- 
 lowed to pass before his making any public movement. 
 But she knew that it would come in due time : God would 
 be as good as His word ; such preparations and heralding 
 would not be an idle flourish and make-believe. Then 
 she went on to tell me about his forerunner and baptism 
 and first miracle near three years ago ; and of the many 
 miracles she had seen since. While listening to his teach- 
 ing, she had been quite as much astonished at his wisdom 
 as she had been at his power. It was a very strange feel- 
 ing the mother had when she found herself looking up to 
 her son as being immeasurably above her in everything. 
 Still she rejoiced in the fact with a sort of awful joy. 
 
 *' As she told me all these things there was so much 
 simplicity and truthfulness, as well as intelligence, shin- 
 ing in her face and whole manner, that I could not l)ut 
 accept her testimony. Then how I wanted to see him! 
 This I had never done until a few days ago. And it was 
 
 in this way : 
 
 " Have I said that the house in Bethany where I saw 
 Mary the mother of Jesus was the house of one Lazarua 
 

 THE TREMBLING. 269 
 
 and liis two sisters ? One day when I was there Lazarus 
 comphiined of feeling unwell. The sisters, Mary and 
 Martha, did some trifling thing for him and thought no 
 more of it. But, instead of improving, he grew worse. A 
 leech was called in. Still the brother grew worse. Day 
 by day the shadows deepened, until at last the leech him- 
 self confessed that he could do no more. Then the sisters 
 said, * Though the leeches cannot help Lazarus, there is 
 one who can ; ' and they immediately sent oif a messenger 
 to Jesus, who was then in Galilee. Day after day passed 
 and still no Jesus came. Meanwhile the sick man pined 
 and wasted, and the home and hearts grew darker and 
 darker, and at last the leech said there was no hope. No, 
 no hope in him, or such as he, but still hope in Jesus that 
 he would bring or send help. Can it be that he will suf- 
 fer his friend to die ? — he who has cured all sorts of dis- 
 eases for all sorts of persons with whom he had no special 
 tie ? — I was there and saw the struggle between hope and 
 despair : saw despair finally triumph as last words were 
 spoken, as the breath came gaspingly, as the light faded 
 from the eye and the pulse from the wrist and — he was 
 gone. Close his eyes, friends ; straighten out the stiff- 
 ening limbs ; let the mourning women come ! Lazarus 
 is dead — dead. 
 
 '' The sisters gave themselves up to their grief. They 
 refused to be comforted. They could not understand that 
 dreadful silence. Had the seemingly inexhaustible foun- 
 tains of power and helpfulness really given out ? At all 
 events, all was now over. Nothing remained but to bury 
 their dead, and wait with streaming eyes and broken 
 hearts for their own turns to come. And the sooner they 
 should come the better. 
 
.X 
 
 270 THE TRExMBLING. 
 
 '* So tlie dead was buried, the lament made, and the 
 sisters sat down with despair for companion in a liome 
 wliere midnight had come in pUice of midday. Some of us 
 sat with them as much as we could— holding their hands in 
 silent sympathy. What could words do in such a case ! 
 We answered their groans with a pressure of the hand. 
 AVe followed their tears with our own. Every now and 
 then, amid their tears and groans, they exclaimed, 'If 
 he had been here our brother had not died— had not 
 
 died.' 
 
 ^'S© three days wore away — carrying with them what 
 little was left of the light in their eyes and the color in 
 their cheeks. On the fourth day, while I was sitting 
 with them, some one came in and whispered to Martha. 
 She at once rose and hastened out. But Mary sat still- 
 not even appearing to notice the departure of her sister. 
 So we continued sitting. But it was not long before Mar- 
 tha returned with flurried haste, and with an expression 
 on her face that seemed like the first faint gray of dawn 
 on the edge of a black bank of clouds. Mary started up 
 at a whisper from her, and with something of the same 
 expression on her face followed her out. We followed, 
 too ; for we thought that our sympathetic presence at the 
 grave where we supposed they were going might still be 
 helpful to the stricken sisters. 
 
 *' And now, my dear daughter, prepare to read some- 
 thing wonderful. My hand trembles as I proceed to 
 write it ; and sometimes when I have thought of it such 
 an awe has come over me that I could not have then 
 written at all. But my nerves are now steadier. Be- 
 hold what happened ! 
 
 ^' As we neared the cave where Lazarus had been laid 
 
THE TREMBLING. 271 
 
 away, we saw a group of men. Mary darted forward and 
 threw herself at the feet of one of them. Then I under- 
 stood it all. Jesus and his disciples had at last come. I 
 did not need to hear her say, ' Lord, if thou hadst been 
 here my brother had not died ; ' for, as I looked with all 
 my eyes of both body and mind on the face that was look- 
 ing down so compassionately on the weeping woman, I 
 saw at once the original of the picture that his mother 
 had made for me. I never had seen such a face. I do 
 not expect ever to see another like it. I do not speak of 
 its beauty, though beauty was not wanting ; nor of its 
 majesty, though majesty was not wanting ; but of a mys- 
 terious something that seemed to lie back of and shine 
 dimly through the comeliness and the kingliness — a power 
 behind the throne greater than the throne itself ; more 
 beautiful than the beauty, more majestic than the maj- 
 esty ; a certain something so pure, so wise, so mighty, 
 and yet so loving and pitiful, that Divinity himself seemed 
 looking through the windows of flesh. This was how he 
 seemed to me. It may be that he does not make the same 
 impression on all ; indeed, I know that he does not. And 
 even to me, while I looked, there was a sensible coming 
 and going of the Divine expression — like a rapid flowing 
 and ebbing on the strand of a boundless sea of mingled 
 fire and foam. Nay, while I was absorbed in watching 
 him the Infinite seemed to sweep back and back, and at 
 last disappeared altogether — leaving nothing but the 
 purely human. But oh, what a human ! The sands laid 
 bare were pure gold. So gentle, so tender, so sympathetic 
 as his tearful eyes rested on the tearful peoj^le — a fright- 
 ened dove or hind would have taken refuge in his bosom. 
 Mary evidently took refuge there. 
 
272 THE TREMBLING. 
 
 " MV'here liave you laid liiin ?^ said the most sympa- 
 thetic voice iu the world. 
 
 " ^Come and see/ said the sisters ; and led the way to 
 one of the tombs close by. The cave was wrought into 
 the brow of a hill, and was closed by a door against which 
 rested a large stone. 
 
 " ^Take away the stone/ said Jesus ; and as he sj^ake 
 I seemed to see the Infinite coming back into his face with 
 a mighty rush and completely covering the merely human 
 out of sight. 
 
 ^'^We were breathless with expectation. 
 
 '^ He stood for a moment with eyes uplifted and lips 
 that moved — as if communing with the sky. Then, in 
 a voice that had in it such a commanding quality, such a 
 tone of unquestioned and unquestionable supremacy as I 
 had never before noticed in any voice, and which seemed 
 able to speak a world out of nothing, he cried : 
 
 " ' Lazarus, come forth ! ' 
 
 " Would the dead hear ? I knew he would hear. The 
 voice itself jiredicted a resurrection ; and I felt in every 
 fibre of my being that almightiness was present and fail- 
 ure impossible. And yet how intently I gazed on the 
 door of that tomb — how intently I listened for some sound 
 from within ! He scarcely had done speaking, when, sure 
 enough, there was within the cave a stir, a rustle, a step. 
 Another moment and the heavy door swung open, as of 
 itself, and a man in grave-clothes appeared. The swath- 
 ing bands were still about his hands and feet — the napkin 
 was still about his face. 
 
 " ' Loose him and let him go ! ' bade Jesus. 
 
 ''The people obeyed, and lo, our friend Lazarus of 
 old ! Not the fever-stricken, delirium-haunted, emaci- 
 
THE TREMBLING. 273 
 
 ated Lazarus of a few days ago, who could not have stood 
 on his feet without being wholly supported ; but the Laz- 
 arus of his best days, able to go and come and do with 
 the best. Also, looking as he did then, but with a differ- 
 ence. The mystery of the unseen was in his face. He 
 seemed in possession of vast secrets. With this was a look, 
 first of bewilderment and surprise, then of recognition — 
 recognition of him whose potential word had brought him 
 back to the world. He knelt at the feet of Jesus, and 
 kissed his hand — as men do homage to their king. His 
 King had come. 
 
 "Any doubt whether the death was real ? Not to those 
 who, like myself, had seen the sick man decline from day 
 to day until the last feeble breath was drawn and the 
 body grew cold and stiff. Not to those who j^repared the 
 body for burial and carried it forth to the tomb. Not to 
 those who stood by the cave-mouth when the door swung 
 back, four days after ; nor to those who took off from the 
 living man the cerements of the dead. The smell of 
 death could not be mistaken. No, there is no doubt. 
 
 '^ Since then I have seen Jesus several times, and liave 
 talked with him. And I* hnoiv that he is our Messiah. 
 Would that you and your grandfather and all the dear 
 family could see and hear him too ! I feel that you all 
 would, and must, judge as I do. Both my eyes and my 
 lieart recognize him. I seem to know him by a new 
 internal sense. 
 
 *' Not so, however, our chief men. He does not impress 
 them as he does me. They are getting exceedingly bitter 
 against him. Every new wonder increases their exasper- 
 ation. I am ashamed to say it — but I have no doubt 
 that they would gladly take his life. It must be that 
 
274 THE TREMBLING. 
 
 they are judicially blinded ; or, if not, that an evil mood 
 of the heart and will wonderfully hinders perce2)tion in 
 religious matters. 
 
 '' I would like to say more ; but I hope to see you soon, 
 and to make you a joyful sharer of my faith by a fuller 
 account of what I have seen and heard. 
 
 " But what is this that I hear ? Hints come to me 
 almost daily about you and the great alliance. And yet 
 you said nothing about it in your last. Just before he 
 left for Eome, your father wrote me that the emperor had 
 made proposals for you in behalf of his nephew and heir ; 
 and that this was partly the occasion of his going to Rome. 
 I hope that you will speak freely in your next. I can see 
 what great advantage to our joeople, not to say to all 
 peoples, might come from such an alliance ; especially as 
 I hear the best things said of the young Caesar. He is 
 said to be like his excellent father. Is it possible that a 
 daughter of mine will become more than a second 
 Esther ? " 
 
 Such was the letter — omitting the usual formalities of 
 beginning and ending. While Seti was reading it, Rachel 
 kept her eyes fastened anxiously on his face — especially 
 as he approached the end. When at last he looked up, 
 she came and stood before him and put a hand on each 
 shoulder and looked beseechingly into his eyes. 
 
 '^ Grandfather, had you known of this before?*^ 
 
 Seti slowly bowed his head. 
 
 '^ Why did not my father tell me ? " 
 
 '^Perhaps he did not want to agitate you unneces- 
 sarily — perhaps he wanted to see the young man and 
 make inquiries about him, and learn more fully from the 
 emperor himself all that was implied in the proposals 
 
THE TREMBLING. 275 
 
 before allowing you to be troubled with the matter. You 
 see it was possible that such inquiries might show it best 
 to decline the oifer without its coming before you at 
 all.'^ 
 
 *^ Grandfather, let it never come before me. In ad- 
 vance, I put it away from me with both hands." And 
 then suddenly : " Do you think father would be willing to 
 sacrifice me, I do not say to ambition, for I know him 
 incapable of that, but to what he thinks to be the inter- 
 ests of his people ? " 
 
 '^ I think,'' said Seti slowly, '^that he might be will- 
 ing to sacrifice himself for such an object, but would feel 
 that he has no right to sacrifice you. Sacrifices of this 
 sort must be voluntary.'' 
 
 " Then I am safe," she exclaimed, " for my will is all 
 another way, and it has passed beyond my control. If a 
 victim is needed for our people, let father lay me on an 
 altar of stone or earth, as did our father Abraham his son 
 Isaac, and I will die by his hand gladly ; but to die all 
 my life long on such an altar as Tiberius — this is beyond 
 my power, even for the good of Israel. It seems to me 
 an awful wickedness. I abhor the very thought of it." 
 
 '' And so do I," said Seti. '' I do not believe in doing 
 
 evil that good may come, pagan though I " (she put 
 
 her hand over his mouth). " But they say that German- 
 icus is not a Tiberius, but is like his father, who was 
 among the very best of the Romans, both in character 
 and accomplishments ; and is it not just possible that if 
 the young man should come here in person to plead his 
 own cause you would " 
 
 *' I would not, grandfather ; if he should come to me 
 with his head weighted with all the diadems that ever 
 
276 THE TREMBLING. 
 
 were worn, and with all the personal accomplishments 
 that ever managed to flourish on a heathen, I would turn 
 my back upon him. There, now ! Bear witness, ye 
 heavens ! " 
 
 " I think I understand you," replied Seti, after a mo- 
 ment. '' I feel very much as you do about this matter, 
 
 heathen though " (she again hurried her hand to his 
 
 mouth). '' But do not speak in this way to others. I see 
 that the matter is getting abroad, and you will be likely 
 to get hints, inquiries, counsels, congratulations from 
 many quarters. Take refuge in silence. By all means 
 do not look like an empress, and an angry one, as you did 
 just now. You shall not be crowded into the imperial 
 throne for the sake of Israel, or for any other sake." 
 
 She kissed him for answer ; laid her head on his 
 bosom ; and, exhausted, went to sleep as he softly stroked 
 her shapely head. So he sat and held her in his arms 
 till the day was spent, and the old moon in the arms of 
 the new looked in at the casement, and saw the new 
 moon in the arms of the old. And -those moons aloft 
 that are never weary, and worried, and worn, shed tears 
 over the sublunary ones whose lot is so different — tears 
 which the very early risers in Alexandria, the next morn- 
 ing, mistook for dew. They were plain people ; and, like 
 most in University towns, were not much wiser for the 
 University. 
 
XII. 
 
 THE VANISHING. 
 
 Kaipbg Trpd^ dvdp6TTG)v (ipaxv fierpov fx^t. 
 
 — Pindar, Pyth. iv. 509. 
 Opportunity for men has a brief measure. 
 
1. ^?Vhlere are they? 
 
 2. Call on thie governor. 
 
 3. Invoke the University. 
 
 4. Let Piso do his best 
 
 5. Where is Qod? 
 
XII. 
 
 THE VANISHING. 
 
 EARLY the next morning Seti knocked at the door 
 of our friends. Getting no answer, he repeated the 
 knock. Still hearing nothing, he opened the door and 
 went in. The room was vacant ; as was also the sleep- 
 ing-room adjoining. Plainly the latter had not been 
 occupied during the night. He was alarmed. 
 
 Summoning two servants to follow him, he proceeded 
 to the khan with rapid steps. What was his dismay to 
 learn from the landlord that, shortly after Cimon and 
 Aleph came in, the evening before, a body of the city 
 police appeared and demanded to search their room for 
 jewelry stolen from the warehouse of Malus. Permission 
 being readily given, the Cretan agent of Malus, well 
 known in the city, who accompanied the party and con- 
 ducted the search, went fumbling about on his hands 
 and knees in the darker parts of the room ; and finally 
 held up, with an exclamation of delight, a small casket 
 which he declared was the missing article, and had 
 been missing ever since Cimon's visit to the warehouse. 
 Whereupon the chief of the police showed a warrant for 
 arresting Cimon. The young man protested, and de- 
 clared that he saw the Cretan slyly whip the casket out 
 of the bosom of his own tunic. But the older man 
 
280 . THE VANISHING. 
 
 thought that the police were right in claiming that they 
 had no option in the case — he would go with them with- 
 out resistance, and his friend could take such measures 
 on the morrow for his relief as he might find best. So 
 he went off with the party, leaving the young man stand- 
 ing at the gate. 
 
 But this party had scarcely disappeared, when a band 
 of Roman soldiers came up and surrounded Aleph. '^ Are 
 you Aleph, the Chaldean? " demanded the leader. 
 
 '^^ So I am called,^' said the young man. 
 
 " Then we have been sent to arrest you.*' 
 
 '' For what ? " demanded Aleph. 
 
 ^^ For assault and battery here last night ; and as a 
 suspected enemy of the emperor. '* 
 
 '^Show me your warrant," demanded the young man. 
 
 The leader produced a document bearing what pur- 
 ported to be the seal and signature of the governor. " Is 
 this document genuine?" said Aleph to the landlord, 
 who was standing by. The landlord looked at the paper 
 and nodded. 
 
 '' Then I will go with you," said the young man 
 calmly. ^^ But may I not first communicate my situa- 
 tion to my friends, that they may have an opportunity to 
 set me right with the authorities?" 
 
 "We were not authorized to allow delay for any 
 purpose." 
 
 "You will have to delay," said Aleph, "for the pur- 
 pose of hearing and allowing these by-standers " (sev- 
 eral of the guests of the khan had by this time come up) 
 "to hear me declare that I am innocent of the charges 
 brought against me, and can prove as much, opportunity 
 being given me." 
 
THE VANISHING. 
 
 281 
 
 A soldier approached to bind liim. Alepli motioned 
 him away with his cane. ''I have said that I will go 
 with you. I now say that I will go with you without 
 attempting to escape while going, provided you leave me 
 free and in possession of this cane. Otherwise the man 
 who approaches me does so at his peril." 
 
 After some consultation his demand was granted ; and 
 he went off quietly with the party, saying to the land- 
 lord as he went, '' You can at least tell what you have 
 
 seen and heard." 
 
 Such was the account given to Seti. He remained 
 merely to ask a simple question : '' Could there be any 
 doubt as to the party being real Roman soldiers ? " The 
 landlord thought not : they had the equipment of Roman 
 soldiers ; and, besides, their bearing and step together 
 were professional. 
 
 The high-priest hastened back to the Serapeum, as- 
 sumed his pontifical robes, summoned a large train of 
 servants, and proceeded in his official chariot, drawn 
 by four white mules, to the Roman headquarters in 
 Bruchium. Arrived at the palace of the governor, a 
 herald stepped before the gate, blew a trumpet, and 
 cried: ^' Seti of the Serapeum, high-priest of Egypt 
 and metropolitan, desires audience of Avilleus Flac- 
 cus. Proprietor and Legate of C^sar and Governor of 
 
 Egypt.^^ 
 
 In a few moments the gates were thrown open, ana 
 
 the whole party entered a large court, where, at the foot 
 of a flight of marble steps, Seti alighted and was con- 
 ducted by an obsequious usher into the audience-room 
 and presence of the Roman governor. 
 
 Seti was dignified and formal; coolly saluting his 
 
282 THE VANISHING. 
 
 excellency with all the usual formalities, but not a jot 
 beyond. On the other hand, Flaccus, an ordinary man 
 to look at but wearing the extraordinary toga permitted 
 to the imperial representative, was exceedingly demon- 
 strative and deferential in welcoming his illustrious vis- 
 itor. He seemed to feel that, belonging only to the 
 Equestrian Order and with no ancestors save those 
 whose names had been written with water and in water, 
 he was socially far from being equal to the freezingly cold 
 and stately Egyptian pontiff whose sires had reigned in 
 palaces and temples before Eome was founded. 
 
 Seti cut short the ceremonial. Would the governor 
 be good enough to say whether he had given an order for 
 the arrest of a regularly enrolled member of the Univer- 
 sity, an inmate of the Serapeum, and a particular friend 
 of himself and the Alabarch Alexander ? 
 
 Flaccus appeared to consult his memory. He did not 
 remember to have given any such order. 
 
 ^'An order to arrest one Aleph, the Chaldean, as a 
 disturber of the public peace and a suspected enemy of 
 the emperor ? " suggested Seti. 
 
 No, he did not think that he could have given such 
 an order. 
 
 ^'An order executed last evening by a company of 
 Roman soldiers ? " continued the priest in the same icy 
 tone. 
 
 '* Certainly not." 
 
 '' I am glad to hear it, and to have your authority for 
 denying the report that is getting abroad. It may also 
 be for your interest to deny it personally as you have 
 opportunity ; for the young man in question is a great 
 favorite, not only with the Alabarch and myself, but 
 
THE VANISHING. 283 
 
 also with the young men in the University, who repre- 
 sent the noblest lionum families and a great interest with 
 tlie emperor and the Caesar/^ 
 
 ^'I think," said Flaccus, with a not very successful 
 attempt at an arch look, '^that I know of somebody who 
 is likely to have more interest with Germanicus than any 
 of them." 
 
 *^ However that may be," said Seti emphatically, '^^it 
 is certain that the young man will have such justice as 
 our best efforts can secure." 
 
 " What can I do ? " said the Roman uneasily. 
 
 "I will tell your excellency," said the Egyptian. 
 *'It is understood in the city that a party of Roman 
 soldiers, under a written warrant from you, arrested and 
 carried off, we know not where, a privileged member of 
 the University, for whom the best vouchers can be found. 
 But, as I now learn from you, that warrant must have 
 been forged ; and what aj^peared to be Roman soldiers, 
 were not such, but other parties in disguise. Now I 
 would respectfully suggest that you give me and the 
 other friends of the young man written authority to 
 search for and rescue him at whatever cost to those who 
 have carried him off. This will answer our purpose, 
 and at the same time serve to defend you from the sus- 
 picions of the people." 
 
 Flaccus hesitated, bit his lip, twirled a gold badge 
 that hung from his neck, looked at every object in the 
 room save Seti. Seti looked at nothing save him. 
 
 The priest rose to go. '' Time is of great consequence 
 to me this morning. Am I to understand that your 
 excellency declines to authorize me in writing to rescue 
 from robbers and murderers a young man for whom the 
 
284 THE VANISHING. 
 
 Altibarch and myself, as well as the University at large, 
 offer to stand vouchers ? " 
 
 " I do not see why you need a written authorization 
 from me,'' said Flaccus, beginning to sharpen a reed. 
 
 '' I did not say that we need such a document. You 
 need to give it." He said this last in a low but a very 
 distinct and measured tone of voice. 
 
 " Well, I will give it,'' said the governor with sudden 
 decision — " if it will oblige you and your friends." 
 
 " It ivill oblige us," said Seti ; and in a few moments 
 he took punctilious leave with the desired document in 
 his possession. 
 
 He returned at once to the Serapeum. Resuming his 
 ordinary dress, he proceeded to the lecture room, where, 
 as yet, he found only two or three students, among whom 
 was Publius Cornelius. He beckoned them to him, and 
 asked such co-operation as they could give in a matter he 
 was about to bring before the whole class. Shortly they 
 came pouring in, rather obstreperously, I fear, as college 
 boys have been wont to do from the beginning ; but as 
 soon as they set eyes on their teacher there was a pro- 
 found hush ; for they saw at once that something unusual 
 had happened— that the Seti they had hitherto known 
 had given place to quite a different Seti and a much 
 younger man. All the old dignity and authority were in 
 his face and bearing ; but somehow there had come into 
 the old look a roused and forceful expression such as a 
 crisis might be expected to call out in a young man 
 largely endowed both as a man of thought and action. 
 Calm, Watchful, mindful of all that is passing and likely 
 to pass, prepared to throw his whole force into action at 
 a moment's warning. All the students were in a hush of 
 
THE VANISHING. 385 
 
 expectation as they saw the new man sitting on the 
 
 old bema. 
 
 He began with saying that he had no lecture for them 
 that morning. But he had something better than a 
 lecture — an opportunity for a good action. He then con- 
 cisely and simply narrated his morning experiences, and 
 held up the document he had obtained from Flaccus. 
 Perhaps the young man had been killed. Perhaps he 
 was only imprisoned in some out-of-the-way place. It 
 was for his friends to find out the facts as soon as possible. 
 He knew of none who could do as prompt and good service 
 in the matter as the generous-minded fellow-students of 
 the extraordinary young man who had so commended 
 himself to their admiration. Would they undertake it V 
 
 The response was instantaneous. Many sprang to 
 their feet, with flushed faces and hot, indignant words. 
 
 *^ A conspiracy ! " cried one. 
 
 ''An insult to the University," cried another. Some 
 called out ''Z>m6'o" interrogatively ; and others, of the 
 bolder and more highly connected of the Romans, among 
 whom was Publius Cornelius, shook their fists signifi- 
 cantly in the direction of the Caesareum. One thing was 
 evident to the watchful eye of Seti— that there would be 
 no lack of sympathetic readiness on the part of the Sera- 
 peum to act as he wished. What did he wish ? 
 
 This was brought out by Cornelius, who declared that 
 they were all of one mind to further any plan that their 
 venerable instructor might have to propose ; and moved 
 that a committee be appointed to confer with him as to 
 what had best be done. He also proposed that this com- 
 mittee should secure the co-operation of the Museum, 
 which he had no doubt would be enthusiastically given. 
 
286 THE VANISHING. 
 
 ** Besides," he added, as he repeated his emphatic 
 gesture toward the north-east, *Hhe Museum is nearer 
 than ourselves to the sources of this mischief and can 
 explore them better/^ 
 
 A committee was appointed — including Cornelius. 
 These gathered about Seti. His plan was that some 
 students should find out whether Draco and the son of 
 Flaccus were present in the city all the last night — that 
 others should find out whether any soldiers were then 
 absent from their quarters, and if so to whose force they 
 belonged — that still others should watch the gates and 
 harbors for their return and note the time and direction 
 of it — that still others should rummage the streets, espe- 
 cially in the neighborhood of the khan Rachotis, for some 
 who had observed the party, noticed the direction they 
 took, perhaps witnessed an embarkation. The students 
 interested were so many, they could, by properly distribut- 
 ing themselves, make all these inquiries at once. No time 
 should be lost. Let them report to him. 
 
 Feeling sure that the young men would need no further 
 impulse, the priest left them, and, stopping at his room for 
 the parcel which Cimon had put in his hands, proceeded to 
 the office of Alexander's legal adviser. This was in a 
 wing of the extensive palace of the great banker whose 
 affairs furnished the greater part of the business of the 
 lawyer. The man was both a Roman and a Greek — his 
 father being from Tusculum, and his mother from 
 Athens. He possessed in a remarkable degree the men- 
 tal characteristics of both nations — the practical and reso- 
 lute character of the one, and the acuteness and subtlety 
 of the other. To a profound knowledge of Roman law, 
 especially as applied in the provinces, he added a familiar 
 
THE VANISHING. 287 
 
 acquaintance with the usages of Alexandria as a business 
 community — having lived in the city from childhood. 
 Alexander early discovered his abilities, and by degrees 
 made him a confidential adviser in legal matters, esjie- 
 cially after he became a proselyte and attached himself to 
 the Diapleuston. 
 
 Marcus Piso was not much of a man to look at — at the 
 first look. Small, slender, somewhat stooping, no longer 
 young — it was necessary to be with him for a time and 
 watch his face and manner — his keen eye and protuberant 
 brow — as he dispatched business with one and another. 
 Then he inspired confidence both as to his ability and 
 integrity. Then one said, ''Alexander is not mistaken 
 in his man.'^ 
 
 The little man did not show to advantage as he rose 
 to receive his imposing visitor. But, what was better 
 under the circumstances, he at once conducted Seti to an 
 inner office and listened with all his ears, and eyes too, to 
 a brief account of our friends, of what had just transpired, 
 and of the measures taken for the discovery of Aleph. 
 
 ''I tell you these facts," said Seti, ''to interest you as 
 much as possible in these men whom the Alabarch and 
 myself intend to support and befriend to the utmost of 
 our power." 
 
 " I have been strongly interested in them ever since 
 the affair at the Diapleuston, which I happened to wit- 
 ness ; and my thoughts were running on them when you 
 came in ; for news of the arrest of Oimon for theft had 
 just reached me." 
 
 " As if a man having credit with Alexander to the 
 amount of 200,000 gold staters was likely to pilfer ! No, 
 the charge and the arrest were gotten up to prevent or 
 
288 THE VANISHING. 
 
 discredit an impending suit by Oimon against Malus. 
 And Alepli has been killed, or spirited away, partly to 
 aid the same purpose, and partly to gratify the malice of 
 certain others whose names you can guess." . 
 
 Seti then produced Cimon's parcel, and continued : 
 " I am told that you will find in this parcel all needful 
 particulars in regard to the proposed suit against Malus. 
 Please examine it at once and if you find it warrants legal 
 proceedings institute them without delay. Of course 
 Malus is strongly intrenched and will fight to the death ; 
 but we will back you with all our forces. I am sure that 
 I speak for Alexander as well as for myself. Meanwhile, 
 whatever you can do to cancel or relieve the imprisonment 
 of Cimon, please do. The case of the young man I will 
 look after myself." 
 
 Seti's next visit was to Rachel — not by way of the 
 street, but by a private door in the inner office of the 
 advocate, by which he was accustomed to communicate 
 with the banker. He found his granddaughter in Miri- 
 am's room. And he saw at once, in the looks of the two 
 women, that the evil news had preceded him. Miriam 
 looked totally exhausted, and lay on her bed feebly 
 moaning, with closed eyes ; her hand held by Rachel. 
 As to Rachel herself, Seti was struck by the change that 
 had taken place. A touch of mingled amazement and 
 suffering was in her face ; but into the profoundly emo- 
 tional expression had come " ?iescio quod predarimi ct 
 smgulare " — a look of self-control that had been fought 
 for and taken possession of by fire and sword ; such a 
 victory that another like it would be ruin. A certain 
 new and powerful expression was in every feature. 
 Lights and shadows of the heroic were hiding in the 
 
THE VANISHING. 289 
 
 depths of her eyes and in the curves of her lips. She 
 came and sat on a stool at his feet. 
 
 ''Grandfather, we have tried to wait patiently for 
 you. You see that we know all. Now tell us what you 
 have done ; for I know you have done something." 
 
 Seti told of his morning movements. 
 
 ''Do you think it possible that they have hilled 
 him?" she asked with awe in her voice and white 
 lips. 
 
 " Sometimes I think not ; and yet it would be hard 
 to give my reasons. His enemies are capable of any 
 crime. Perhaps the only ground of my opinion or feel- 
 ing that he has not been killed is the wonderful resources, 
 both of body and mind, which he has for self-protection. 
 I have never seen a young man with such powers, and 
 such a complete and never-failing mastery of them. lie 
 is a natural prince and hero, and somehow and some- 
 where has had a training to match. He is just the man 
 for great and desperate situations. He is an empire in 
 himself. I hardly wonder at Cornelius, who says of him 
 that he has in his veins the blood of the immortal gods. 
 Body and soul, he is built like a temple. What Karnac 
 was, Aleph the Chaldean is." 
 
 " It is even so, grandfather," murmured the maiden ; 
 and she buried her burning face in her hands. 
 
 "This gives me hope," continued Seti. "Besides, 
 as I have told vou, he refused to be bound or to give up 
 his staff ; and the same wariness that led him to retain 
 this means of defense would be apt to keep him on his 
 guard against assault. Yes, such a great and resource- 
 ful nature would not be killed easily." 
 
 "' Say not at all, grandfather. Let us not imagine 
 
290 THE VANISHING. 
 
 such a thing, lest it take the heart out of us/'' and she 
 shuddered. 
 
 Seti looked at her keenly for a moment. She suddenly 
 drew herself up as she sat, tossed away with both hands 
 the heavy tresses that had fallen over her face, and looked 
 up with wide-open eyes into his. He laid his hand ten- 
 derly on her head, and sighed before saying : 
 
 " It is as you say. We must hope for the best if we 
 would escape the worst. Aleph the Chaldean is a living 
 prisoner somewhere, and we must find and release him 
 as soon as possible. So I must go.'' 
 
 "Take Miriam and me as active, though invisible, 
 partners in this matter, dear grandfather," pleaded 
 Rachel. " It is necessary for us if not for you. We can- 
 not sit here and wait, and wait, with folded hands till 
 somebody brings us word of what others are doing, or 
 trying to do. It would kill us. We have kept ourselves 
 alive thus far only by praying : now we must have some- 
 thing to do to help our praying. You see how the case 
 stands with me — it is a necessity J* 
 *' But what can you do ? " 
 
 " We can at least try to do in some womanly ways. 
 This will be a relief to us. You are working by means 
 of the famous University ; perhaps we can work quite as 
 effectively by a humbler class of agents. At least we can 
 try : and our thinking and planning may save us if they 
 do not save him. In my father's absence I want your 
 
 approval."" 
 
 " I think you are right," said the priest slowly. " So 
 be it, then. It may be that your womanly devisings 
 will be the first to penetrate the mystery. I shall not 
 complain if it prove so."*' 
 
THE VAN^ISHIN"G. 291 
 
 Seti kissed her and departed, saying to himself, " Some 
 trees are killed by decapitation, but this tree becomes 
 thriftier and fairer than ever." 
 
 Was it decapitation ? Well, if it was not that, it was 
 something that marvellously resembled it. Seti was an 
 experienced man, and his faculty of insight was great : 
 and I would sooner take his judgment in the matter than 
 that of most. He thought the trial that had befallen his 
 granddaughter terribly severe. I think the same. I 
 should be sorry to have that stroke repeated. Nobly as 
 the first blow has been borne, I could not answer for 
 a second. There are limits to successful pruning. A 
 plant may be decapitated once too often. Seti thought 
 so too, and he carried away with him a greater burden 
 than he brought ; for now he understood that the ques- 
 tion was no longer how to save Aleph, but how to save 
 Aleph and Rachel. 
 
 The Egyptian went home praying — praying to Amun 
 Re. An able lawyer, an enthusiastic University, a re- 
 sourceful high-priest armed with an official document, 
 were all very well in their place ; but they needed pre- 
 siding over and empowering by the Supernatural. Would 
 He do it? In the course of his long observation, Seti 
 had known some striking cases of poetical justice in 
 human affairs. The wicked had been taken in their own 
 toils. Into the pits they had dug for their neighbors they 
 had fallen themselves. But it was often otherwise. The 
 righteous had fallen before the wicked. Craft and power 
 and powerful money had proved too mighty for goodness 
 and justice. If good causes had always thrived, the 
 Romans would not be in Egpyt, nor Flaccus in the 
 Cfesareum, nor Malus in the grandest warehouse of 
 
292 THE VANISniKG. 
 
 Emjiorium Street. So who can tell what Amun Re will 
 do ? And yet prayer is the breath of the nations and the 
 ages. Nature herself says. Let us pray. 
 
 So the thoughts of Seti prayed, and prayed mightily, 
 as he bent his steps to the Serapeum. 
 
XIII. 
 THE SEARCH. 
 
 AXAor' (lA/loZtTf diaidvaoovatv uvpai, 
 
 — Pindar, Olymp. vii. 173. 
 Different winds rush in different directions. 
 
1. Oti, for Ariadne! 
 
 2. Iveaping to a conclusion 
 
 3. Domestics at new Vv'orR. 
 
 4. F*hiaros and. some stars. 
 
XIII, 
 
 THE SEARCH. 
 
 EACHEL went and sat by the bedside, in long 
 silence. At length she began unconsciously to 
 think aloud — at first slowly and with long pauses ; then 
 more rapidly. 
 
 "They have not killed him. Then they have taken 
 him out of the city to confine him somewhere. . . . The 
 shortest and least embarrassed way out of the city would 
 be by the gate of the Moon to Mareotis. . . . Here boat 
 would be taken. Where would it go ? There is no place 
 where a prisoner could be confined on the islands of the 
 lake or on the southern shore — none in the pleasure-villas 
 on the banks of the canal connecting the lake with the 
 Nile — none on the Nile itself till one comes to the for- 
 tress that once belonged to the family of Seti, but now 
 is in possession of the Roman governor. I have it — there 
 are dungeons there, and Sextus Flaccus has access to 
 them, and they are well away from observation. Tliat is 
 the place where they have carried him.'' 
 
 Her face flushed, and her eyes flashed with sudden 
 decision. "Grandfather's way may be sure, but it is 
 slow ; and by the time he finds his way up the Nile to 
 the Setian stronghold it may be too late. I will leap to 
 a conclusion." 
 
296 THE SEARCH. 
 
 Slie at once summoned all the domestics of the house- 
 hold. Did any of them know of a traveling merchant, 
 accustomed to carry liis wares from house to house along 
 the east bank of the Nile ? Several knew of such a per- 
 son. Was he a Jew ? Was he of the Diapleuston ? Was 
 he quick-witted and prudent ? Was he now in the city ? 
 Receiving an affirmative answer to all these questions, 
 she at once dispatched a man who professed to know 
 where the peddler could be found, to bring him without 
 
 delay. 
 
 In less than an hour her messenger returned with the 
 very peddler whose acquaintance we made in the first 
 chapter of this narrative. She looked at him narrowly. 
 He was not an attractive object — what with his poor 
 clothes, his unkempt hair, and his excessive obsequious- 
 ness. But he did look shrewd and to a degree reliable. 
 At all events she must try him. So she told him that 
 she had heard a favorable account of his intelligence and 
 discretion ; that she wanted to employ such a man to go 
 up the Nile as far as the Setian palace on a confidential 
 mission. She wished to find out, without the knowledge 
 of any armed force that might be there, whether a young 
 man is held in confinement in the palace. And she 
 thought that, if he would furnish himself with such a 
 pack of goods as seemed most likely to attract the serv- 
 ants and others about the premises, he might incident- 
 ally contrive to get from them the desired information. 
 She would furnish the goods, and, besides, reward him 
 richly for the service. 
 
 "Is the young man tall and marvelously well propor- 
 tioned ? " inquired the Jew. 
 "He is." 
 
THE SEARCH. 297 
 
 "■ Has he the face of Moses, and the bearing of a 
 king ? " 
 
 "So it is said/' 
 
 "Is it not he who on the last Sabbath defended our 
 synagogue from sacrilege ? " 
 
 "It is." 
 
 "Then/' said the peddler, "I will do what the lady 
 asks of me — not for her rewards, though Father Abra- 
 ham knows that I am poor enough. I will do it for the 
 young man's sake, who can beat the heathen at their own 
 weapons. I can beat them in trade ; but it is a satisfac- 
 tion to me to see them beaten after another fashion." 
 
 "Have you ever been at the palace?" inquired 
 Rachel. 
 
 "Often, in the way of trade. An old Egyptian and 
 his wife, a Jewess, keep the place when the governor is 
 not there, and are employed about the premises in some 
 way at all times." 
 
 "Here is a purse of gold. Make up your pack as 
 attractive to these people as possible. Stay with them 
 as long as you can. Be ingenious. Keep eyes and ears 
 open. Spare no money nor promises that will help your 
 object. I will see that your promises are fulfilled. Take 
 the first boat going south ; be put ashore at a little dis- 
 tance from the palace ; then do the best an ingenious 
 man can, to find out whether Aleph, the Chaldean, is 
 confined there, and, if so, how he may be released. Re- 
 turn or send as soon as possible. But stop " 
 
 She went to a desk, and wrote on a small sheet of 
 papyrus as follows: "Your friends have found you. 
 You shall have help soon. — R." 
 
 She handed the paper to the Jew, saying, "Should 
 
298 THE SEARCH. 
 
 you find him, perliaps you may be able to get this to 
 him/^ 
 
 The man hastened away. What should slie do now, 
 and during the days that might pass before she could 
 hope to hear from the peddler ? To sit still and wait, 
 she felt to be impossible. Was there anything more she 
 could be doing to keep her heart from preying on itself ? 
 She asked the question of Miriam as well as of herself. 
 
 Miriam had quickened and strengthened bodily under 
 the rousing of thought and care for one outside of her- 
 self, and was sitting up thoughtfully in her bed. Yes, 
 she thought that something further might be done. She 
 doubted whether the students would be as good at get- 
 ting information from the town-people as would some 
 others. The frequent broils and jealousies between the 
 two classes would put inquirers at a disadvantage. And, 
 then, the people who would be most likely to notice the 
 abduction, because most likely to be abroad in the even- 
 ing, would be the humbler classes, whose homes had 
 little to attract them. The humble stall-keepers; the 
 daily workmen hanging about the street-corners ; the 
 street-boys, brimful of curiosity, afraid of nothing, ready 
 to run after anything unusual ; the water-men, that wait 
 for jobs at the gate of the Moon or on the lake- wharves, 
 would be more likely to notice and more free to speak of, 
 to people of their own class, the passing of the soldiers. 
 
 '"Suppose we ask the servants," said she, '' whether 
 they know any of their own class living on the route from 
 the khan to the Gate — any workmen, or watermen, or 
 waifs likely to have been in that neighborhood waiting for 
 what might turn up. If they themselves do not know of 
 any such, they will be likely to know some who do ; and 
 
THE SEARCH. 399 
 
 SO inquiries may be set in motion through nil the humbler 
 classes. Give the servants a holiday — several holidays, if 
 necessary. We can dispense with them. I feel a return 
 of my old vigor — the God of Israel be praised ! " and, to 
 the surprise of Rachel, the woman drew herself from the 
 bed into a chair that stood by the side of it. 
 
 Rachel was too much absorbed in her object and plans 
 to spend any time in speculating on that mysterious con- 
 nection of the soul with the body that enables the former 
 in its roused state to infuse its own healthy vigor into 
 the latter. But she was glad that the j^ressure of cir- 
 cumstances had so opportunely transformed the helpless 
 into a helper, and only begged her not to exert herself 
 too much, as she carefully drew the wraps about her. 
 
 Rachel welcomed the suggestions of Miriam ; and 
 soon the many servants of that large household were 
 abroad seeking for information, or seeking those who 
 could seek it better than themselves. 
 
 Toward the close of the day Seti appeared to report that 
 Sextus Flaccus had been found to have been in the city 
 all the previous night, and that, apparently, no soldiers 
 had been absent from their quarters. But Draco had 
 disappeared from early in the evening, and had been 
 traced to Mareotis — this seemed to Rachel a particle of 
 light. No reports as yet from the students watching the 
 gates and harbors, or from those seeking traces within 
 the city. Rachel told Seti of the supplementary meas- 
 ures she had taken for getting information within the 
 city, but she said nothing of the peddler and his expedi- 
 tion. I hardly know why. Perhaps it was because she 
 thought the womanly logic of the movement would not 
 commend itself to a philosopher. 
 
300 THE SEARCH. 
 
 The next morning Miriam was still better — indeed 
 almost seemed to forget in her new object of absorbing 
 interest that she was an invalid at all. As yet the serv- 
 ants had made no report ; having come in late the 
 night before and gone out again before light in the 
 morning. Inactive waiting is an uneasy business at the 
 best ; so Rachel determined to have as little of it as jws- 
 sible. She sent off a servant with a basket of provisions 
 to the house of the peddler with instructions to learn at 
 what hour he left the city and in what sort of craft ; for 
 there was almost as much difference then as now in the 
 speed of vessels. She found that the active man, within 
 an hour from the time he left her, had managed to pro- 
 vide himself with a more attractive pack than he had 
 ever before carried, and to get on board a well-appointed 
 merchant vessel just starting southward with a fair wind 
 and not a few oars. This was some comfort. She 
 prayed that the wind might follow fast, and that the 
 rowers might be able and willing at their toil. 
 
 In the course of the day another small comfort (snudl 
 and transient like the scarcely perceptible shade of green- 
 ness that sometimes comes even in the heart of winter, 
 for a few hours, to some sunny nook and then retreats as 
 fast as it came) came with some scraps of information 
 brought in by the servants. They reported that the com- 
 pany of soldiers had been noticed at different points in 
 the Egyptian quarter ; and, on comparing these points, 
 the women saw that they meant a movement toward the 
 gate of the Moon. This was a much-needed encourage- 
 ment to Seti, who came in the evening to say that the 
 students had as yet been able to draw no information 
 from the people whatever. They seefned to regard all 
 
THE SEARCH. 301 
 
 the inquiries with suspicion, as if they meant some Col- 
 lege prank against which their best refuge was silence. 
 What so many students wanted to know they would do 
 well to conceal. So the young men spoke to deaf ears 
 and silent tongues. Still they would not discontinue 
 their inquiries. They hoped that all their ravens would 
 not come home to roost. 
 
 The next day added considerably to the stock of infor- 
 mation. Several street-boys who were hanging about the 
 gate and wharves on the night in question had been fer- 
 reted out in their various dens by the servants, and agreed 
 that a company of soldiers with a prisoner passed through 
 the gate while they were there, and took boat to a 
 larger craft lying out some little distance in the lake. On 
 their part the students had discovered that the pleasure- 
 galley of the Flacci had been absent from its station ever 
 since the same evening, and had been seen by a waterman 
 steering toward the canal and the Nile. Rachel Avas now 
 so satisfied that her first movement was a wise one that 
 she told Seti of it. He was glad that so time-saving a 
 measure had been adopted ; and returned to inform the 
 students that such traces had been discovered that they 
 need no longer continue their inquiries in the city, but 
 should hold themselves in readiness to co-operate in 
 another movement that might be necessary. He now felt 
 quite sure that the soldiers employed in the abduction 
 were dischai'ged soldiers — men who from age and other 
 reasons were no longer in active service — of whom there 
 were not a few in the city quite ready to lend themselyes 
 to the purposes and the pay of such a man as Sextus 
 Flaccus. 
 
 Immersed in her cares for Aleph, Rachel had neg- 
 
302 THE SEARCH. 
 
 lected till to-day to inquire about Cimon and his affairs. 
 For this she blamed herself roundly. But she was glad 
 to learn that her father's solicitor had found Cimon's 
 papers very complete as against Malus, had formally insti- 
 tuted a suit, had been able as Cimon's official advocate to 
 procure admittance to him and arrange for his comfort 
 till his trial should come off, that the chief clerk of Malus, 
 who had been discharged by him as soon as he learned 
 how liberal of business information he had been to 
 Cimon, had come to him with valuable evidence. Three 
 suits were to come off in the following order — (1) The 
 suit of Malus against Shaphan and Nathan, (2) the suit of 
 Malus against Cimon, (3) the suit of Cimon against Ma- 
 lus. Marcus Piso was more than satisfied with this order ; 
 for he felt that the first two trials would throw much 
 damaging light on the character and operations of Malus 
 and prepare the way for the success of Cimon's suit 
 against him. 
 
 '' But then those Roman courts ! Who could guaran- 
 tee their equity ! Would not the Flaccan influence be 
 supreme in them and in favor of the supreme criminal 
 in whose misdeeds it had long participated ! The Most 
 High only knows ! If possible, we must make the right 
 of the case so plain that neither court nor government 
 can go against it without the whole people crying shame 
 on them. And this I am more and more inclined to 
 think can be done." ... So encouraged Marcus Piso. 
 At the same time, with a shadow on his face, he admit- 
 ted that the devil was strong. 
 
 The next day was the Sabbath. The family of Alex- 
 ander were very strict in their observance of the day, but 
 not so unreasonably strict as to refuse works of necessity 
 
THE SEARCH. 303 
 
 and mercy. Miriam (now wonderfully imj^roved) and 
 Rachel would not have hesitated to plan and do, to any 
 extent, in so urgent a case as that of Aleph if they could 
 have seen opportunity. But, until they should hear from 
 the peddler, what more could be done ? Certainly nothing 
 but praying. So they gave themselves wholly to this 
 mif^hty form of working. The God of Israel, so pitiful 
 and so powerful, and who had said, " Call upon me in 
 the day of trouble and I will deliver thee,'' Avas invoked 
 that day with an energy and whole-heartedness that 
 seemed bound to cross all the spaces and make its way to 
 the very foothold of the Throne. Till the public serv- 
 ices at the Diapleuston, the women were scarcely off their 
 knees for a moment. 
 
 At the synagogue, to her surprise, Rachel found Seti 
 seated where Cimon and Aleph had been placed on the 
 last Sabbath. She went and sat down by him for a few 
 moments, placing her hand in his ; and then went to her 
 own place. The selections from the Law and the Prophets 
 by her uncle Philo, as well as his remarks that followed, 
 seemed to her to have a most positive though veiled ref- 
 erence to the case, which she felt was by this time weight- 
 ing all their minds with its certainties and uncertainties. 
 She felt it good to be there. There was something sooth- 
 ing and supporting in the sympathetic atmosphere. And 
 so she lingered after the conclusion of the services. 
 
 While thus lingering, she noticed a woman of the 
 humbler class trying to make her way somewhat impa- 
 tiently toward her through the slow-moving crowd. As 
 soon as she came near enough the woman thrust into her 
 hand a paper rudely folded and at once passed on with 
 the rest of the retiring congregation. Rachel opened the 
 
304 THE SEARCH. 
 
 paper at once, and with some difficulty deciphered the 
 following : 
 
 '^ He is here. They are trying to starve him. I can 
 prevent that for a little ; but the custodes will take no 
 decisive step till they have had my promises in your 
 behalf confirmed by your own lips.^"* 
 
 When she had finished reading the scrawl she found 
 Seti standing by her side and drawing her arm within 
 his. It was timely. Unsupported she might have fallen. 
 It was a flash of light that she had longed for, but it had 
 in it something of the threat and terribleness of a flash of 
 lightning. It revealed, but it revealed an urgent danger. 
 Her agitation remained voiceless till they had reached 
 home and Seti had read the letter. It lifted a cloud from 
 his brow. Now they knew that Aleph was still alive, 
 knew where to find him, could make some reasonable plan 
 for his rescue. He congratulated her. Early to-morrow 
 they would go up the river in the galley of Alexander, 
 well-equipped with resolute men. Perhaps he would ask 
 some of the students to follow at a distance in another 
 galley. They might not be needed ; but it was well to 
 overlap emergencies with our provisions. At all events, 
 the young men would be gratified — and they deserved to 
 be. He had never thought so well of young men since he 
 was a young man himself. Especially of Cornelius. Such 
 unselfish enthusiasm and untiring effort in behalf of a 
 confessed superior, such hearty use of his influence and 
 leadership to further all plans in aid of Aleph — why, 
 they spoke almost as loudly for Kome as Tiberius and 
 the Flacci did against it ! 
 
 The clouds on the horizon had begun to redden. 
 Was it from tlie rising or the setting sun ? Neither Seti 
 
THE SEARCH. 305 
 
 nor Rachel could tell ; for they did not know the east 
 and west of Providence. It was indeed something to 
 have found that Aleph was still living (a fact which they 
 had compelled themselves to assume, but which phantoms 
 with mocking faces and whispering voices were all the 
 while challenging at both ears) ; also that he was at the 
 Setian palace. Now they could localize and focalize their 
 exertions in his behalf. This was at first a very sensible 
 relief. But, in finding these facts, they had also found 
 that their friend was in the hands of a body of despera- 
 does who were seeking his life. Might they not succeed 
 before the swiftest help could reach him ? Perhaps they 
 had succeeded already. That single poor peddler was a 
 mighty thin partition between life and death. So the 
 clouds which had thinned away somewhat soon thickened 
 up again into the old blackness. Through the live-long 
 night the waves of hope and fear alternately beat on the 
 vexed strands whose names were Seti and Rachel. 
 
 The wear and tear of such times are very great on 
 some people. A single night has been known to bow a 
 form as stately as Seti's — to blanch tresses as young and 
 beautiful as Rachers. But let us hoj)e the best for both 
 sufferers. One of them is strong in youth, the other is 
 strong in age. Neither will be easily overborne. Neither 
 is a stretch of low-lying sands, easily loosened and carried 
 out to sea in rough weather. Both are highlands, 
 fronted and ribbed with rocks for the sea to dash and 
 roar upon — rocky convictions of the supernatural, rocky 
 faith in a divine government, rocky 7neus conscia recti. 
 In this I find some comfort. At the same time I know 
 that even rock-bound coasts sometimes suffer heavily in a 
 wild time. Have I not walked on such a coast the day 
 
306 THE SEARCH. 
 
 after the storm has been hurling its battalions upon it 
 and found it ragged and torn and strewn with ruins— the 
 battle-field of yesterday ? And I am far from saying but 
 that this may be just the condition in which the sore 
 winds and waves of their trial may leave Seti and Rachel. 
 We must be prepared for the worst while we hope the 
 best. Should the worst come, no heart will be sorer than 
 mine. 
 
XIV. 
 THE ARGONAUTS. 
 
 f^iTiel Si Tu KiifiovTi avanivdeiv 6e6( 9 
 
 — Anon, 
 Does God love to help the struggling good man 
 
1. How best to do it. 
 
 2. Song for signal. 
 
 3. Thie golden fleece and dragon. 
 
 4. Hair=breadtti ? 
 
 5. E^ven as He. 
 
XIV. 
 
 THE ARGONAUTS. 
 
 EARLY the next morning the pinnace of Alexander 
 was moving toward the Nile as fast as eight strong 
 oarsmen and a fair breeze could carry it. Under a silken 
 awning in the stern sat Seti and Rachel : while at some 
 distance a few stout male servants in holiday attire leaned 
 over the bulwarks, watching the water ripple away from 
 the shapely sides, listening to the low monotonous stroke- 
 song of the rowers as they rhythmically struck the waters, 
 and occasionally talking together in a low tone. 
 
 Seemingly it was a holiday excursion— nothing more. 
 The whole aspect of things on board that delicate butter- 
 fly of a vessel, including the lovely maiden in her rich 
 robes, with her harp standing by her side, was that of a 
 pleasure party. No one looking from shore or passing 
 vessel would have thought that such a festival barge with 
 its luxurious and daintv furnishings and daintier mis- 
 tress was heavily weighted with anxious thoughts of peril 
 and conflict. 
 
 To Rachel, her surroundings, from the cloudless sky 
 and wooing breeze to the costly and delicate sea-chariot 
 on which she was borne, seemed almost so many mocker- 
 ies. Her real sky was full of clouds, her real wind was 
 
310 THE A RG OKA UTS. 
 
 the breath of storms, and the real galley on which her 
 spirit was sailing was a war ship full of swords and spears 
 and faces threatening battle. She found it very hard to 
 cover her anxieties with the serene face and manner which 
 she felt the situation demanded. So she kept the serv- 
 ants as far from her as possible, that their prying eyes 
 and ears might not play too successfully on herself and 
 
 Seti. 
 
 They were hardly well afloat before Seti began to un- 
 fold his plan of proceeding. 
 
 "It is very important,'' said he, "that we implicate 
 the Flacci, both father and son, as little as possible in 
 this affair. The father, bad as he is, probably has noth- 
 ing to do with the abduction ; and so ought not to suffer 
 on account of it. The guilty party is Sextus ; who, hav- 
 ing access to his father's official seal and blank forms, 
 forged the warrant for the arrest, and then employed 
 some dissolute companions of his among the discharged 
 Roman soldiers to execute the warrant. These having 
 no duties in the city have not yet returned, and so the 
 watch of the students for them has been in vain. Sextus 
 is the great criminal in the case and deserves exposure. 
 But, if we so manage the matter as to expose him both to 
 his mortified father and the public, we shall be sure so to 
 exasperate both of them as to throw their whole influence, 
 under one pretext or another, against us in the impend- 
 ing suit against Mains. And that would be a very seri- 
 ous matter. So we must try to rescue Aleph as quietly 
 as possible — in some way that does not direct public sus- 
 picion toward the Flacci at all. If we should appear be- 
 fore the castle of the governor with a sufficient force to 
 back us, and demand the prisoner, the whole affair would 
 
THE ARGONAUTS. 311 
 
 at once go abroad to the four winds, and cry Flaccus in 
 every ear from Pharos to the Cataracts : besides, the gar- 
 rison would probably deny having the prisoner, and con- 
 trive some way of disposing of him before we could effect 
 an entrance. So the best way for us is to persuade the 
 custodes to give Alepli the means of making his own es- 
 cape ; and we can be near to receive him and carry him 
 quietly back to the city — saying nothing as to where he 
 was found and how rescued. If this plan fails we must, 
 of course, resort to rougher methods." 
 
 *'Do you think," inquired the maiden, "that Aleph 
 would have submitted so quietly to the arrest had he not 
 supposed it made by the proper authorities?" 
 
 *' Certainly not. He yielded to what he supposed to 
 be the government of the country in which for the time 
 being he was living." 
 
 ' ' In that case, if he were assured that the arrest was 
 pronounced unwarranted by the governor, and that he 
 was expressly allowed to free himself by any means, 
 would he not be likely to make great efforts to free him- 
 self?" 
 
 " Doubtless, if opportunity could be found. But 
 how is he to break down an iron door with his hands, or, 
 with his hands dig through massive stone walls settled to- 
 gether and cemented by ages? I know that dungeon 
 well. It is the strongest in all Egypt. Supreme strength 
 and courage must have opportunity. Genius must have 
 some capital of favorable circumstance on which to work. 
 Even heroes must have ground on which to stand, and 
 scope for their arms. No, I know the place too well to 
 think that our young friend, full of resources as he is, 
 can do anything to help himself till he is at least outside 
 
312 THE ARGONAUTS. 
 
 of the dungeon, or till some fitting tools have been intro- 
 duced into it." 
 
 *' I knew the castle belonged to your ancestors, and is 
 rightfully yours ; but I did not suppose that you knew 
 anything about the interior.^' 
 
 " See here! " said the Egyptian, as he drew from the 
 folds of his robe a parchment discolored by age, and un- 
 rolled it before her. " Here is a plan of the whole 
 structure, cellars and dungeon included. This has come 
 down to me through many generations, together with a 
 written description of every part of the structure ; and, 
 though 1 have never set foot in it, I think I could find 
 my way about it without the least difficulty. There has 
 always lingered in the family a vague faith, be it super- 
 stition or not, that this noblest of the ancient Egyptian 
 palaces was destined to come back to us some day ; and so 
 the eldest in our line has always made it a point to know 
 as much about the structure as if he were in actual pos- 
 session." 
 
 " Explain the plan to me, my dear grandfather. It 
 may somehow help us in what we have to do. I, too, 
 would like to be able to thread my way alone over the 
 whole." 
 
 *' Heaven {yoiir Heaven) forbid that you shall have 
 need to do so. Still, we have leisure for an explanation, 
 at least in part ; and it will be in the way of our family 
 custom. This line (pointing) represents the high and 
 massive stone wall that surrounds the whole palace, to- 
 gether with extensive grounds in the rear. There are 
 three gates to this all surrounding wall — one in front, 
 opening on a fiight of steps to the river by which the 
 master and his friends come and go; the others far 
 
THE ARGONAUTS. 313 
 
 back on the north and south sides and chiefly used 
 by servants for communicating with the little ham- 
 lets that lie, one above and the other below the pal- 
 ace. On the river side of the inclosure rises the quad- 
 rangle of the palace. The front and two connected sides 
 contain the state and family apartments : the rear is given 
 up to servants and the various offices belonging to them. 
 Of course the soldiers are quartered in this last. We will 
 only study this part now. It is of only a single story 
 above ground. Right here in the middle is a large room 
 where doubtless the soldiers eat and drink : to the right 
 and left of it are their lodging rooms and the kitchens. 
 Directly under this common and mess room is the single 
 dungeon of the castle, connected by a flight of steps with 
 the mess room, and also by another flight through a 
 heavy iron door with the rear grounds of the castle. One 
 can reach the dungeon only through the iron door or by 
 descending from the common mess room. The wine and 
 provision cellars are to the right and left of the dungeon, 
 and a narrow passage runs before the whole. ^' 
 
 "Has the dungeon any light and ventilation?^' in- 
 quired Rachel anxiously. 
 
 *^ Only through the narrow grated opening in the wall 
 by which food can be introduced without opening the 
 door ; and the narrow passage before all the vaults is only 
 dimly lighted by a barred opening near the ceiling at 
 either end." 
 
 " Would Aleph have light enough to read a note or 
 this plan of yours? " 
 
 "It may be. Such eyes as his can do what mine 
 could not. I have sometimes thought that they furnished 
 their own light. But whoever could put a note through 
 
314 THE ARGONAUTS. 
 
 tluit grate could introduce a narrow lamp or taper 
 
 also." 
 
 ''If a pointed iron bar could be secretly introduced 
 by the custodes through the grate, would Aleph be able 
 to pry open the door?^' 
 
 " Impossible — at least without making so much noise 
 as to rouse the soldiers." 
 
 "Perhaps they are revellers," she said reflectively, 
 "and, having free access to the wine cellars, have fre- 
 quent carousals and even stupid drunkenness." 
 
 "Very likely; almost certainly," Seti exclaimed. 
 "They are the boon companions of Sextus; and, like 
 him, will not miss an opportunity of indulgence. If we 
 can only gain over the custodes, we might so drug their 
 wine as to stupefy their drunkenness still more, so that 
 loud noises would not rouse them. This deserves to be 
 thought of ; and, fortunately, I happen to have with me 
 for another purpose a drug which I think will answer. 
 But we must not depend on this plan alone. If one ex- 
 pedient should fail, we must have another to fall back 
 upon." 
 
 "And what is that?" 
 
 "We must persuade the custodes to get possession 
 of the key of the dungeon. This ought not to be 
 impossible, if the soldiers have a drunken carouse 
 every night, as seems to me very likely. But we can- 
 not be very specific in our plans till we have seen the 
 peddler and custodes, and know exactly what the situa- 
 tion is." 
 
 Rachel said nothing more, but pored over the plan of 
 the palace. At length she drew from a small ivory box 
 by her side an ink horn and papyrus, and proceeded to 
 
THE ARGONAUTS. 315 
 
 make a fair copy of the plan — adding some jottings of 
 explanation as Seti had given them. She then put both 
 original and copy in his hands. He compared the two, 
 nodded, and looked at her inquiringly. 
 
 " I mean, if it is possible, to get this to him with the 
 iron bar.^' 
 
 He silently returned the copy. 
 
 Meanwhile the pinnace had been steadily pressing on 
 its way. It passed through the canal, it turned up the 
 Nile, it went sweeping by crocodile and hippopotamus 
 and ibis sporting in the water or sunning by the banks, 
 it met corn ship, and Roman galley, and Nubian dory, 
 and skin-raft loaded with brick and stone, and, occasion- 
 ally, a pleasure barge freighted to overflowing with the 
 laughter and song of the young and gay. The peasants 
 on the banks for a moment stopped work at their trench- 
 ing and water wheels to gaze at the beautiful vessel, the 
 Nautilus of the Nile, and perchance to envy those who 
 reclined under its snowy wings and silken canopy. Ah, 
 little did they know what anxieties were aching away at 
 the heart of all that beauty and costliness ! The breeze 
 toyed with the sails, the waters rippled and gleamed and 
 laughed away from the decorated prow, the oars rose and 
 sank in a water- song of their own that kept time with the 
 low chant of the rowers — there was music of all sorts fil- 
 tering through the dreamy air — but under that awning 
 of silk and purple there was only the music of prayer 
 and, it may be, of some hope that the Most High would 
 not allow the wicked to triumph. But prayer was the 
 chief thing. Much silent planning and resolving was 
 done during the latter part of the voyage, but there was 
 more silent praying than either. 
 
316 THE ARGONAUTS. 
 
 " Grandfather, what a comfort and help it is to 
 pray ! " as she turned toward Seti and hiid her hand on 
 his arm. 
 
 "I have found it out, my child, though not as soon 
 as I could wish. But the knowledge will remain. 
 Straits crowd one toward the Unseen Helper." 
 
 And now the castle was in full view. On a promon- 
 tory that curved out boldly into the river, skirted both 
 above and below by a thick grove of mingled mimosas, 
 acacias, sycamores, and palms, each of which groves 
 screened a little bay and hamlet, stood a quadrangular 
 fortress with its defiant encompassing wall. Kachel drew 
 her harp toward her and began to play — at first softly and 
 slowly, and then with a stronger and more rapid hand. 
 As the pinnace approached the castle she began to accom- 
 pany the instrument with her voice : and, when fully in 
 front, the voice surged up over the promontory in melo- 
 dious billows and seemed to envelop it in fioods of exult- 
 ant song, every word of which was rendered with wonder- 
 ful distinctness. It was a chant. It was a chant in the 
 original tongue of these words from the Book of Daniel. 
 " Now when he came to the den he cried with a lamenta- 
 ble voice unto Daniel : and the king spake and said to 
 Daniel, * Daniel, servant of the living God, is thy God 
 whom thou servest continually able to deliver thee from 
 the lions? "^ 
 
 Again and again the words rose and beat their deli- 
 cious music against the castle like an invading army. 
 Seti narrowly watched the premises as the pinnace glided 
 by, but saw no sign of life. But as soon as they had gone 
 a little farther, rounded the promontory, and then silently 
 veered into the sheltered nook by the hamlet, they saw 
 
THE ARGONAUTS. 317 
 
 the peddler on the wharf with his professional pack on his 
 back. 
 
 When the vessel was fairly moored, the man begged to 
 be allowed to come on board and exhibit his goods, which 
 he protested were the finest and cheapest to be found out- 
 side of Alexandria. The beautiful lady would certainly 
 find something she would like among his various stores. 
 iji short, his eloquence was so great that he was at length 
 allowed to come on board and ostentatiously spread out 
 his wares about Rachel and Seti. 
 
 **Say that he is living," she almost gasped, though 
 scarcely above a murmur. 
 
 " He is, my lady." 
 
 ** Say that food has been given him daily." 
 
 *'At least since I. came." 
 
 *'Now tell us,^' she said, with a firmer but still low 
 voice, "while you slowly display your goods, piece by 
 piece, what you have done — in as few words as possible." 
 
 " Yes, my lady. I landed at this hamlet, and went 
 up at once to the south gate of the palace grounds. Here 
 I found a soldier on guard ; but, on making him a small 
 present, he allowed me to enter and seek my old acquaint- 
 ances, the custodes. Fortunately I found them by them- 
 selves in an out-house — the old Egyptian and his much 
 younger Jewish wife ; the latter much the leading 2^art- 
 ner, as I had long known. I warmly saluted them as old 
 friends, hoped they had not forgotten Ezra, assured them 
 that I had never been so well prepared to give them a 
 good trade as now ; and proceeded to unpack and display 
 my goods despite their protestations that they did not 
 want anything, could not afi'ord to buy anything, and 
 such like nonsense. But I saw that their eyes followed 
 
318 THE ARGONAUTS. 
 
 me as I spread out article after article, and that they lis- 
 tened well as I mentioned prices absurdly low. 
 
 '' * You must have stolen these things/ exclaimed the 
 Jewess. 'Alas, that a son of Abraham should turn 
 
 thief ! ' 
 
 "'I hardly wonder/ said I, 'that you suspect my 
 honesty ; for, as you so plainly see, these goods are worth 
 many times what I ask for them. How then does it 
 happen that I can honestly offer them so low? I will tell 
 you. I have a very liberal friend — no less a person than 
 the lady Rachel, daughter of the great banker Alexander; 
 and she pities me and other poor children of our people ; 
 and it is she who makes it possible for me to let you have 
 the goods at so low a figure. Our father Abraham knows 
 that I could not do it otherwise.^ 
 
 "As soon as I mentioned your name, I saw at once that 
 I had touched the right chord. I have since found that 
 she came from Alexandria, where her family in time of 
 sickness and poverty had received much help from your 
 family. ' The God of our fathers bless the pitiful and 
 gracious lady,' she exclaimed. ' Many a time has she 
 helped me and mine.'' 
 
 " 'And is she not the granddaughter of Seti — the high- 
 priest and head of my race? ' inquired the Egyptian hus- 
 band. 
 
 " ' To be sure she is,' I exclaimed, ' the worthy child 
 of both Egypt and Israel — and I will tell you a secret (I 
 sank my voice very low and looked cautiously about). I 
 can tell you of a way in which you can greatly oblige 
 these great friends of ours and get as many of these 
 goods as you would like for just nothing — absolutely 
 nothing.' 
 
THE ARGONAUTS. 319 
 
 ** Their eyes 02)eued wider and began to glisten. They 
 drew themselves closer to me. 
 
 '' ' Look you/ said I, * there has been in the dungeon 
 of this castle for the last few days a young man who is a 
 special friend of Seti and Alexander. He was arrested 
 without right, and spirited away from Alexandria in the 
 night, and brought here by a company of men appearing 
 as Roman soldiers." 
 
 " Thrown off her guard, the Jewess exclaimed, * How 
 did you come to know this?" 
 
 " ' No matter,' said I, ' it is enough that I do know 
 it ; and know further that if you would oblige Seti and 
 Alexander, who have such claims on you, as well as won- 
 derfully advantage yourselves, you have now an opportu- 
 nity. If you will help them in this matter, they can and 
 will do great things for you. It is the opportunity of a 
 life-time." 
 
 " ' But what can we do? ' exclaimed both custodes at 
 once. 
 
 ** ' I will tell you. But first tell me whether you have 
 seen that goodly young man with your own eyes, and 
 know him to have been safe and sound when he was put 
 into the dungeon.' 
 
 " ' So he seemed by the torch -light,' said the Jewess. 
 ^A goodly young man, you may well say. I never saw 
 one half so goodly. He stood like a king among his 
 slaves, with his great staff for a sceptre. The soldiers 
 seemed almost as much afraid of his eye as of his staff, 
 and plainly felt relieved when the key was turned upon 
 him.' 
 
 '''Has he had food and drink since then?' I 
 asked. 
 
320 THE ARGONAUTS. 
 
 *' They hesitated ; tiiid the woman looked in a troubled 
 way at her husband. 
 
 " ' Now, by all the patriarchs/ cried I in great excite- 
 ment, ' have they been starving this friend of Seti and 
 Alexander all these days, and you doing nothing to help 
 him?^ 
 
 '**Not so/ she hastened to exclaim. 'We thought 
 we could not let the young man perish ; and as soon as 
 we found out that no food of any kind was being given 
 him we managed to introduce some secretly through a 
 grated opening in the wall originally made for tluit pur- 
 pose. But it has been at the risk of our lives. We can- 
 not continue. If we should be discovered he would kill 
 
 us/ 
 
 a i 
 
 Whom do you mean by " he "? ' I asked. 
 
 " ' The leader among the soldiers.' 
 
 " ' What sort of a man is he?' 
 
 *' 'A great, bull necked, big fisted man ; with fierce and 
 cruel and blood shot eyes, and cheeks somewhat bruised 
 and swollen. I have heard him called Draco. This man 
 carries the key of the dungeon at his girdle day and 
 night. He treats us like dogs, and would kill us out- 
 right in his terrible passion should he fiud us out. No, 
 we cannot afford to take such a risk for a single day 
 longer. We were worrying over the matter when you 
 came up.' 
 
 "'Look here, woman!' said I fiercely, 'if you let 
 this Hebrew (for he is of our faith) perish, you will have 
 to account for it to both man and God ; but, if you will 
 give him ample food and drink daily and help us to free 
 him, the lady Rachel promises to reward you richly — be- 
 yond what you could dream. If there is risk in the mat- 
 
THE ARGONAUTS. 321 
 
 tor there is enough pay in it, too, to make it well worth 
 your while to take the risk. But I do not see that you 
 need to run any considerable risk. AVhere are these men 
 in the night ? ' 
 
 " * They always pass the best part of the night in a 
 drunken carouse. They have found the wine cellar.' 
 
 " ^And, I dare say, by midnight they are lying about 
 the floor of the mess room dead drunk and stupid as 
 logs. ' 
 
 " ' It may be. ' 
 
 " 'And what is to hinder you from taking that time for 
 putting food, and whatever else his friends may wish 
 (this note for example), within reach of the prisoner? 
 The risk must be very small. Indeed I am not sure but 
 that you might safely steal in among the besotted and 
 snoring brutes, cut off the key from Draco's belt, and 
 open the door of the dungeon. The lady Rachel would 
 enrich you for life.' 
 
 "The woman threw up her hands in dismay. 'I 
 coidd not do it. The very idea of such a thing almost 
 frightens me to death. Besides, how do I know that the 
 daughter of Alexander will fulfill all your fine promises. 
 You always did talk larger than the truth. You never 
 spare fine talking in the way of business.' 
 
 '' I confess this awfully embarrassed me. My habit in 
 dealing with my customers has been somewhat of the or- 
 luimental and poetical sort. And now at last it had 
 brought me into difficulty. AVhat should I do? I 
 silently promised myself that I would mend my ways. I 
 protested to the woman by all things sacred that I did 
 not misrepresent you. The miserable woman declared 
 she would not believe me. Nothing short of your own 
 
/ 
 
 322 THE ABGONAUTS. 
 
 lips should satisfy her. If you would come and with 
 your own mouth repeat my promises they would try to do 
 what they could. But she shook like one in a palsy when 
 she said it. 
 
 " Seeing that my reputation was too much for me, sin- 
 ner that I am ; and that nothing better could be done, I 
 said, ' You are unreasonable; but it shall be as you say. 
 The lady will come and confirm all I have said. But 
 meanwhile (here I drew out my bag of gold pieces) this is 
 what she has given me to reward those who take risks in 
 her service; and if you will daily put into the grated 
 opening plenty of food and drink, together with whatever 
 else I may give you, and will daily come to me in the up- 
 per hamlet where you are in the habit of going for pro- 
 visions, and will swear that you have done so by the 
 beards of our fathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, I will, 
 each time, give you two gold pieces. And I will begin 
 now ; for I want you to put this note into the dungeon 
 this very day. Swear to me that you will do it.' And 
 I held up two shining pieces in the sun. 
 
 " Her eyes snapped. So did mine — the gold looked so 
 dazzling and lovely in the golden sun. As for the hus- 
 band, he sat with amazed eyes and open mouth, but said 
 nothing. Neither of them had seen such gold before. 
 
 " The woman stretched out her hand. I made her 
 swear, gave her the note you gave me, and then gave her 
 the two coins. 
 
 " Just then a man shouted to them from the castle in a 
 threatening tone; and they hurried away in a fright, 
 while I gathered up my wares as fast as I could and went 
 back to the hamlet. Here I scrawled a note to you, gave 
 it to my son whom I had taken the precaution to take 
 
THE ARGONAUTS. 323 
 
 with me, aild put him on board of a vessel for Alexandria 
 just then passing. Since then the custode has been to 
 me daily, made oath that she has fed the prisoner, and 
 received her gold pieces. She reports that Draco has 
 gone back to the city for a day or two ; but that he has 
 left a substitute who wears the key of the dungeon at his 
 belt, and leads off every night in the drunken debauch. 
 I expect her every moment. It is about time for her to 
 make her daily visit. . . . There she is with her provision 
 basket! I will go and bring her on board." 
 
 Eachel was struck with the air of the humbly dressed 
 and somewhat bent woman whom the peddler soon brought 
 up to her. She looked the picture of timidity and un- 
 certainty — as if drawn in opposite directions by powerful 
 forces, and almost torn in pieces in the struggle between 
 them. Her nerves were all on the wing. One could 
 warrant that no sound sleep had come to her for many a 
 night. She staggered rather than walked uj) to where 
 Rachel was sitting. 
 
 Rachel saluted her warmly; with her own hands 
 placed a cushion for her near herself; asked her name; by 
 degrees drew her out to tell of her former life in Alexan- 
 dria and of her bits of contact with the family of Alexan- 
 der. How long had she lived here? Were there others 
 of " our faith and race " in this neighborhood? Was she 
 holding fast to the God of Israel? And did she hear and 
 understand the chant from the prophet Daniel? 
 
 Seti sat silently by and listened to the gentle, sooth- 
 ing tones in which, without any airs of condescension 
 and patronage, but simply as woman with woman and be- 
 liever with believer, the princess talked witli the peasant, 
 till he saw the discomposure of the poor woman slowly 
 
324 THE ARGONAUTS. 
 
 give way to the winsome ways of one speaking to her as 
 from her own level. And yet what a contrast! The 
 fresh, glorious beauty and grace, fittingly arrayed, of the 
 one over against the faded features and crooked form and 
 rough garments of the other ! Could it be that the two 
 were of the same race? No one who saw Eachel that day 
 could doubt that she at least thought so, and knew how 
 to make her lowly sister feel the same. Said Seti to 
 himself, " The last few days have ripened her like trop- 
 ical suns."" There are ways in which the great may put 
 themselves in sympathy and fellowship with the lowly 
 without putting on their dress, eating their food, living 
 in their cabins, and using their language. 
 
 "And this is my grandfather, Deborah,"' at length 
 said Rachel, looking toward Seti, " who, though he is 
 high priest of Egypt, honors the God of our fathers and 
 loves our people. He shall be witness to what I will now 
 say to you. Our merchant friend here has told you how 
 much interested we are to rescue the young man of our 
 faith who is now in the castle dungeon. But Ezra was 
 not able to tell you, as I do now, that the young man was 
 not imprisoned by the government, but by a band of ruf- 
 fians on their own private feud; and that we have in our 
 hands a warrant from the governor to deliver him from his 
 enemies as best we can. But there are reasons why we 
 wish to do it as quietly as possible. Here you can help us. 
 You have already helped us by keeping our friend from 
 starvation. Now we want you to help us still further — 
 in fact, to help us free him this very night. H there is 
 any risk to you in what we shall now propose, we will re- 
 ward you accordingly. AVe will do for you all that our 
 agent the merchant has promised. We will make it un- 
 
THE ARGONAUTS. 325 
 
 necessary for you to be a servant any more. If you 
 choose you shall go with us to Alexandria, and live at 
 your ease for the rest of your life. You know that 
 we are able to do as much as we say. Now, grand- 
 father, will you tell Deborah what we want her to 
 do?'' 
 
 " Do you and your husband draw and carry the wine 
 every night to the soldiers.^ " inquired Seti. 
 
 The woman answered in the affirmative. 
 
 He went on, " Put this powder in the wine skin 
 from which you draw. It will not hurt the taste of the 
 wine, but the drunkards will sleep the sooner and sounder. 
 Doubtless there is somewhere on the grounds a large 
 pointed iron bar: is it not so? " 
 
 She replied that there was one in the provision cellar. 
 
 '* It is well. In the course of the day contrive to in- 
 troduce the bar, with a note which I will give you fast- 
 ened to it, into the prison through the grated opening. 
 Will you do it?" 
 
 She bent her head in assent. 
 
 One other thing — the hardest but most important of 
 all. As soon as the mess room is quiet after the debauch, 
 and the men are lying stupid with drunkenness and drug, 
 steal in on tiptoe and cut off the key from the girdle of 
 the captain, and unlock the dungeon door, if the young 
 man has not yet succeeded in prying it open. The drug 
 is so powerful that I think you can do it safely. If one 
 should happen to rouse, he would, very likely, think you 
 had come to bring more wine and relapse into his stupor. 
 When the young man is free, conduct him to the north 
 gate, which I know you have the key of; where we will 
 meet you with a number of men and conduct you all to 
 
32G THE ARGONAUTS. 
 
 the pinnace which by that time will be near the north 
 hamlet. Will you do this also?" 
 
 *' Oh/' the woman exclaimed with almost an air of 
 distraction, "I am so afraid. Those wicked, frightful 
 men — how ca?i I go in among them ! " 
 
 Both Seti and Rachel talked long with her; plied her 
 with arguments and promises ; and at last had the satis- 
 faction of seeing her more composed and tirm, and of 
 hearing her promise that she would do as they wished. 
 
 As she rose to go, Rachel grasped her hand and said, 
 " Now be brave for a few hours and your fortune is made. 
 Do all we have said — do just as we have said. Do it for 
 the sake of the innocent, do it for Israel's sake, do it for 
 our sakes who have some claims upon you, do it for your 
 own sakes for whom this day may do so much. " 
 
 As the woman was turning away, Seti held out to her 
 a vial filled with a colored liquid. ''As evening comes 
 on pour this into a cup of water and drink it. It is a 
 cordial. It will strengthen and steady you for what you 
 have to do. . . . And then," he added to Rachel, " the 
 note and plan to be fastened to the bar ! " 
 
 She at once wrote thus: "Tonight we expect that 
 the guard will be stupid with wine and drug. When 
 they are fully quiet after their debauch, see what you can 
 do toward prying open your door. If you cannot succeed, 
 you may still hope that the door will be unlocked shortly 
 from without. Make your way out of the castle by 
 means of the inclosed plan, if no guide apjiears; and 
 meet your friends at the north gate. — R." 
 
 She showed this to Seti, who nodded his api^roval. 
 Folding her copy of the plan into the note, she gave it to 
 the custode — charging her to put it through the grate 
 
THE ARGONAUTS. 327 
 
 while it was still light enough to read the note and to see 
 how best to attack the door. The woman departed some 
 gold pieces richer than she came. 
 
 The peddler gathered up his wares, repacked them, 
 and went forward with his pack. Late in the day, at a 
 signal from Seti, the boatmen who had scattered them- 
 selves along the bank, returned, unmoored the vessel, 
 pushed out silently into the stream, dropped silently 
 down past the castle, and as silently warped into another 
 sheltered nook very like that they had just left and about 
 as far from the castle. 
 
 Here the servants spread refreshments for Eachel and 
 her grandfather : and then a larger outspread was made 
 at the other end of the pinnace for the others. While 
 these were eating, Seti and Rachel went down among them 
 to speak a few kindly words, to see that their wants were 
 well supplied, and to ask all of them, save two or three 
 needed to stay by the vessel, to be ready late in the even- 
 ing to escort them in a short walk they were j^roposing to 
 take. It would not be amiss if they should take blud- 
 geons or other arms with them : they would find a plenty 
 of such below. Very likely arms would not be needed ; 
 but then the place was neither Heaven nor the Diapleus- 
 ton. Is it necessary to state that no person was em- 
 ployed on Alexander's barge unless he was a Jew of his 
 own synagogue? 
 
 How should they spend the weary hours of waiting 
 before it would be time to set out for the gate? Seti did 
 something to answer this question. 
 
 As soon as the men had finished eating, he stepped to 
 the front of the dais with a roll in his hand, and invited 
 all of them to come near while he should read from their 
 
328 THE ARGONAUTS. 
 
 Sacred Writings. He then proceeded to read from the 
 Septuagint the 93d and a part of the 94th Psalm. It was 
 very different reading from that artificial sub cantus 
 heard in the synagogues. It was the reading of a prophet 
 by a prophet, of a poet by a poet. Such a natural, 
 hearty, sympathetic rendering of the great thoughts — it 
 seemed as if the royal Psalmist, in the full glow of his 
 inspiration, was rehearsing his own words. The people 
 stood with open mouths and wondering eyes as the man 
 of three generations — his form erect, his eyes keen, his 
 hair but slightly frosted, his teeth perfect, his voice firm 
 and resonant, his whole bearing that of one who defies 
 decay — celebrated in grave and majestic tones the glory 
 of the One God, His justice, and the final overthrow of 
 the plans of the wicked. He closed by reading with spe- 
 cial slowness and emphasis these words, ^^ Who will rise 
 iq) for me against the evil doers — who will stand iqj for 
 7ne against the workers of iniquity 9 " 
 
 Rolling up the parchment, he looked searchingly 
 about on the upturned faces. 
 
 "Friends,'' said he, "we are not far from a den of 
 evil-doers. In yonder castle, a small band of ruffians, 
 without warrant from the authorities, have shut up in a 
 dungeon the young man who stood up so nobly for our 
 faith in the Diapleuston a few days ago. We are here 
 with a warrant from the governor to rescue him. We 
 expect this will be done about midnight without any 
 help from you. But we have promised to meet the res- 
 cuing party at the north gate of the castle grounds with 
 our men and conduct them to the pinnace. We hope 
 that this will be all we need to do. But if we should be 
 disappointed, I want you to be ready with stout hearts 
 
THE ARGOKAUTS. 329 
 
 and arms to succeed Avliere others have failed. The sol- 
 diers are few, at midnight they will be drunk, the castle 
 will be open, and I who know every nook in it will be 
 your guide. Now, who of you will rise up for us against 
 the evil doers? ^^ 
 
 " We will all go," said one. 
 
 " Yes, all,'' said another and another. 
 
 "There is none of us willing to be left behind," ex- 
 claimed the peddler as he looked around. 
 
 "And yet," said Seti, " we must leave some with the 
 vessel. Ten of your stoutest will be enough to go with 
 
 us; and you may select these for yourselves 
 
 Now let us kneel and pray to the God of Israel, who can 
 do great things for us whereof we shall be glad?" and, to 
 the astonishment of all, he kneeled, and spread forth his 
 hands heavenward, and invoked the blessing of the Most 
 High on their undertaking with the manner of one who 
 saw God and stood in his very presence. Few words, but 
 full of meaning and realization and devotion. And that 
 westering sun looked through the screen of palms on as 
 true and acceptable a prayer meeting as he sees to day. 
 
 In the brief twilight that follows an Egyptian sun ■ 
 setting, they saw a man running down to them from the 
 high road that skirted the bank. It proved to be the old 
 Egyptian custode. He was spent with running, and, 
 when brought up to Seti and Rachel, could hardly speak. 
 But at last he managed to let them know that he was 
 much afraid, from his wife's growing agitation, that her 
 courage would fail at the critical moment. All appear- 
 ances promised an agony of fright and incapacity when 
 presence of mind would be most needed. He begged that 
 the lady, who only seemed to have power to soothe and 
 
330 THE ARGONAUTS. 
 
 hearten lier, would not fail to come witli the others. It 
 might save everything. 
 
 " I ivill come/' said Rachel; and, looking at Seti, she 
 added, " I had rather in any case go with you than re- 
 main here in suspense." 
 
 He made no reply to her, but said to the Egyptian as 
 he dismissed him with a present: ''Do not forget to 
 have the north gate opened early — also the iron door lead- 
 ing to the cellars. Have a lighted lantern ready as soon 
 as the soldiers are quiet." 
 
 The stars came out one by one. Sirius flashed out 
 first; then Aldebaran ; then the body and belt and sword 
 of Orion, together with Pleiades and Hyades and the 
 Chambers of the South — with their pageant universe. 
 No moon would appear till after midnight ; but such was 
 the stellar effulgence that nothing more seemed needed 
 for such an enterprise. 
 
 The flight of Time! Yes, he is sometimes pictured 
 with wings as far stretching and mighty as an archan- 
 gel's ; and sometimes he seems to us to be plying them 
 with all his might. But not in such circumstances as our 
 friends were in. To eager, restless, susi3enseful hearts, 
 lioping the best but fearing the worst, eager to work but 
 for the present able to do nothing, Time has no wings 
 at all, not even feet, but creeps along as if weighted with 
 untold chains. So crept he that night to Seti and Ra- 
 chel. 
 
 But even the snail is at last found to have moved — 
 the most lingering hour that ever crept toward a man, 
 second by second, at last arrives — and so, at last, midnight 
 ached along and found Seti and his company at the north 
 gate. It was unfastened. So far, well. 
 
THE ARGONAUTS. 331 
 
 They listened. They thought they could hear dull 
 strokes at carefully measured intervals. " Get nearer — as 
 near as you can/' said Seti to the peddler, "and see if 
 the sound does not come from the dungeon.^' 
 
 In a few moments the man returned to say that the 
 prisoner was evidently at work on his door; but that the 
 custodes, both man and wife, were sitting in an appar- 
 ently helpless state on the steps before the iron door lead- 
 ing to the vaults. He could scarcely get an intelligible 
 word from either of them. 
 
 " Let us go to them/' whispered Eachel to Seti ; "let 
 us go to them alone. The men would only alarm and 
 confound them more." 
 
 For answer he drew her arm still further within his ; 
 and went cautiously forward through the shadows straight 
 toward the door of the vaults. Sure enough, there were 
 the custodes on the last step, cowering, trembling, moan- 
 ing faintly, almost stupid with terror. Eachel knelt by 
 the woman, took hold of her hand with one hand and 
 stroked her with the other, bade her be of good courage, 
 if only for a little. 
 
 " You see," said she, " that I have come to help you. 
 Seti also is here; and many other helpers are behind. 
 Have you taken the cordial? Ah, I see that you have 
 forgotten it. Never mind, take it now. There, now I 
 hope you will soon feel better. \Yhat do you say? You 
 have no strength? You cannot go alone? Look, De- 
 borah, let us go together as far as the prison door and see 
 what progress has been made. Perhaps it will not be 
 necessary to go for the key. Come, lean on me." 
 
 So the woman was persuaded to her feet. The potion 
 that Rachel had given her seemed beginning to take ef- 
 
ii 
 it 
 
 332 THE ARGONAUTS. 
 
 feet. Seti pushed open the iron door, found a lighted 
 hintern just witliin, cautiously descended the steps with 
 it, closely followed by the two women. Now the blows 
 were falling strong and fast ; as if the prisoner knew that 
 no time was to be lost. They came to the grated open- 
 ing into the cell. Seti set the lantern by it. At once 
 the strokes ceased. 
 
 " Is it Aleph the Chaldean? " inquired the priest in a 
 voice scarcely above a whisper. 
 
 "Thank Heaven! it is the voice of Seti, my friend 
 and father, ''^ answered a voice within. 
 
 Will the door give way? " asked Seti. 
 I fear not," replied Aleph. "I cannot see where 
 to apply the bar, and so much of my labor is thrown 
 away. If a light could be introduced through the grat- 
 ing, I could soon tell whether freedom is possible in this 
 way." 
 
 " Can you get a narrow sconce that will pass through 
 the grate?" asked Seti of the custode. 
 
 The woman, without speaking, pointed in a vague way 
 toward the room above. 
 
 "Do nothing till we return," said the priest to 
 Aleph. " We will find you a light, or something bet- 
 ter." 
 
 Then he whispered to Rachel, "There is but one 
 thing to be done. Seat the woman on this bench and 
 come. AVe must do without her. She might shriek or 
 fall among the men at any moment. Safer without her." 
 
 The woman sank on the bench like a rag. Seti took 
 down the lantern, drew Rachel's arm again Avithin his 
 own, and softly made his way up a fiight of steps to the 
 door of the mess room. He listened a moment. Notli- 
 
THE ARGONAUTS. 333 
 
 ing was audible but the dull hard breathing of the men 
 within. 
 
 He gently pressed the door open. The room was full 
 of lights of all sorts — as if the ruffians had been afraid of 
 darkness and meant to have as little of it as possible. 
 And all around — on benches, on the floor, under the 
 great table, hanging limp over the backs of chairs — were 
 the men in a state of swinish intoxication. Broken and 
 upset cups lay about everywhere. Pools of wine and 
 vomit were on the table and on the floor. The foul air 
 was almost intolerable. 
 
 Seti took up a sword that lay on the floor, and held 
 out the lantern to Rachel. 
 
 *' No, grandfather,^' she whispered, " this work is for 
 me. I can tread among them more lightly than you 
 can; and now I can see the key at the belt of yonder 
 man," and she pointed to a man who sat at the head of 
 the table, his arms spread out upon it, and his head rest- 
 ing on his arms. 
 
 He expostulated, " Perhaps the woman neglected to 
 drug the wine as she neglected her own cordial.'' 
 
 Without replying, the maiden gathered her robes 
 tightly about her, and stepped in among the dangerous 
 brutes. Her feet fell as fall the snow-flakes. Around 
 one man, over the arm or leg of another, narrowly miss- 
 ing the nodding head of a third— on she went through 
 those swine possessed with devils like some celestial vis- 
 ion, with eye and foot steady and sure, till she reached 
 the farther end of the room and the side of the symposi- 
 arch. She saw the key. Oh for a knife to sever it from 
 the belt ! She could see nowhere any sharp cutting tool. 
 The man was snoring heavily ; the snores got into a tan- 
 
334 THE ARGONAUTS. 
 
 gle, trembled, stopped. He groaned and moved. She 
 stood breathlessly over him with steady, fljiming eyes till 
 his breathing became regular again ; then, seizing a small 
 sconce from the table, she held it under the string that 
 fastened the key to the belt. In a moment the two 
 parted company. With lamp in one hand, and the key 
 with her draperies in the other, she made her way back 
 to the door and Seti as carefully as she went. 
 
 They passed out. Seti noiselessly closed the door, 
 drew up between it and an angle in the wall a stout 
 bench, and descended to the dungeon. Rachel put her 
 hand with the narrow lamp in it through the grate, and 
 whispered in an unsteady voice, "We have the key. 
 Take the light, and, if you have displaced the door some- 
 what, replace it. Else the key may not work.'" 
 
 He took it, made a few movements with his bar, then 
 said, "Now try the key." Seti inserted it and tried to 
 turn — alas, the bolt would not move. 
 
 " Hand the key to me," said Aleph; " perhaps I can 
 do better from the inside." 
 
 It was passed through the grate. The outside hearts 
 stood still as the key was heard groping for its hole, then 
 stoutly pushed home, then beginning to turn in the 
 wards. Would it stop? Has it stopped? Ah, what a 
 moment that was! Human nature could not endure 
 many such strains. But hark! There is a sudden 
 mighty heave and push and wrench; and, oh joy! youth 
 and strength and Heaven have surely conquered. Back 
 flies the bolt with a loud noise. that is musical as Paradise ; 
 and lo, Aleph stands before them. Seti threw his arms 
 about him, and exclaimed, " My son — thank Heaven! " 
 
 ^'I also thank Heaven and my foster-father," re- 
 
THE ARGONAUTS. 335 
 
 turned Aleph warmly, as he returned. the embrace; and 
 then, turning toward Rachel with eyes that even in the 
 dim light throbbed into hers thankfulness, and much be- 
 sides that made her face burn and her heart sing, he 
 added, "And there is another who will not be forgotten, 
 even the angel whom God has sent to shut the lions' 
 mouths so that they have not hurt me. I knew your 
 voice, and even your hand, as well as your chant, as you 
 came/^ 
 
 "We must hasten," interrupted the priest. "We 
 are not yet quite out of the lions' den." 
 
 Aleph at once went into the dungeon and brought out 
 his staff and the lamp. 
 
 "And Deborah? It will not do to leave the poor 
 woman here; and, shattered as she is, she cannot help 
 herself away. She failed us at the last moment, but she 
 did what she could," whispered Rachel to Aleph as she 
 pointed to the custode on the bench. 
 
 He bent to look at the woman. "No, she cannot 
 walk, and must not be left. I will carry her.'' 
 
 And he took her up as gently and as easily as one 
 might a babe ; and so, following Seti, they went up the 
 steps to the iron door and then out under the blessed stars 
 that seemed to rejoice and exult with them. Seti did 
 not forget to make assurance of safety doubly sure by 
 putting another bolted door between them and pursuit. 
 They found the Egyptian sitting where they had left 
 him. He plainly was able to help himself: so, bidding 
 him follow, they moved on to the gate, where they found 
 the boatmen and peddler much alarmed at their long ab- 
 sence and about going to seek them. This gate also they 
 immediately bolted after them — thus putting a third em- 
 
336 . THE ARGONAUTS. 
 
 barrassment in the way of pursuit. The pinnace-men 
 could scarce restrain their joy and shouts when they saw 
 Aleph among them with the woman in his arms. They 
 did not restrain themselves as soon as the bolt of the gate 
 went clanging home, but sent up a shout full of hearti- 
 ness and victory. The newly risen moon seemed to shout 
 back again. 
 
 They reached the vessel without further adventure. 
 
 "Unmoor, men/' cried Seti, " and push out into the 
 
 river I 
 
 When this had been done, and the pinnace was mov- 
 ing gently with the current, his voice rose again. " Be- 
 fore we spread our sails and take oars for Alexandria, let 
 us acknowledge Him who has answered our prayers.'' 
 And so under the bright moonlight, floating gently down 
 the restful ancient river, with no sound on the air but 
 his own majestic voice, the high priest, as if primate of 
 all religions, gave thanks, in few and fitting words and 
 with uplifted hands, for the success of their enterprise to 
 Him "who executeth judgment for the oppressed, who 
 giveth food to the hungry, and who looseth the prisoners." 
 
 Now up, men, with the sails ! Now, ye oarsmen with 
 light hearts and strong arms, ply joyfully the oars home- 
 ward ! Aleph, sitting at the feet of Seti and Rachel, is 
 duly questioned and tells modestly his story ; and he in 
 return soon comes to know all that we know about the 
 measures taken for his rescue — also about the situation 
 of Cimon, in regard to whom his concern seemed to have 
 been greater than for himself. For the most part Seti 
 told the story. And he told it well. Rachel certainly 
 had no reason to complain that justice was not done to 
 the part she had taken in the matter. And she saw more 
 
THE ARGONAUTS. 337 
 
 eloquent speaking in the two luminaries that occasionally 
 beamed up into hers than she had ever seen in moon and 
 stars — or even the sun. 
 
 But toiling men must have rest and sleep. So, after 
 the lapse of an hour or so, during which good i^rogress 
 had been made, the boatmen moored again under the 
 screen of another leafy grove that overhung the river and 
 laid themselves down wherever they best could. Seti and 
 Rachel retired below. As for Aleph, he had had enough 
 of inactivity. The sense and delight of freedom once 
 more were strong within him. He leaped ashore ; and 
 walked about in the grove, and sometimes on the highway 
 from Alexandria Avhich in general followed the banks of 
 the river, and which the Romans, according to their 
 wont, kept in the best condition. AYhile on this thor- 
 oughfare he heard the sound of wheels and the tramp of 
 furiously driven horses coming from the north. He 
 stepped into the grove. The noise rapidly grew, and 
 soon became mixed Avith the voices of men in angry dis- 
 pute. As the voices came still nearer — could it be? 
 
 Aleph thought he recognized the voice of Draco. Then 
 appeared a chariot drawn by two foaming horses, with 
 four men seated in it. AVhen nearly abreast of him the 
 horses suddenly stojoped. 
 
 "We will go no farther," exclaimed the voice of 
 Draco, ''till this matter is settled. We mean that he 
 shall die ; and we also mean to be paid well for what we 
 have done for you. We must have enough to pay us for 
 the loss of our situations, and to keep us in Rome, or 
 wherever we choose to go, for the rest of our lives. AYe 
 want the talents down— all of them. We are not a-going 
 to trust you for a yearly stipend, which may and may not 
 
338 THE ARGONAUTS. 
 
 be paid; we must have everything in our own power. 
 You did not promise so much? But you promised to pay 
 us liberally ; and the pay must be what ivc call liberal. 
 Cannot get so many talents? You can at least steal them 
 from your father, or from the treasury of the province— 
 we do not care which. We do not care how you come by 
 the money if so be that we get it.^' 
 
 In the course of the violent altercation that followed 
 Aleph recognized three other voices — that of the eques- 
 trian trainer, that of Antis, and that of Sextus Flaccus 
 Avho seemed in a half drunken state. He also gathered 
 that Sextus had been berating the trainers for their de- 
 feat by Aleph until the passionate men had been pro- 
 voked beyond measure, lost all self-control, and were 
 ready to do almost anything to gratify their resentment. 
 Sextus was too much in wine to see his danger ; kept on 
 abusing them roundly ; and even went so far as to threaten 
 that he would pay them little or nothing for their ser- 
 vices. This had brought matters to a crisis. 
 
 " Now," said Draco at last, with an oath as horrible as 
 a pagan or an atheist could swear, " let us have done with 
 this. Tell us, Sextus Flaccus, what you will do— yes or 
 no. Will you promise by the soul of your mother, the 
 only oath you are likely to keep, that within five days, 
 by hook or by crook, you will pay over to us the money 
 we demand? If not, you drunken fool, we will strangle 
 you on the spot and throw your body into the river. It 
 will be said that you fell into the river in a drunken fit. 
 And everybody will believe the story— even your own 
 father. Swear, I say, or die, die. We can help our- 
 selves at the castle to more than you are likely to give 
 us, if it be true, as we hear, that your father hides his 
 
THE ARGONAUTS. 339 
 
 treasures there ; and then we will take to the desert and 
 have everybody for a prey. Come ! ^' 
 
 Nothing came from Sextus but a new volley of pro- 
 voking epithets and threats. 
 
 The two trainers grasped him. A struggle followed. 
 " Drive on a little farther to a better spot/' cried Draco 
 to Antis. 
 
 The horses sprang forward under the lash and soon 
 disappeared. But Aleph could hear the noise of scuffle, 
 muffled calls for help, half suffocated cries of terror. He 
 ran after the chariot as fast as possible : at length descried 
 it standing by the roadside empty. At the same time he 
 heard a loud splash and saw three men run up from the 
 river bank, leap into the chariot, aud drive off at a furious 
 pace. It was vain to pursue — perhaps he might rescue 
 the victim. So he rushed to the bank which the men had 
 just left ; and leaned over the water, holding by a friendly 
 sapling that bent over the stream. At first he could see 
 nothing, coming as he did from the bright moonlight ; 
 but in a moment he saw a hand just sinking beneath the 
 water — saw also a crocodile close by in the act of turning 
 over to seize his prey. Quick as thought he struck at the 
 monster with his staff, and then, plunging his arm deep 
 in the water, caught the fingers of Sextus just as they 
 were passing out of reach, and drew the body to the bank. 
 It was apparently lifeless. The proper way of treating 
 such a body is no discovery of modern times. Aleph was 
 not ignorant of it, promptly used it, and found signs that 
 life was not extinct, though flickering in its socket. He 
 took up the body and hastened to return to the pinnace. 
 He found it all alive with anxiety at his disappearance — 
 especially after the sounds of strife and rushing wheels 
 
340 THE ARGONAUTS. 
 
 liad faintly come to them. Seti and Rachel met him, as 
 he stepped on board with his burden, with a joyful wel- 
 come and inquiring looks. 
 
 ''Sextus Flaccus, nearly or quite murdered by his 
 comrades— first throttled, and then drowned! '' 
 
 A few swift words of further explanation, and Aleph 
 hastened to the dais with his burden, and for a long time 
 bent every energy to restore the vital warmth — by post- 
 ure, by friction, by wrapping in rugs, by aiding the ribs 
 in the scarcely perceptible breathing movement, by fan- 
 ning — Seti assisting with advice and hands. It was a 
 hard fight with death ; but at last came signs that their 
 labor would not be in vain. Sextus breathed regularly 
 though feebly. His throat, which they had laid bare, 
 and which was all bruised and discolored by the strangling 
 hands of the ruffians, showed the efforts of the vital fluid 
 to resume a forceful circulation. At last he moaned and 
 opened his eyes. Opened them on Aleph as he knelt be- 
 fore him, fanning him, gently adjusting his position and 
 wraps as usefully as possible. Opened them at first in a 
 vague, bewildered stare into which soon came a grain of 
 intelligence, then of astonishment, then of alarm. He 
 tried to raise himself. Aleph gently helped him. Then 
 followed a fixed gaze of absorbed inquiry in Avhicli 
 thought seemed wrestling with thought, each demanding 
 of each, miat means all this ? Is if possible ? He then 
 quietly closed his eyes and seemed trying to recollect 
 himself. Seti and Rachel kept well behind, and watched 
 with breathless interest. Again Sextus opened his eyes 
 —this time with full intelligence in them. He tried to 
 speak. No sound came. He tried again. Aleph put 
 his ear near the struggling lips. 
 
THE ARGONAUTS. 341 
 
 **Are you Aleph the Chaldean?" came in the faintest 
 of whispers. 
 
 Aleph nodded. 
 
 "Aleph the prisoner? '^ 
 
 Aleph nodded again. 
 
 *'Did you save me from the men, and the Nile, and — 
 the crocodile?^' Sextus asked in a stronger voice. 
 
 "What, did you notice the crocodile?" said Aleph. 
 "I thought you were beyond noticing anything." 
 
 " I saw him preparing to seize me — saw something 
 worse than a crocodile ; for all my follies and sins of many 
 years, including my treatment of you, came up before me 
 in one dreadful flash. Ah, it was a dreadful sight — 
 worse than any monster on sea or land! " 
 
 " You see that it is possible to escape from monsters 
 that are very near/' said Aleph soothingly. "But I 
 would not talk any more just now. You are too weak. 
 Let me adjust the rugs and wraps more comfortably for 
 you, and lie down again. You are among friends." 
 
 Sextus bent another long wondering gaze at the noble 
 face that was bending over him, and then resigned him- 
 self with closed eyes to the gentle hands that laid him 
 carefully down to a smoother and softer resting place. 
 In a few moments he was asleep. 
 
 " Well," said Seti, with a grave smile, you are a very 
 strange young man. Is this the way you treat enemies 
 in your country? If so it is very unlike any other coun- 
 try that I happen to know. Still, I confess that the 
 way, unprecedented as it is, has a good look to it, and 
 may be worth introducing into Egypt. 
 
 " Say not unprecedented, my dear grandfather," said 
 Rachel, "for you know Deity treats men better than 
 
342 THE ARGONAITTS. 
 
 they deserve; and the Christ, it seems, does the same. 
 How forbearing he is toward his enemies, when he could 
 so easily overwhelm them ! " 
 
 Aleph was looking dreamily at the banks now fast 
 gliding by (for the pinnace was in full motion again and 
 the dawn was kindling all things into color and beauty), 
 but at the word Christ he turned inquiringly toward Ra- 
 chel. She understood him. 
 
 *' Yes," she said, " we have something new to tell you 
 about the Christ — something new and wonderful that 
 comes from a witness that I can trust — my own mother 
 — and she proceeded to relate to him the history of the 
 resurrection of Lazarus and the consequent exasperation 
 and plottings of his enemies. 
 
 "Having had little else to do, I have been thinking 
 much of Him during the last few days," returned Aleph, 
 " especially of what the prophets, Isaiah and Daniel, say 
 of his suffering character. ' He was wounded for our 
 transgression, he was bruised for our iniquities, and the 
 Lord has laid on him the iniquities of us all : he was 
 taken from prison and from judgment, and who shall de- 
 clare his generation, for he was cut off out of the land of 
 the living.' And Daniel says, 'And after three score 
 and two weeks shall the Messiah be cut off, but not for 
 himself.' So I am expecting the worst and the best — 
 the greatest sacrifice and the greatest salvation the world 
 has ever seen. Jesus is surely a king ; but at present his 
 kingdom is not of this world. He will pass to his throne 
 through the gates of death. Then of his kingdom there 
 will be no end." 
 
 He said this as a seer might say it, and with a new 
 light in his face. 
 
THE ARGONAUTS. 343 
 
 Sextus slumbered on, hour after hour, as the vessel 
 glided down the silent river and the sun glided up the 
 silent sky. Their morning meal was spread for them and 
 still he slept. But when they raised their heads, after the 
 priest had thanked Him who giveth to all their food, they 
 saw that his eyes were wide open and fastened on them. 
 Aleph at once went to him, helped him to a sitting j)ost- 
 ure, propped him with cushions and rugs, and then 
 brought him fruits and other food. He was now able to 
 eat, though but very slowly. Aleph did not leave him 
 till his slow repast was quite finished, and he was again 
 settled into a restful position. During all this he said 
 not a word. 
 
 It was not long after the meal and the general relig- 
 ious service that immediately followed that they saw in 
 the distance and coming toward them a large galley evi- 
 dently crowded with people. As it approached they rec- 
 ognized the young men of the University ; and the young 
 men at the same time recognized the commanding form 
 of Aleph, who had risen for a better view of the craft in 
 which Seti seemed so interested. What a shout from 
 young throats suddenly broke into the sky! What a 
 climbing into all high places and lookouts! What a 
 frantic flourish of hands and caps — yea, of spears and 
 swords and bucklers ; for it was now plain that something 
 besides a cordial reception of a returning friend was in 
 the thought of the young men when they left Alexandria. 
 They were prepared to fight as well as to celebrate. 
 
 "Hail Aleph the Chaldean! " Three times they had 
 given this uproarious greeting with full lungs and wild 
 gesticulations ; and there is no telling when they would 
 have stopped had not Aleph stepped on the bulwark to- 
 
344 THE ARGONAUTS. 
 
 ward the galley and beckoned to them. They instantly 
 became silent. 
 
 "You see, my friends, that the venerable Seti has 
 found me, and found me safe and sound — thanks to 
 Heaven and him. No matter where, no matter how: he 
 desires that no questions be asked about these things. 
 My arrest and abduction were not by the authorities : they 
 were a private enterprise altogether for which we may 
 hold Draco responsible, if we can lay hands on him. 
 Apart from him all is buried. Many thanks to you for 
 the generous interest you have taken in the stranger, for 
 the efforts and j^ains you have been at on my account, and 
 of which I have been duly informed. I did not know 
 when I joined the University what a company of gener- 
 ous and warm hearted associates I would have. If my 
 arm were long enough I would grasp the hand of every 
 one of you. Suppose it done till we meet again. Once 
 more ; in return for your warm greetings, I am sure that 
 I can give not only my own but those of the dear friends 
 in whose hands you see me, and without whom I should 
 not be here to day." 
 
 Pausing a moment, he added, " I have a favor to ask. 
 We have with us a sick friend for whom quiet and rest 
 are needed. For this and other reasons we propose that 
 you precede or follow us at a considerable interval ; and 
 that we enter the city apart in as quiet and undemonstra- 
 tive a way as possible. We can demonstrate at our lei- 
 sure hereafter. I certainly shall want to demonstrate my 
 gratitude." 
 
 One great cheer for the speaker; and another for 
 "the empress of Alexandria" as they now discovered 
 Eacliel beneath the curtain which she had hastily let fall 
 

 THE ARGONAUTS. 345 
 
 between herself and the approaching galley; and then 
 the galley silently droj^ped behind — far behind. But our 
 friends could hear faintly from it the music of song and 
 instrument, and faintly see the flutter of banners and 
 streamers of all sorts all the way along the river and 
 canal. But when they entered the lake they quite lost 
 sight and hearing of the galley. So the pinnace came 
 quietly to its old moorings. 
 
 Up to this time Sextus had sat silent and almost mo- 
 tionless Avhere he had been placed. He now threw off 
 his wraps and attempted to rise. With the help of Aleph, 
 who hastened to him, he succeeded ; but he was not able 
 to stand alone. 
 
 I see a close palanquin on the shore," said Aleph. 
 I will beckon for it, and if you somewhat muffle the 
 lower part of your face, you will not be recognized. 1 
 will order the bearers to take you to Bruchium." 
 
 Sextus looked gratefully at him, and said in a low but 
 decisive voice, " I shall not forget this, as you soon will 
 have occasion to know." 
 
 So they parted with mutual pressure of the hand. 
 
 Then Aleph parted from Seti and Rachel — saying to 
 the latter as she reminded him of his promise to see Mir- 
 iam, " Shall I also see the empress of Rome?" His voice 
 was somewhat unsteady. 
 
 She hesitated for a moment, and then said, impul- 
 sively, " You will never see her, if earth and Heaven can 
 prevent it;" and her face shone with a determination 
 that was almost fierce. 
 
 "If I only wore a diadem, I know at whose feet it 
 would be laid " — he said it simply, as to himself. 
 
 Aleph the Chaldean already wears a diadem which 
 
 a 
 
346 THE ARGONAUTS. 
 
 the (laughter of Alexander values more than any that will 
 ever shine on the banks of the Tiber," was the reply. 
 
 What is the use of being a princess and, by invitation, 
 an empress, if she cannot speak her mind frankly ? But 
 what is her mind? Seti might have used the same words. 
 From his lips they would have meant high approval and 
 even admiration. Was this all that she meant? Did she 
 only pay such fitting intellectual tribute to Aleph as one 
 pays to an admirable statue, to the glorious stars, or to 
 each of a hundred shining historic persons? W^e admire 
 them and praise them — but we can live without them. 
 We can leave the admirable statue in its palace or temple 
 and very contentedly go about our business, never to see 
 it again. We can praise Plato to the skies, and yet be 
 quite willing to have him and his Republic remain some 
 twenty odd centuries away from us. Who has a right to 
 say that such was not the mind of Eachel? — appreciative, 
 outspoken, Setian, and — nothing more? 
 
XV. 
 
 THE CONFERENCES. 
 
 Avolv napouTuv T^fiicvr '?\,oyoQ nupa. 
 
 — ^scHYLUs, Eum. 428. 
 He hears but half who hears one side only. 
 
1. Legal preparations. 
 
 2. A. mi:xed. cup. 
 
 3. A critical conversation. 
 
 4. Kor better or worse? 
 
XV. 
 
 THE CONFERENCES. 
 
 THERE were several reasons why the first wonder and 
 rush of surmises as to the reappearance of Aleph 
 did not last long. They were let alone severely. And 
 then the rumors of an approaching visit from the Ca?sar 
 grew stronger every day ; and all eyes and tongues were 
 strongly drawn toward the daughter of Alexander and 
 her probable views and feelings as to the great alliance. 
 In addition, the air was now full of the great trials that 
 were to come off in a few days — Malus against the two 
 brothers, Malus against Cimon, and Cimon against Malus. 
 That Malus should venture to attack anybody was not a 
 matter for surprise ; but that anybody should venture to 
 attack Malus was indeed wonderful. So the city had 
 plenty to talk about without querying long as to the 
 where and how of Aleph's escape, with nobody to answer 
 questions. 
 
 The public interest grew exceedingly when it became 
 plain, as it soon did, that the contest would not be be- 
 tween two individuals, but between two great parties. 
 On the one side were Malus and the Flacci with their 
 host of dependents : on the other was Cimon, supported 
 by all the influence and forces of Seti and Alexander, as 
 well as by the good- will and prestige and family influence 
 
350 THE CONFERENCES. 
 
 of both branches of the University, with which Aleph 
 was now unboiuidedly po])uhir. Though he firmly de- 
 clined to give any information as to who the chief crimi- 
 nal in his abduction was, and what the place of his con- 
 finement, and how he Avas rescued, the students were not 
 offended — following the lead of Cornelius and a few 
 others who had specially attached themselves to him, and 
 to whom he had said that his silence was to save embar- 
 rassment to Cimon and other friends in their affairs. 
 They looked in his face and believed him. They heard 
 the ring of his voice and were content both with him and 
 his friend — with Cimon, because he was his friend. As 
 Mains soon had occasion to know. Not a student entered 
 his warehouse. If one saw him coming he ostentatiously 
 crossed to the other side of the street. And the vexed 
 trader was compelled to listen to some serenades that 
 were neither very musical nor very complimentary. Of 
 all such demonstrations in his favor, Aleph was ignorant ; 
 though he was well aware on what side the sympathies of 
 his fellow-students were enlisted. 
 
 I have said that the public assumed that the Flaccan 
 influence would be cast in favor of Mains. But one day 
 an event occurred which unsettled at least the University 
 part of the public on this point. At the close of one of 
 Seti's lectures and before the students had left, a herald 
 appeared at the door and announced his Excellency the 
 Governor. Seti stepped forward after a very cool and 
 stately fashion to receive the dignitary; and inquired 
 what he could do to pleasure his Excellency. His Ex- 
 cellency stated that he was fond of young men, and liked 
 to look in upon them now and then, in their curriculum ; 
 but that his special object to day was to congratulate both 
 
THE CONFERENCES. 351 
 
 him and his young friend, who he believed was called 
 Alt'ph the Ulialdeau, on the success of the measures for 
 the rescue of the latter. 
 
 "I do congratulate you most heartily, venerable Sir 
 — as I know that you are much interested in the young 
 man. Is he present?'' And Flaccus looked about on 
 the students as if to discover him. 
 
 "Will Aleph the Chaldean come forward?" said 
 Seti : ' ' His Excellency wishes to congratulate him in 
 person on his safety." 
 
 The young men were too much interested in what was 
 j)assing to stand on ceremony. The better to see every- 
 thing, they stepped on the seats and pommelled down ob- 
 noxious shoulders and heads. And they saw Aleph ad- 
 vance, not only without embarrassment, but with a grace 
 and even majesty that would have become a king. And 
 yet the kingly way was so unaffected and so modest in its 
 expression, as not to be offensive. 
 
 " May it please your Excellency," said Seti with em- 
 phasis, " this is the young man for whom you have asked 
 and whom you authorized us to rescue at all costs." 
 
 " I am glad I did it. It was one of the best acts of 
 my life," exclaimed Flaccus, as he looked up with undis- 
 guised astonishment at the figure and face before him. 
 
 Then with some hesitation he continued, " You do 
 not seem, young man, to have suffered much from your 
 confinement. It could hardly have been very severe 
 without leaving some marks upon you. I see none what- 
 ever. I would not object to being confined myself if I 
 could reappear in as good a condition as yours." 
 
 *' Still, such a confinement as mine is not one which 
 I can conscientiously recommend to your Excellency," 
 
352 THE CONFERENCES. 
 
 returned Alepli. " It had some features about it rather 
 trying to the average constitution. I think that the fact 
 that I am here to day in a sound condition is due to my 
 having a constitution considerably tougher than the aver- 
 age." 
 
 " No doubt it is so/' said the Eoman. " I am glad 
 that you have come off so well. I have come here to say 
 so ; to express my pleasure at your safe return ; to con- 
 gratulate you upon it ; and also to cougratulate you on 
 having secured in so brief a time such warm and most 
 desirable friends as I see about you. I trust you will 
 count me among them.'' 
 
 "Aleph the Chaldean accepts with pleasure the kind 
 words which your Excellency does him the honor of olfer- 
 ing ; and himself feels that he has been highly favored in 
 finding in a strange land so many friends whom he will 
 never be willing or able to forget." 
 
 " I have another object in coming here to day," con- 
 tinued Flaccus. " My son, who is sick, begs that you will 
 visit him at the Ciesareum. Your nation, I believe, is 
 well versed in leech craft ; and perhaps you can help 
 him. If you will take a seat with me in my chariot it 
 will gratify both him and me." 
 
 "I will go to your son almost immediately," said 
 Aleph. "But your Excellency will excuse me for de- 
 clining the honor of your chariot. A less distinguished 
 way of going will better suit my youth and circum- 
 stances." 
 
 To say that the students were astonished hardly does 
 the facts justice. Three things amazed them— that the 
 Governor should take a step so likely to be understood 
 by the public as against Malusj that Sextus Flaccus^ sick 
 
TUE CONFERENCES. 353 
 
 or well, should send for Aleph ; and that Alei^h should 
 carry himself in so unembarrassed and independent and 
 yet courtly manner in the presence of the chief Roman 
 dignitary. It was another revelation to them. Some of 
 them said, " Plainly, this is not the first time Aleph has 
 dealt with people in high places — he is too much at home 
 with them to be dealing with novelties." 
 
 Both that day, and daily for many days afterward, 
 Aleph found his way to the C^sareum, and to the slowly 
 recovering Sextus. What was said or done in these in- 
 terviews never transpired — at least among the students. 
 I am not prepared to say but that Seti and Rachel came 
 to know of pleasant and ho23eful things. 
 
 Well, it is time to speak again of the lovely Jewess. 
 Of^ course Aleph, the very next day after his return, ful- 
 filled his promise to see Miriam — and all the more readily 
 because Seti had domiciled himself at Alexander's until 
 the return of his son in law. He found not only Miriam 
 but also Seti and Rachel in the family apartment. Great 
 was his surprise at the gain the nurse had made since he 
 last saw her ; and so he was able to give congratulations 
 as well as receive them. Miriam's congratulations, how- 
 ever, were rather lame in the expression; for when she 
 saw him enter without any sign, even the ^slightest, of 
 harm from all that he had passed through, her eyes filled 
 with tears and she scarcely found voice to say more than, 
 Thanh God. 
 
 "You see," said Rachel, "that Miriam has wonder- 
 fully improved within the last few da3^s; but I doubt 
 whether you can guess to what the improvement is 
 
 owing." 
 
 a 
 
 The skill of the leech?" suggested Aleph, smiling. 
 
a 
 
 a 
 
 354 THE CONFERENCES. 
 
 " N"ay — as if you did not kuow her leech! " and she 
 lifted her eyebrows. 
 
 The excellent nursing?" 
 By no means — I can speak for .that. "" 
 The tvant of nursing? The nurse has been busy 
 elsewhere ; and so nature has had a chance to act freely. 
 Excessive care is sometimes as hurtful as no care at all." 
 
 *' Still at fault," cried the maiden. " Shrewd as you 
 are, you will not be likely to guess: so I must tell you. 
 She took a new medicine; and it was Alejjh the Chal- 
 dean. Devising ways and means to get you out of your 
 difficulties, much enduring Ulysses, pious .-3^neas 
 beaten about in all seas — this is what has made the 
 change that you see. It is a very healthful business this 
 rescuing Aleph the Chaldean." 
 
 Then followed a pleasant explanation of the part 
 which Miriam had taken in the rescue, and such a grate- 
 ful recognition of it as it deserved. 
 
 On the humorous plea that Miriam was indebted to 
 him for her health, and must make payment for the 
 same in valuable information, Aleph proceeded to ask her 
 many questions suggested by her former narratiye of what 
 she had heard and seen of Jesus. Rachel joined him in 
 this. As a result they found not a few difficulties re- 
 moved or diminished by a better knowledge of circum- 
 stances. 
 
 During this questioning and cross questioning Seti 
 sat a silent but alert listener. Only at the close, when 
 the young people fairly woke up to the fact that for a 
 long time he had said nothing, and turned deprecatingly 
 toward him, did he say, *' You two would make very re- 
 spectable advocates. I hope Marcus Piso will examine 
 
THE CONFERENCES. 355 
 
 witnesses as well in the approaching trials. I am glad to 
 see that your faith in Jesus does not forget the claims of 
 reason.'' 
 
 Here a parcel was brought in and given to Rachel. 
 " From my mother/' she exclaimed, as she glanced at 
 the superscription. " This doubtless contains further 
 news of the Christ that will interest us all. Let us 
 
 see." 
 
 She broke the seals. In a moment she became so ab- 
 sorbed in her reading that, evidently, she was quite ob- 
 livious of her surroundings. Her face became a mirror 
 behind which appeared the whole changing heaven of her 
 moods and feelings. The first glance at the • letter 
 brought a shadow on the beaming countenance. As she 
 went on the shadows deepened apace — as when clouds 
 add themselves to clouds in advance of the storm. At 
 last the storm itself came. Her face became a picture of 
 mingled astonishment, compassion, indignation, and dis- 
 may. She dropped the letter on the floor, exclaiming, 
 ^''Can it he I Where is the Almighty Avenger I " And the 
 tears streamed between her fingers as she buried her face 
 in her hands. 
 
 Seti and Aleph had both watched her changing ex- 
 pressions with alarm — had both risen and were now 
 standing by her side. 
 
 *'What dreadful thing has happened, my child?" 
 asked Seti. 
 
 ** They have murdered Him — murdered Him — have 
 murdered the Christ! " she exclaimed: then turning to 
 Aleph, ''And you were right. You feared the worst, and 
 the worst has come. Can there be a bright side to such 
 a ^picture? 
 
 >> 
 
356 THE CONFERENCES. 
 
 She tried to brush away the tears that she might bet- 
 ter see the expression of his face. 
 
 He said gently, " I think I can conceive of a brighter 
 side even to such a terrible picture. But I see that you 
 have not finished your reading. Perhaps the remainder 
 of the letter will contain the brighter side." He took it 
 up from the floor and handed it to her. 
 
 Thus encouraged, she resumed her reading. Almost 
 immediately a change appeared on her face. Her eyes 
 opened widely with a new wonder, and beamed with a 
 new light. As she went on the shadows thinned away as 
 fast as they had thickened ; the light and sweetness grew 
 apace as does the fairest morning ; and at last the sun 
 rose on every lovely feature as she finished the manuscript 
 and exclaimed, God be 2)raisecl — there is indeed a hrighter 
 side ! 
 
 She turned to Aleph, " You are right again. Jesus 
 lives. He has passed through death to his throne." 
 
 '' I do not think," said he, " that you are now able to 
 read to us the whole wonderful account as your mother 
 has written it. But perhaps you can give us a briefer ac- 
 count in your own words — suiting the length to your 
 strength, and passing lightly over details that have tried 
 you most." 
 
 "I will try. But I think that I could not even do 
 this were it not for the strength and courage which this 
 last reading has given me." 
 
 After a moment she proceeded: " From the time of 
 the resurrection of Lazarus the chief men at Jerusalem, 
 with two exceptions, have been bent on the death of 
 Jesus. On the niglit ])efore the Passover, they sent an 
 armed force to Gethsemane, where he was praying, ar- 
 
THE CONFERENCES. 357 
 
 rested him, took him to the palace of the high-priest, 
 went through a form of trying him for blasphemy, con- 
 demned him (two only objecting), then hurried him 
 to Pilate the governor; and so importuned and wor- 
 ried and threatened the reluctant Roman that he at last 
 consented, but not until they had taken on themselves 
 and their children the whole guilt of the deed, to con- 
 demn him to the cross. Then followed mocking, and 
 buffeting and scourging. Then in the early morning, ac- 
 companied by many weeping and wailing friends and a 
 mob of howling and exulting enemies, the soldiers took 
 him to Calvary and there crucified him between two rob- 
 bers. Oh, the cruel, cruel spikes ! Oh, the more cruel 
 jeers and mockings and tauntings and railings of the sol- 
 diers — and even of his fellow sufferers ! They evidently 
 were suffering far less than he. Those familiar with cru- 
 cifixions had never before seen such agony. All the signs 
 of an inexpressible anguish were in both face and form. 
 And once he uttered a cry so terrible that Nicodemus, 
 who heard it, said that it would haunt him to his dying 
 day. He had never heard the like before : never could 
 bear to hear the like again. He is fully persuaded that 
 the sun in all his circuits had never looked down on such 
 mortal agony, because it was the agony of Ilim on whom 
 * God laid the iniquities of us all.' In fact, the sun re- 
 fused at length to look on the awful scene any longer. 
 He had climbed over the eastern hills, and up to the 
 zenith, with undimmed face, when, all at once, he disap- 
 peared. For three hours the darkness of God was over 
 the whole land. Men could hardly see one another. 
 But the darkness of men was still greater than the 
 darkness of God. They still continued to cast at 
 
358 THE CONFERENCES. 
 
 Jesus tlirougli the lurid dimness the stones of their 
 derision and insult until the end. At the ninth 
 hour the great Victim died — praying for his enemies. 
 Then the earth quaked mightily. Ancient rocks that 
 had defied men and time broke in pieces before the silent 
 cross. The veil of the temple was rent in twain by un- 
 seen hands. Even dead men came from their graves^, to 
 meet Jesus as he descended into his. ^ Truly, ^ said the 
 centurion who had the crucifixion in charge, ' truly this 
 tvas the So7i of God / ' 
 
 *' When all was over, the disciples smote their breasts 
 and returned to the city, filled with horror and almost 
 despair. Who could have thought it ! Is there really no 
 humanity on earth, and no divinity in Heaven ! Is this 
 the end of their hopes — this the end of their long and 
 fondly expected kingdom of God ! From the towering 
 summits of faith to the depths of doubt and misery — 
 what a fall ! My mother was not able to see the more 
 immediate disciples for two or three days; for she \vas 
 crushed in both body and heart : but Nicodemus kept her 
 informed as to everything. Besides, she knew how they 
 were feeling from knowing how she felt herself. She 
 was prostrated before the awful mystery. She was dazed 
 and almost incapable of thought under the mighty shock. 
 And yet she had at the bottom of her heart a feeling that 
 this could not be the end. God cannot be so defeated by 
 man. 
 
 " So much for the tragedy. Had this been all that my 
 mother wrote I could never have smiled again. Her ac- 
 count filled me with shame and horror and wrath. It 
 seemed to me that God would have been just if he had at 
 once smitten those murderers into the lowest Tophet. 
 
THE CONFERENCES. 359 
 
 God forgive me ! but I almost felt as if I could do it my- 
 self. I felt as if I belonged to an accursed and doomed 
 race. Yes, I felt as if I could never smile again. But 
 you see that I can (and her face wet with tears shone out 
 upon him, with bewildering radiance) ; and it is because 
 the tragedy has a triumph for its sequel. 
 
 " On the third day after the crucifixion Nicodemus 
 came home in great excitement, saying that the Roman 
 guard which Pilate, at the solicitation of the Jewish chiefs, 
 had set about the tomb where the body of Jesus had been 
 placed, came into the city early in the morning and re- 
 ported to the chiefs with scared faces and trembling lips 
 that One with a form bright as the lightning had flashed 
 down from the sky in their sight, rolled away the stone 
 from the door of the sepulchre, and sat upon it. They 
 fell to the earth, and became as dead men. When they 
 came to themselves they found the angel gone and the 
 tomb open and empty. Great was the perplexity of the 
 leaders on hearing this ; but they finally resolved, Nico- 
 demus and Joseph of Arimathea protesting, to fortify one 
 crime by another, and gave a large sum of money to the 
 soldiers to say that the body was stolen while they slept. 
 This recalled vividly to my mother's mind what Jesus 
 had once said, but which, in common with the other dis- 
 ciples, she had taken as having some figurative meaning, 
 ^A7id the third day I loill rise agaiii.' 
 
 " Soon after, one of the maids of the house, who also 
 was a disciple and had been out at the market, came 
 hastily home, saying that some of the apostles and others 
 had seen angels at the sepulchre who told them that Jesus 
 had risen — had even seen Jesus himself and spoken with 
 him. My mother could no longer restrain herself, but 
 
360 THE CONFERENCES. 
 
 liurried away to a place where the disciples were wont to 
 gather; and found many assembled. The room was in a 
 fever of restless pacings to and fro, of eager questionings 
 and answerings. Seen him? Spoken with him? Sure 
 there is no mistake? Peter and certain women were in 
 great request, for they could say Yes to all such ques- 
 tions. The joy of assured conviction shone in some 
 faces ; a hope that still feared in others. It seemed too 
 good to be true. Thomas, one of the Twelve, declared it 
 could not be true : there must be some delusion in it — 
 either of the senses, or the nerves, or the imagination. 
 He would not believe without the concurrent witness of 
 at least three senses. He had scarcely said this, when, 
 though the doors were closed, they saw Jesus himself 
 standing among them with the well-known form and feat- 
 ures and voice ; and he said to Thomas, * Reach hither 
 thy finger and behold my hands; and reach, hither thy 
 hand and thrust it into my side ; and be not faithless but 
 believing.' Thomas broke down at once. Doubt was 
 impossible. Not a ray of hesitation remained with any. 
 None understood the sublime march of events; none 
 knew what prodigies were yet to come, whether his ene- 
 mies would now be swept away and a visible Divine King- 
 dom set up, or not ; but of this all were sure that he who 
 had died on the cross was again alive among them. And 
 they rejoiced with exceeding great joy — though the joy 
 yet felt the swell and tossing of the just departed storm. 
 " Since then my mother has seen the Messiah several 
 times. But he never shows himself to the people at 
 large. It is now understood among the disciples that in 
 a short time, after meeting them in Galilee, he will re- 
 turn to Heaven — leaving his disciples to preach in his 
 
\ 
 
 THE CONFERENCES. 
 
 3G1 
 
 name forgiveness of sins to all nations who will repent 
 
 and believe.'' 
 
 "I think I will read to you," added Rachel, "the 
 last page or two of the letter, that you may see what 
 views are now being held by those immediately about 
 Jesus as to his person and work." She read: 
 
 " Now we all know that my thought was right— that 
 his death was an atonement for the sins of all men ; and 
 that the victims which have been offered from the begin- 
 ning were only types of this great Victim. And I say to 
 myself. What must be the nature and dignity of him 
 whose death can atone for all human sin? Must he not 
 be Divine as well as human? Must he not be God mani- 
 fest in the flesh? Who else could make so mighty an ex- 
 piation?— who else save he of whom it is written, 'And 
 the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name 
 shaU be called AVonderful, Counsellor, the mighty God, 
 the Everlasting Father,' and who has said of himself, 
 ' I and my father are one? ' 
 
 " I cannot return home just yet— much as I wish to 
 see you and others. This great opportunity of seeing 
 and hearing for a brief time longer the Redeemer of the 
 world is too precious to be sacrificed. Besides, the suc- 
 cessive tides of grief and joy have so shaken me that I 
 
 am unfit to travel. 
 
 " Read what I have written to your dear grandfather. 
 Oh, that he were here— his fairness of mind and penetra- 
 tion would be sure to place him on the side of Jesus. 
 
 " Of course I have written the same things to your dear 
 father and brothers at Rome— hoping that amid their 
 great schemes of business and ambition they will find 
 room for faith, my faith. May they not be among ' The 
 
362 THE CONFERENCES. 
 
 rulers who take counsel together against the Lord and 
 against his Anointed? ' As to you I have no doubt, even 
 though the lot of Esther" — the maiden broke off ab- 
 ruptly with a flush and a shudder, and busied herself 
 for a little in adjusting the leaves of the manuscript. 
 
 This letter led to a long conversation ; I should say to 
 long conversations. Daily, for many days, Aleph came 
 to his friends ; and daily the great theme was Jesus the 
 Christ. Seti never failed to be present, and never failed 
 to be silent — save when a brief inquiry could bring light. 
 But, the day before the trials were to begin, he was absent, 
 arranging last things with his lawyer. Miriam also was 
 absent. 
 
 The unfailing and unwearying topic of topics again 
 came up; and after a delightful talk about the past and 
 the future of the Messianic history, Aleph inquired about 
 the attitude of Seti. 
 
 ''My own impression has been," said he, "that it 
 was better for a mind like his, so fair and penetrating 
 and judicial, to be left largely to feel its own way to the 
 truth. So I have made no formal effort to commend our 
 own faith to him — save by shaping my inquiries of 
 Miriam and our talks with each other so as to furnish 
 answers to questions which a great and philosophic mind 
 would naturally ask on its way to a just conviction. 
 Have I been right in this?" 
 
 " I think so," she answered. " Such men, my father 
 says, must convince themselves. The most we can do is 
 to get the material for judgment within their reach. 
 And I think we have done this successfully in the case of 
 my grandfather. Ilis miiui is open to evidence from all 
 quarters, lie has no national or race prejudices. He 
 
THE CONFERENCES. 363 
 
 married a Caucasian princess ; and was willing that my 
 mother shouhl marry a Hebrew. Signs are not wanting 
 to me that his judgment is slowly but surely settling in 
 favor of Jesus, not only as a divine messenger, but even 
 as an incarnation of the One God. And yet I do not 
 think that he has any idea of relinquishing his position 
 as primate of the Egyptians." 
 
 "I see no reason why he should," returned Alei^h. 
 " He holds the original Egyptian position in matters of 
 faith ; also that of the higher priesthood all through the 
 Egyptian history. He fairly represents the religion of 
 the land as it was when his office was established : his 
 predecessors have wrongfully used their joower to change 
 the ancient faith and practice ; he can rightfully use his 
 power to restore it. Meanwhile, he is acting no part ; he 
 is perfectly frank and outspoken as to his views and ob- 
 jects; his function requires of him no endorsement of 
 idolatry or even a refusal of the Hebrew Scriptures and 
 their Messiah. He could, to-day, say to his College of 
 Priests, not only that, like the far-back fathers, he be- 
 lieves in one Infinite God who only is to be worship2:)ed 
 with Divine honors, but also that he believes that this 
 God has just appeared in the person of Jesus — he could 
 freely say all this and his subordinate priests would not 
 be stumbled. So I think that no law, human or divine, 
 requires him to surrender the advantages of his position 
 in favor of some one who would promote the national 
 
 apostasy instead of reforming it But I could wish 
 
 to see him pronounced in favor of Jesus before I leave 
 the country."" 
 
 " That, I trust, will not be soon? '^ said Kachel, with 
 a startled look. 
 
3G4 THE CONFERENCES. 
 
 "As soon as these trials are fairly over, I sup- 
 pose." 
 
 *'What! '* she exclaimed with a look of dismay, "I 
 thought you would remain a long time, studying our in- 
 stitutions, enlarging your knowledge of the Western 
 World, especially getting an inside view of our Univer- 
 sity life and teachings. Be persuaded to remain — a long, 
 very long time. Seti had rather lose all the rest of the 
 University. I do not think he could be persuaded to 
 part with you at all. And I think, ^' she stammered, 
 " all your friends here feel very much the same." 
 
 He replied, " My father did not propose for me a long 
 stay in this city. Through my Greek precej^tor I was al- 
 ready considerably acquainted with the matters you men- 
 tion. They have been merely collaterals to two main 
 purposes — which were, first, to learn what could be 
 learned about the Messiah who, as my father believed, 
 was born at Bethlehem some thirty years ago; and, 
 second, to investigate the proceedings of Mains. As side 
 issues my father wished me to get such improvement as 
 a young man might from seeing the world, and from be- 
 ing under the necessity of judging and acting for himself 
 among all sorts of men and under all sorts of conditions. 
 And as soon as the great objects of my visit could be ac- 
 complished he wished me to return. I am an only child : 
 the father wishes to see his son, and the son wishes to see 
 the father. And if I can return through Judea and see 
 the Messiah, and carry away from him to my parents a 
 blessing, I shall consider my mission accomplished. But 
 it will cost me something — very much indeed — to go 
 away, even though it be homeward. I never expected to 
 Snd such friends in Alexandria as I have found; and, as 
 
THE CON^FERENCES. 365 
 
 the day approaches for me to say farewell to them, I find 
 I am approaching one of the greatest trials of my life. 
 What wonderful kindness they have shown the nameless 
 stranger who could not, consistently with his father's 
 wishes, furnish the commonest letter of introduction! 
 And what delightful hours have I spent in this house 
 with one whose views and feelings on the most important 
 of all subjects have harmonized so completely with my 
 own ! Yes, it will cost me much to go away — I did not 
 know how much till I received yesterday a letter of recall 
 from my father (his lip quivered) ; and I doubt whether 
 I have even now a full sense of the bitterness that will 
 come in saying last words. But, if they must be said, it 
 is doubtless better that they be said a week hence than at 
 some remoter time. I feel that my heart is less and less 
 under my control Avith every passing day. You see (he 
 added with a sad smile) that, if there were no other rea- 
 sons, I must go away to escape from you : Rachel is too 
 mighty for Aleph the Chaldean. When one cannot con- 
 quer it is best to leave the field." 
 
 "Flight is disgraceful," exclaimed Rachel with 
 sparkling eyes. " i^etter die on the field. But I will be 
 merciful to my captive. He shall live." 
 
 " To be dragged at your chariot wheels — to grace the 
 triumph of her at whose feet lies the empire of the 
 West?" He rose. 
 
 She also rose and came toward him. " You are quot- 
 ing; or you are thinking of a distant somebody of whom 
 you have heard and whom you have despised. Surely 
 you are not thinking of 7ne. It is true, if I must say 
 it, that I have been ofl:'ered the Roman purple in the per- 
 son of the heir-apparent ; and that to day the elders of 
 
306 THE CONFERENCES. 
 
 my people have been here to urge my acceptance of the 
 })roposals — for the public good. I listened to what they 
 had to say and was silent — following the counsel of my 
 grandfather. But to you I will not be silent. I have 
 never seen Germanicus, and never want to see him. The 
 empire of the West will have to wait long at my feet be- 
 fore I take it up. I will have none of it. I had rather 
 
 die.'' 
 
 She hesitated a moment and then went on, while a 
 celestial blush spread a new loveliness over every feature, 
 " So you see that you need not go away to escape from 
 me. The daughter of Alexander was glad, beyond meas- 
 ure, to hear that she was beloved by Alepli the Chal- 
 dean. She accepts his love and gives him as large in re- 
 turn." 
 
 Even Aleph could be transfigured. And it was noth- 
 ing less than a transfiguration that now took place in his 
 face at this frank declaration. Rachel had seen that face 
 in many moods of thoughtfulness, watchfulness, resolve, 
 pity, gratitude, command ; but she had never before seen 
 it radiant with joy. Now she saw it — wonderingly and 
 blissfully saw it. All the flood gates of the morning 
 seemed suddenly opened in his face. Such eloquence 
 beamed upon her from that illuminated page that she 
 needed no voice to interpret it. But a voice came — with 
 a curious accent of surprise and inquiry. 
 
 " Can it be that I hear aright? Can it be that the 
 greatest good fortune of my life thus far has come to me 
 to day ; and that the maiden for whose favor princes 
 strive can give her heart and hand to one who is to her 
 merely Aleph the Chaldean — the unknown?" 
 
 "You are not uuknown," she replied with a face as 
 
THE CONFERENCES. 3C7 
 
 radiant and transfigured as his own. "It is true that I 
 do not know whether you are rich or poor, whether 
 prince or peasant, but this I know, that in yourself alone 
 you deserve the warmest love that woman can give ; and 
 I give it. You shall be my emperor.'' 
 - "What will Seti say?" 
 
 " He will say as I do — proud old Pharaoh as he is." 
 
 "What will your father say — the rich, the ambi- 
 tious?" 
 
 " He will say as Seti says till he comes to know you 
 better ; and then he will say as I do. Much as he values 
 money, I happen to know that he values merit more." 
 
 ' ' What will the city say ? That the Gem of Alexan- 
 dria, who might have chosen the greatest and best in the 
 land, and even been mistress of the AYest, has thrown 
 herself away on a nameless adventurer?" 
 
 " Perhaps. But I do not propose to marry to suit 
 the city." 
 
 In a moment she found herself in his arms, and felt 
 his warm, lingering lips on her forehead. She looked up 
 at him archly and said : 
 
 "And what will ?/o?^r father say?" 
 
 "Ah, that is a very serious question!" he answered 
 with a smile; " but fortunatoly I can answer it better to- 
 day than I could have done yesterday. This morning I 
 saw Cimon, and, on my telling him my feelings toward 
 you, he surprised me by saying that it was my father's 
 hope that during my absence I might find among the 
 chosen people some suitable maiden to share my lot and 
 be to him a daughter — that his wandering Jacob might 
 somewhere find a Rachel. And Cimon, from whom I 
 have kept nothing, is satisfied — nay, more, is delighted. 
 
368 THE CONFERENCES. 
 
 So thus I answer your question. My father will say as 
 Cinion does, and Cimon will say as I do." 
 
 How long Aleph tarried at this unwatered wine I do 
 not know ; but I happen to know that he did not become 
 so intoxicated but that he could hold a long business con- 
 sultation afterward with Piso and Seti about the trials 
 that were to begin the next day. 
 
 He was driving the chariot of the sun ; but he held 
 the fiery coursers well in hand. 
 
XVI. 
 THE BASILICA. 
 
 Of 6e (^Uac ^eivoto kuI evi^noioi dt6ovoiv, rolai Tedrj^f TTo7aq. 
 
 Hesiou, Worl-H. 223. 
 Those who administer the laws with justice to foreigners and 
 natives— by these the city flourishes. 
 
1. Before tine courts. 
 
 2. Is Thiemis blind? 
 
 3. Kiat ji-istitia. 
 
 4. Bu.a.t caelu.m. 
 
XVI. 
 
 THE BASILICA. 
 
 THE courts of Alexandria were held in the great 
 Basilica at the intersection of Emporium Street 
 with the Street of Canopus. 
 
 Among the Romans, subject peoples were, as far as 
 possible, left to be governed by their own laws and cus- 
 toms. Accordingly all suits between persons of the 
 same nation were first tried by their own judges. An 
 appeal could be taken from these to a Roman court. 
 Also, the case went to a Roman court if the judges failed 
 to agree on a verdict. 
 
 The suit of Mains against the two brothers, Shaphan 
 and Nathan, for the non-payment of the sum they had 
 agreed to give for his rights in their khan-business, 
 together with interest on the same for nearly thirty years 
 (time did not outlaw debts in Alexandria), being between 
 Jew and Jew, came before Jewish judges, who happened 
 to be equally divided between the two chief synagogues. 
 
 In suits of this kind, and indeed of almost every kind, 
 it was customary for the more immediate friends of 
 either party to give him moral support by taking seat 
 with him in the court-room. Of course Mains was not 
 unprovided with sympathizers. Nor were Shaphan and 
 Nathan. On their side of the room sat Seti and Aleph, 
 as well as some of the principal men of the Diapleuston. 
 
372 THE BASILICA. 
 
 I do not propose to give a detailed account of pro- 
 ceedings. Those who are curious about the formalities of 
 ancient courts, Jewish or Roman, must seek for them in 
 other works. I touch only fastigia verum. 
 
 The advocate of Malus first stated briefly the accusa- 
 tion. Then Malus made oath that the statement was 
 correct. Next the defendants made oath to the contrary. 
 Then Piso, as advocate for the defendants, proceeded to 
 question Malus. Was it not possible that he had long 
 ago received payment, but had gradually, through press 
 of affairs of much greater consequence, lost sight of the 
 fact ? Malus replied that he was not apt to be forgetful in 
 business matters : besides, he distinctly remembered hav- 
 ing made an annual application in writing at the beginning 
 of each year for the sum due him, to say nothing of many 
 personal applications. He was prepared to furnish wit- 
 nesses to the fact of such applications, both written and 
 oral, during a full quarter of a century. 
 
 Piso inquired why he had not brought suit before. 
 Malus replied that he had not been pressed for money ; 
 but that the leading motive for his long delay had been 
 mercy. lie hated to push matters to extremities ; but 
 had at last come, very reluctantly, to feel that forbear- 
 ance with such unscrupulous persons was no longer a 
 virtue, but rather an encouragement to wrong-doing. 
 
 Here his advocate suggested that he probably was in 
 the habit of giving a receipt for moneys paid him. 
 
 •^ I always do it,'' he said promptly. '' Of course a 
 receipt is always expected and demanded in case of large 
 payments. If the defendants had paid me the money 
 due they would have demanded a receipt and I should 
 have given it. Let them produce my receipt." 
 
THE BASILICA. 373 
 
 Malus indulged himself with what he meant for a 
 smile, which was broadly imitated by his party. 
 
 *' Do you recognize this ? " inquired Piso, producing a 
 discolored sheet of papyrus, and handing it to Malus. 
 The man's hand visibly trembled as he took it ; and as his 
 eye glanced along the page he could not prevent a ripple of 
 dismay from passing across his features. But it was gone 
 in an instant. 
 
 " A very clever forgery ! '" he sneered. 
 
 Piso took back the paper and handed it to the judges, 
 together with some letters which he himself had received 
 from Malus in course of years on business matters. 
 
 " The honorable judges will perceive,"' said he, after 
 a few moments had been allowed for a comparison of the 
 papers, '"that if the receipt is a forgery, it is an exceed- 
 ingly clever one — perhaps will perceive that it is so clever 
 that none but an expert scribe, who has made a close 
 study of the plaintiff's handwriting in many specimens, 
 could possibly have done it. This is what the leading 
 scribes in the city tell me, and are here to testify. But 
 Shaphan and Nathan are not skillful scribes — as you may 
 see from these specimens received from them in course of 
 business/' — and he passed over to the judges a parcel. 
 
 After a few moments he resumed. *^ But the honor- 
 able judges should further notice that the receipt bears 
 the signatures of two witnesses, as was customary years 
 ago in transactions of such magnitude. These witnesses 
 have given me some trouble. They left the city shortly 
 after signing this document, and I could not find any 
 one who knew where they were. The probability was 
 that they were dead ; for they were not young when they 
 disappeared, and thirty years make havoc with old people. 
 
374 THE BASILICA. 
 
 But yesterday, without concert and from opposite direc- 
 tions, they for the first time returned to the city — each 
 drawn by a mysterious feeling that he was wanted and 
 must not stay away. They are in this room now ; can 
 be identified by persons here present who formerly knew 
 them well ; will testify to their own signatures, and anew 
 to the well-remembered fact that Mains received his 
 money in their presence." 
 
 Turning again to Malus,^ Piso said, ''You say that 
 this receipt is a forgery — to whom do you attribute the 
 forgery ? " 
 
 " Oi course to those who could hope for advantage 
 from it — to Shaphan and Nathan." 
 
 ''The honorable judges and all here present will 
 please notice," exclaimed Piso, "that Mains has publicly 
 charged my clients with the crime of forgery ; a charge 
 which I deny in their name, against which their general 
 repute testifies, and for which I propose to bring suit 
 against him at fitting opportunity. He shall j^^^ovc what 
 he now asserts, or suffer the penalty prescribed by law to 
 false accusers. Meanwhile, my clients are held innocent 
 by the law as not yet having been proved guilty ; and 
 this case must be decided on the assumption that they 
 have not committed a forgery." 
 
 Of course the advocate on the other side was voluble 
 and shrewd. lie had not practiced in the school of Mains 
 many years in vain ; but had his ways of making the 
 worse appear the better — pushing some things to the 
 front, others to the rear ; throwing a shadow here and a 
 glare there ; slurring over this and dwelling on that ; 
 magnifying little things and dwarfing great ones — all 
 after the manner of unscrupulous advocates in every age 
 
THE BASILICA. 375 
 
 The result was that the four judges were equally divided 
 — the Diapleuston pair deciding for the brothers, the 
 others for Malus. So the case went the next day to the 
 Roman Court held in another room of the same Basilica. 
 
 Malus was not discouraged by this. He counted on 
 the Flaccan influence being in his favor ; and, quite as 
 much, on his reputation of being on good terms with the 
 Roman authorities. He hoj^ed to see some Romans of 
 standing, who might be supposed inspired by Flaccus, 
 occupying seats on his side of the house ; also to get from 
 the judges, as they came in and took their seats, some 
 furtive glances of recognition and encouragement. He 
 was disappointed. Still, official people have to be prudent 
 in showing their favoritism ; and he still hoped that the 
 powerful magnates at Bruchium were surely, though 
 secretly, at work for him. 
 
 The case was reviewed, the arguments for and against 
 were repeated without material change, the same testimo- 
 nies were given as before — save that Piso was now able to 
 bring forward witnesses to show that, when his clients 
 informed Malus of the loss of the receipt and asked for 
 another, he did not deny having given one, but deferred 
 giving a duplicate just then because of press of business. 
 
 The verdict was against the jilaintiff. 
 
 Malus was astonished at this unusual experience. It 
 was a blow at his prestige. There was no telling but that 
 other victims of his craft and greed, encouraged by this 
 defeat, might turn upon him. Also, it looked as though 
 his Roman friends were beginning to fail him. Still, he 
 was a man of audacity ; had grown into a vast confidence 
 in himself and his star ; believed more in Simon Magus 
 and his pleasing predictions than in God and eternal 
 
376 THE BASILICA. 
 
 justice : moreover, he said to himself that the Romans in 
 this small matter were trying to appear impartial, so as 
 to break the force of public criticism and susjoicion when 
 they should come to decide for him in the larger matters 
 pending. So he managed to keep up heart. Does not 
 many a bright day begin in clouds ? Has not many a 
 victory been introduced by a check ? 
 
 The next day brought on his suit against Cimon the 
 Greek — to be tried in the same j^lace, before the same 
 Judges and Praetor. He was on the ground very early, 
 with an enlarged body of sympathizers and a cheerful 
 aspect. His friends copied his example, and beat the 
 copy. They were almost hilarious. They thought that 
 it would help to gain a battle, to assume it to be already 
 gained. The real object of Malus, however, in being at 
 the Basilica considerably in advance of time, was to get, 
 if possible, an opportunity to convey a note, or a word, 
 through some sub-official of the court, to one or more of 
 the judges before they took their seats. This he was able 
 to do ; for he made it worth the while for janitors and 
 pursuivants to oblige him. 
 
 When the Pr^tor and Judges came in he watched 
 their faces for some auspicious sign. But they were still 
 very prudent — unnecessarily so, he thought. In his 
 heart he cursed them for it. It was carrying matters quite 
 too far. They might at least give him a glance that 
 would mean much to him while not compromising them. 
 But they did not even look his way. He would make 
 them sweat for it some day. 
 
 Cimon, whom we have not seen for too many days, had 
 come in escorted by two officers ; whom, however, he 
 seemed escorting. Seated near him were, not only Seti 
 
THE BASILICA. 377 
 
 and Alcph, but also Alexander, who had arrived from 
 Rome during the last night, together with a large delega- 
 tion from the Diapleuston Seventy. This was not a 
 pleasant sight to Malus : but it was a relief, as he 
 looked about from under his bushy eyebrows, to see seated 
 with his own company several Roman officers well known 
 as the intimates of Sextus Flaccus. *^^It is all right," 
 said he to himself. ^^It is all wrong," said the thoughts 
 on the other side of the house — with a few exceptions. 
 These exceptions said, " The Lord reigneth ; I will not 
 fear what man can do to me." 
 
 According to custom, the court opened with an out- 
 line-statement from the advocate of the plaintiff. The 
 defendant had visited the warehouse of Malus, was shown 
 by his conductor through the department of eastern 
 goods, was observed to notice particularly the jewels. 
 Soon after he left, and before any other person had come 
 in, the young man who had conducted him, becoming 
 disturbed as he thought of the suspicious appearance of 
 the stranger, returned to the jewelry room and found a 
 certain casket, containing gems worth fifty thousand 
 aureij to be missing. Whereupon Malus set inquiries on 
 foot, found out where the stranger lodged, obtained a 
 search warrant, found the casket hidden in his room but 
 empty, and had him arrested for theft. His client 
 would say whether this statement was correct. 
 
 According to custom, Malus made oath that the facts 
 were as stated — made oath '^'^by Ilim who reigns in 
 Heaven " ; for such was the blanket oath that could be 
 taken alike by the man who believed in Jupiter, or in 
 Zeus, or in Osiris, or in Jehovah. 
 
 Then Piso outlined his defense. '' Some facts had been 
 
378 THE BASILICA. 
 
 correctly stated. Cimon did visit the warehouse, "Vvas 
 conducted through the jewelry department, did notice 
 the cabinet of jewels in passing. Also, the casket was 
 seemingly found in his room. But he did not carry it 
 there. That was done by the agent of Mains who con- 
 ducted the searching party, in order to make out a case 
 against Cimon, whom Malus had reason to fear and wished 
 to discredit and remove. His client would say whether 
 the facts had been correctly stated." 
 
 Cimon made oath that, to the best of his belief, the 
 facts were as stated. 
 
 Omitting the plea for the plaintiff which cam6 next, 
 the witness-bearing on both sides, the questionings and 
 cross-questionings by the advocates, I will give a sum- 
 mary of Piso's plea, which came last. 
 
 He began with gravely ridiculing the idea that any- 
 thing in the appearance of Cimon should have suggested 
 to his conductor that he was a thief. ^^The Judges can 
 see for themselves that the story is incredible. So far as 
 appearances go, there is not a man here less likely to do 
 what has been charged upon him than Cimon, the Greek. 
 Farther, it appears from the testimony of the Alabarch 
 that this man, whose face is written all over with the 
 natural marks of honesty and high character, has a credit 
 with him for 200,000 gold staters ; and so is a very 
 unlikely person to steal what might be, as everybody 
 knows, a box of sham jewels, or even an empty box. 
 Further, the Superintendent of the jewelry department 
 has testified that he saw the casket in its place after 
 Cimon had left ; and it cannot be claimed that he gave 
 this testimony in revenge for his dismissal from his post, 
 because lie brought me the information before the dis- 
 
THE BASILICA. 379 
 
 missal took place. Further, the young man called Alepli 
 the Chaldean, and a much esteemed member of the Uni- 
 versity, has testified that he was present when the search 
 was made, and actually saw the Cretan agent of Malus 
 furtively slip the casket from the bosom of his own tunic 
 as he pretended to grope for it on his knees in the dim- 
 mer part of the room : and the Cretan himself, at last 
 tired of the wickedness he has been set to do, and fear- 
 ing the avenging heavens and his own awaking con- 
 science, has confessed that such was the fact — that Malus 
 had employed him to play that part, and, lest he should 
 be tempted to run away with the casket, had opened it in 
 his presence and showed that it was empty, instead of 
 containing gems to the value of 50,000 staters. 
 
 " The advocate on the other side has asked what possi- 
 ble motive could Malus have for attacking maliciously a 
 stranger who had never crossed his plans, or even his 
 path, till a few days ago. That point was well taken. 
 People do not act without motive, and what seems to 
 them a sufficient motive : and it is incredible that so 
 shrewd a man as Malus should lay a plot to brand Cimon 
 as a thief, and shut him up in prison, and, in default of 
 50,000 staters, sell him into slavery, without some power- 
 ful reason for doing it. And such reason exists. The 
 plaintiff had become aware that Cimon had unearthed a 
 gigantic system of embezzlement on his part which 
 threatened to destroy his reputation, subject him to 
 heavy punishments, and sacrifice a large part, if not the 
 whole, of his fortune. To prevent this ruin he contrived 
 this plan to smutch Cimon as a low criminal whose 
 accusation was unworthy of notice — also to remove him 
 from view and possibility of action, first by incarceration, 
 
380 THE BASILICA. 
 
 and then by sale into some distant servitude, as our laws 
 permit in case of insolvent debtors. All this will be 
 proved when the next suit in order shall come before the 
 court. 
 
 ^^ As this last is evidently a vital point, the Pr^tor and 
 Judges might do well to consider whether it would not be 
 well to reserve their decision of this case until after the 
 suit of Cimon against Mains has been tried. They can 
 safely be promised great additional light. ^^ 
 
 Such, for substance, was what Piso said in a much 
 enlarged form. Strong opposition was made to his pro- 
 posal for postponement by the Mains party ; but, after a 
 good deal of mutual consultation on the part of the 
 Praetor and Judges, and, as the day was already far spent, 
 it was at length decided to reserve the decision in hope of 
 additional light on the morrow. 
 
 Mains was now thoroughly roused. Under the 
 stolid and uninterpretable exterior with which he retired 
 from the Basilica everything was ablaze — all his shrewd- 
 ness, all his determination, all his wrath, all his daring. 
 He was a born gambler, and could coolly stake every- 
 thing on a last throw. To-morrow he 7nust conquer. 
 To-morrow he tvould conquer. The stars should fulfill 
 themselves by fighting for him. Simon should weave 
 his spells and summon his mightiest spirits all the live- 
 long night in his behalf. But he would not neglect to 
 supplement magic with all the human expedients for 
 winning success. He had prospered so long that he had 
 come to feel that prosperity was both his destiny and his 
 due. He had made people his prey so long that they 
 seemed made to be victimized : he had the right of a 
 fisherman to draw into his net as many fishes as possible 
 
THE BASILICA. 381 
 
 by all possible ways and means. He had used the right 
 freely, made many captures, and hitherto had not found 
 a captive large enough to break through his net. He 
 determined that his steady run of good luck should not 
 fail him. He spent the whole night with his lawyer 
 — trying to forecast the course of accusation and evidence 
 which the other party would take, and the best ways of 
 resisting the same. Among these ways he decided 
 should be a more decided and potent invoking of his 
 Koman friends to come to his aid. He thoroughly 
 believed in the venality of every Roman, from the gov- 
 ernor downward or upward. Some could be bought for 
 less than others — but all could be bought. Perhaps his 
 hints had not been sufficiently broad : perhaps he had 
 not hinted at sums sufficiently large in the case of some. 
 Now he would mend all that. The governor should have 
 an offer that he could not misunderstand ; and one that 
 even a governor would find it worth his while to accept. 
 So of the city Praetor and Judges. Each should have his 
 gratification, and a large one. It would be costly work : 
 but then he could easily and swiftly reimburse himself if 
 his situation could be made secure. Such was his confi- 
 dence, after all, in the sympathy of the authorities and 
 in the power of money that he was able to face the new 
 day with untrembling nerves, despite the vigils of the 
 night. Had not trusty messengers gone in all directions 
 with instructions to make all sure, sure — regardless of ex- 
 pense ? 
 
 The Basilica was crowded long before the hour. Malus 
 had with him all his friends of the day before, and, in ad- 
 dition, the leading men of liis synagogue. On the other 
 side, besides those of the day before, was a large delega- 
 
382 THE BASILICA. 
 
 tioii from the University, with Philo and Cornelius at 
 their head — also a large niunber of by no means showy 
 people, apparently small traders and shop-keepers, whose 
 '^ moral support" the students seemed at first inclined to 
 laugh at, but, at a hint from Piso, ended in making much 
 of. Among these last was the Phenician of Chapter Sec- 
 ond, sitting between his Cretan oppressor and Malus's 
 discharged clerk. It is doubtful whether Mains recog- 
 nized these persons — they were well in the rear ; and be- 
 sides he deigned only a glance at the nobodies, being on 
 the lookout for only somebodies, for people of station and 
 weight and large consideration. Of this class he as yet 
 saw no addition to the other side, save the students ; and 
 them he was prepared to see. 
 
 It was now almost time for the court to open, when an 
 unusual stir was heard at the main door of the Basilica ; 
 and shortly the Governor made his appearance, attended 
 by several sub-officials and supporting his son Sextus. 
 The young man was very pale, leaned hard on his father, 
 and, before he had advanced far, became faint and mo- 
 tioned toward the first vacant seats they came to — which 
 chanced to be on Malus's side of the house. Accordingly, 
 the party fell in there, and busied themselves in trying 
 most officiously to help the invalid — offering this and that 
 restorative, making this and that inquiry, and generally 
 making him as miserable as they could well do by shut- 
 ting off from him air and light and quiet. 
 
 Mains was overjoyed. Plainly his last move had been 
 a successful one. The powers had at last shown their 
 hand. Now he was 6'?^re what the result of the trial would 
 be. He shot a glance of triumph at Piso ; and was in the 
 act of rising to go and pay his respects to his excellency 
 
THE BASILICA. 383 
 
 and offer his services toward making the sick man still 
 more uncomfortable, when the voice of the crier was 
 heard, loudly demanding order and announcing the open- 
 ing of the court. He looked at the tribunal. The Praitor 
 and Judges were already in their places. So the best he 
 could do was to throw toward his Roman friends, so op- 
 portunely arrived, as much of a mingled look of concern 
 and sympathy and welcome as his wooden face would 
 permit. 
 
 According to Roman forms, the advocate of the plain- 
 tiff first stated briefly his accusation. Some thirty years 
 ago a merchant from Chaldea visited the city ; made Mains 
 his agent for the sale of certain costly goods to be sent to 
 him from time to time ; and, from that time to this, made 
 frequent and heavy consignments — at first satisfactorily, 
 but with growing dissatisfaction as the years went on, on 
 account of the smallness of the returns ; this smallness 
 being ascribed by Mains partly to losses in transit from 
 shipwreck and robberies, partly to enormous custom-house 
 exactions, and partly to poor markets. Finally, the suspi- 
 cions of the merchant became so strong that he sent his 
 friend Cimon to Alexandria to make inquiries and to take 
 such action as his representative as should seem fitting. 
 Inquiries had shown that the statements of Mains were 
 false at all points — the receipts which he had given as har- 
 bor-master show that all the goods sent have been received 
 in good condition ; the registers of the custom house, 
 Avhich his excellency the Governor lias allowed to be ex- 
 amined, show that only a part of the goods received have 
 been entered for duty, and that the duty actually paid on 
 the part entered has been far less than reported (as also 
 appears from the testimony of the chief of the custom 
 
384 THE BASILICA. 
 
 house) : finally, the testimouy of the leading houses en- 
 gaged in the eastern trade, including that of Malus him- 
 self, shows that the market price for nearly all the thirty 
 years has been far higher than Malus has reported. Proof 
 of all these statements would be submitted at the proper 
 time. In view of them it appears that Malus is indebted 
 to Cimon, the agent, in the sum of one million gold 
 staters, exclusive of the interest which the law allows in 
 such cases. The Judges could now see why Malus could 
 wish to discredit Cimon as a low criminal and remove 
 both him and his companion from the scene. It was to 
 discredit and, if possible, prevent a suit that threatened 
 him with ruin of both fortune and reputation. 
 
 Did the plaintiff accept these statements as correct ? 
 Cimon accepted. 
 
 Then the advocate of Malus briefly denied the charge, 
 and stated as chief points of the defense — that the harbor- 
 receipts, beyond those for goods actually found registered 
 at the custom house, are forgeries ; that what purported 
 to be Malus's accounts to his Chaldean principal of exor- 
 bitant duties and poor markets were also forgeries ; that 
 very many of his accounts and remittances had been ig- 
 nored ; that, instead of owing the Chaldean anything, he 
 had dealt with him on a principle of large liberality, and 
 had paid him considerably more than he could equitably 
 claim. He expected to show that his client was the ob- 
 ject of a great conspiracy — that people whom nobody 
 knew, whose very names were fictitious, and who cer- 
 tainly had no visible standing and reliability, had con- 
 spired to rob and ruin a man of the first standing ; and 
 had craftily taken advantage of old feuds and religious 
 diifcrences to secure abettors. The case was really one 
 
THE BASILICA. 385 
 
 between the allegations of nobodies and those of a promi- 
 nent and honored citizen. 
 
 Did the defendant accept these statements ? Mains 
 accepted. 
 
 Here Sextus Flaccus struggled to his feet, and with 
 the help of his father and the well-meant hindrance of 
 the other Romans about him, feebly and slowly made his 
 way to the opposite benches. Mains was yet standing 
 and saw every movement. He had just finished one 
 oath — and he felt like taking another. It was with dif- 
 ficulty that he commanded himself enough to sink quietly 
 into his seat. What could this mean ? Had his agents 
 betrayed him ? Had the stars, and the magic spells, and 
 the mighty demons, and even Avilleus Flaccus at last 
 failed him ? He was almost stunned by the sudden fall 
 from the heights of confidence to the depths of discour- 
 agement. 
 
 As soon as the room was again quiet, Piso produced 
 his documents and witnesses. After these had been can- 
 vassed by both parties, Piso proceeded to sum up for 
 Cimon somewhat after this manner : 
 
 ''^ It is a very easy thing to cry 'forgery' and 'con- 
 spiracy.' Anybody can do that, provided he has no con- 
 science. I demand that my client be proved a forger and 
 conspirator. Until that is done he has a legal right to 
 be considered innocent. 
 
 ''I happened to foresee what course the defense 
 would take, and so was very glad to meet, yesterday, 
 in the city, the Superintendent of Customs at Myos 
 Hermos. This man, who has held his post for more 
 than forty years, and is well known to the authorities 
 here as reliable beyond question, has testified that all the 
 
/ 
 
 / 
 
 386 THE BASILICA. 
 
 parcels of goods which we claim to have been sent from 
 the East were duly received and recorded at his port, and 
 thence forwarded to Alexandria, and acknowledged by 
 Mains as harbor-master. This settles the matter. Ma- 
 ins has received in good condition all the goods sent him 
 — his sworn denials and charges of forgery to the con- 
 trary notwithstanding. 
 
 *^Jnst here I call the attention of the Judges to a 
 noteworthy fact : we did not send for this venerable wit- 
 ness from My OS Hermos. Though we thought of him 
 and wanted him, we knew that we could not bring him 
 in time for the trial. How, then, does it happen that 
 he is here so opportunely ? You have heard his explana- 
 tion. He had no particular business of his own to draw 
 him to the city, nor was he aware of the jiresent suit ; 
 only he felt i:)ressed and drawn to be here on a certain 
 day by a mysterious influence which he was afraid to 
 resist. It looks as if the very Heavens themselves were 
 concerned to have justice done in this case. 
 
 '' We have seen that Mains received, in good condi- 
 tion, all the goods sent. Only one question remains : 
 Has he duly accounted for them all to his principal ? 
 The accounts which have been submitted to the Court — 
 accounts apparently in his own handwriting, and which 
 leading experts pronounce to be genuine — say No. They 
 say that many parcels have never been received ; that 
 others came to hand in a damaged condition ; that the 
 duties on almost all received were much larger and the 
 market-prices much smaller than the actual. But Mains 
 declares that these accounts are not genuine : they are 
 clever counterfeits, gotten up for the purpose of robbing 
 and ruining him. The accounts which he actually sent 
 
THE BASILICA. 387 
 
 were very different, and correctly represent duties and 
 prices and everything. All this he simply asserts. He 
 makes no attempt to iwove his assertion : and I might 
 well content myself with a simple counter-assertion. But 
 I will not do this. He says that he has sent to the East, 
 accounts correct in every particular, which have been 
 suppressed. To this I answer that all such accounts, 
 with remittances, imply as many acknowledgments from 
 the receiver. No merchant here, least of all Malus, would 
 go on sending accounts with moneys, year after year for 
 thirty years, without getting acknowledgments for the 
 same in the handwriting of the receiver or his authorized 
 proxy. Let Malus produce such acknowledgments. He 
 cannot do it. He has none to present. 
 
 '^^ But Malus alleges that the case is one of contest of 
 reputations. It is the assertion of a Nobody against the 
 denial of a Somebody. The word of an unknown for- 
 eigner ought not to have any weight against the word of 
 that eminent citizen and saint whom everybody in Alex- 
 andria knows, and knows to be full of riches and honors 
 and virtues — the man who has never wronged anybody ; 
 has never ground the faces of the poor ; has never sought 
 to take advantage of Shajihan the Jew, or Atlion the 
 Phenician, or Epimetes the Greek, or Plautus the Ro- 
 man, or anybody else under the wide heaven. Here, 
 behind me, are a few of the peojile he has dealt with, 
 ready to testify that Malus is not tlie sort of man to com- 
 mit smuggling, to swear falsely, or even to be less than 
 most merciful to those in his power ! Would Malus like 
 to hear from some of his victims ? " 
 
 On this Sextus Flaccus rose, and slowly, with feeble 
 voice and many a pause, proceeded to say that he was a 
 
388 THE BASILICA. 
 
 victim, though not an innocent one. No doubt many 
 were surprised to see him there, and still more surprised 
 to see him in that part of the room. All Alexandria 
 knew that he had long been intimate with Mains, and 
 must know not a little of his principles and practices. 
 Indeed he had, he was asliamed to say, to a certain extent 
 shared in them. What sort of life he had lived, disgrace- 
 ful to himself and his friends, was notorious. It was not 
 necessary for him to specify — he would spare himself that 
 pain. But this he must say, that in all his follies and 
 sins he was always encouraged and often prompted by 
 Mains. His intemperance, his violence, his enmities, had 
 always been fanned by that man to the utmost. 
 
 Without any help from Mains, he had been very hos- 
 tile to Cimon the Greek, and Aleph the Chaldean. The 
 latter had hurt his pride, and so humbled him in the 
 presence of others that he burned for revenge. Mains 
 whetted his passion, and prompted him to measures for 
 gratifying it which, bad as he was, he would not other- 
 wise have thought of. 
 
 '^ Mains proposed," continued Sextus, after pausing 
 to recover breath, '^that we make common cause against 
 the two men. He told me frankly what reason he had 
 to fear them, and dwelt artfully on the reasons I had for 
 being revenged upon them. He tried to make me feel 
 that we had a common interest in humbling and su])- 
 pressing them. He plied me with wine. This and the 
 violence of my passions for a while carried me away and 
 made me a ready tool in his hands. 
 
 " But I have changed my mind. I have been at 
 death's door ; and the light that came to me from behind 
 it has shown me three things : my own folly and guilt. 
 
THE BASILICA. 389 
 
 the utterly nnscrupulous character of my tempter, and 
 the thorough goodness of at least one of the men (and 
 presumably of his friend and preceptor) whom we had 
 been seeking to injure — may Heaven forgive me, as he 
 has done ! To him I owe my life and an opportunity to 
 mend my ways. We had sought to dishonor him, and 
 he knew it. We had done our worst to give him a felon^s 
 name and fate, and he knew it. And yet he delivered 
 me from my enemies, rescued me from death, nursed 
 back my flickering life with the carefulness of a mother. 
 I will tell the whole painful story, if Mains chooses to 
 have me ; but it would be to his disadvantage as well as 
 to my shame. I propose. Heaven helping me, to mend 
 my ways after thus publicly confessing the sin of them. 
 I advise Mains to do the same.^' 
 
 Sextus sank into his seat exhausted. The silence that 
 followed for a few moments thundered. What eyes were 
 not turned on Aleph were fastened on Mains. But the 
 wooden face said nothing ; only the wood was several 
 shades darker than usual. 
 
 Piso resumed : ^'^The testimony we have just heard is 
 as weighty as it was unexpected. What Sextus Flaccus 
 has now said about the principles and practices of Mains 
 has long been said under breath by great numbers who 
 have dealt with him. It is well understood in the city 
 that Mains is not a man to stop at any safe way of accom- 
 plishing his purposes of gain, or any other purposes. A 
 whole army of victims would appear against him, if it 
 could be understood that it would be safe to do so — 
 would have appeared long ago but for the conviction 
 that the monster tliat devours them is too big a monster 
 and too well fenced by his scales to be successfully at- 
 
390 THE BASILICA. 
 
 tacked, or even complained of. He is the successor of 
 the Lernean Hydra, from whom all but Hercules felt 
 compelled to hide. 
 
 " This is the eminent citizen who thinks that name- 
 less Nobodies ought not to have their testimony taken as 
 against him. I admit that Cimon the Greek and Aleph 
 the Chaldean were strangers here a few days ago, and are 
 still strangers to most of our people. And yet they have 
 found means so to introduce themselves to the confidence 
 of some of our most honorable citizens that these citi- 
 zens are willing to vouch for them : in which case they 
 stand before the law and the public with all the prestige 
 of their sponsors. 
 
 ^'^ But I am unwilling to have my clients rest their 
 claim to respectability and consideration on the dignity 
 of any other people, however high, who are willing to 
 vouch for them. It is unnecessary. They have an hon- 
 orable standing of their own. It is written in their very 
 faces and bearing. Who is Cimon the Greek ? It ap- 
 pears from this certified copy of the records of the Uni- 
 versity that thirty years ago a young man with that name 
 and of illustrious Athenian descent greatly distinguished 
 himself above all his companions in all branches of learn- 
 ing and gentlemanly accomplishment. This young man 
 is Cimon the Greek — as two of the older teachers in the 
 University have been able to recognize and are here to 
 testify. 
 
 *^ And who is Aleph the Chaldean ? You have only 
 to look upon him to know that he is Somehody : how 
 much of a body, so far as social standing is concerned, 
 this packet which I now take up from the table ought to 
 tell. Those of you who sit near me can see that the seal 
 
THE BASILICA. 391 
 
 is yet unbroken. I now break it ; and, on removing cer- 
 tain wraps, come to this " (he held up to view a roll of 
 vellum richly blazoned and bearing a broad seal). ^' This 
 document is bordered with many jewels, the value of 
 which some of yon can judge of better than myself, but 
 which yet my limited knowledge of such matters assures 
 me to be quite great enough to authenticate the written 
 contents. So costly a credential as this is beyond the 
 reach of an impostor, and was doubtless chosen for this 
 reason. What are the contents ? " 
 
 He paused, and read in silence. Then, holding up 
 the vellum so as to display the seal, he resumed : 
 
 *' This seal bears on it the figure of a crown. The 
 script is in three languages — Latin, Greek, and Chal- 
 dean. I will read the Greek : 
 
 *''T0 ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN": 
 
 '' ' I, Jasper Daniel Atropates, King of Median Atro- 
 patene and pontiff of the Most High God, foreseeing that 
 occasion may arise for such a document as this, do here- 
 by certify that the bearer is my only son. Prince Aleph 
 Daniel, whom I send with his Greek preceptor and my 
 chief counsellor into Egypt for purposes altogether peace- 
 ful, viz. : to study the institutions and learning of the 
 West, to enlarge his knowledge of life and man, and to 
 act for me, in conjunction with his companion, in all my 
 business affairs in that land. 
 
 '' * To this I affix the seal of my kingdom.' 
 
 "Such is the document," said Piso, handing it to 
 the Judges for inspection. After a few moments he 
 resumed : 
 
 "In explanation of this document, I would remind 
 
392 THE BASILICA. 
 
 the Court that Atropatene is a Chaldean kingdom of 
 great beauty and fertility, unassailably entrenched among 
 the mountains of Media, where for five hundred years 
 have ruled the descendants of the Hebrew prophet Dan- 
 iel, to whom it was given by Cyrus the Persian, and to 
 whose descendant Atropates it was confirmed by Alex- 
 ander the Macedonian. The monarchs of this dynasty 
 have not thought it beneath themselves to do as did Sol- 
 omon the Magnificent — to engage in commerce with for- 
 eign countries and make the superfluities of one land 
 supply the deficiencies of another. Accordingly, when, 
 thirty years ago, Jasper with two other princes passed 
 through the land, he arranged with Mains, then not so 
 well known as he is now, to receive and dispose of such 
 eastern goods as might be sent him by way of the Eed 
 Sea, Myos Hermos, and Coptus. Malus did not know 
 that his employer was a sovereign : probably has never 
 known it till now. This is the man whom he has de- 
 frauded — trusting that the remoteness of his principal 
 would secure him^ from detection. But the Heavens 
 have decreed against him — the Heavens which he seems 
 to have forgotten." 
 
 The advocate of Malus made only a brief reply. He 
 dealt in generalities. He asserted and reasserted in many 
 forms, and with much strength of voice, the innocence 
 of his client. Whatever the appearances against him, 
 they were deceptive. To get at real facts we often have 
 to go below the seemings. Wise men have to be on their 
 guard against even their own senses. He would not con- 
 demn the notable citizens and officials who had given 
 their support to the other side : at the same time, he 
 must be allowed to say that they have made a grave mis- 
 
THE BASILICA. 393 
 
 take. They have been misled by circumstantial evidence, 
 as many other intelligent and upright men have been. 
 He had no doubt but that they would some day see their 
 mistake, and be sorry for it. How would they like to 
 have their own reputations and fortunes fall a prey to 
 some plausible adventurer ? He hoped that they would 
 never come to that ; but it now looked as if no man's 
 fortune, or even life, would henceforth be safe in Alex- 
 andria. He trusted that the eminent Judges would see 
 the peril to which they and all people of consideration 
 are exposed, and, by their verdict, discourage attacks on 
 prominent men, to which envy and cupidity so strongly 
 tempt. 
 
 It Avould not be surprising if his client, amid the 
 pressure and anxieties of so large and varied business, 
 had sometimes made mistakes, sometimes been forgetful, 
 and even sometimes been overborne and distracted to the 
 point of irresponsible insanity. In such circumstances 
 he may have done things which, in his right mind, he 
 never would have done. In the conduct of great and 
 complicated affairs the strain on the mind is often very 
 great ; and, for his part, he wondered that it did not 
 give way oftener than it did. He hoped that the Judges 
 would take these considerations into account in making 
 up their verdict ; and would not ruin one of their own 
 citizens for the sake of a foreigner, whether prince or 
 l^easant. A verdict against Malus would send a large 
 sum out of the country, never to return. Alexandria 
 would be impoverished for the sake of Chaldea. 
 
 So the case was submitted. The Judges conferred 
 among themselves for a few moments, and then one of 
 them spoke in a low tone to the Praitor. 
 
394 THE BASILICA. 
 
 Tlic public crier summoned attention, and the Prae- 
 tor announced : 
 
 "■ I. The Judges have decided that the suit of Malus 
 against Cimon is unsustained, and order that the defend- 
 ant, discharged from custody, receive damages to the 
 amount of 50,000 staters, the estimated vakie of the 
 jewels said to have been stolen. 
 
 *^II. Also, the Judges have decided that the suit of 
 Cimon against Mahis is sustained ; and order that the 
 latter pay to the former the arrears for thirty years as 
 determined by certain dealers in eastern goods, hereafter 
 to be designated, in view of the actual duties and prices 
 during that period, and counting as genuine both the 
 harbor receipts of Malus and his accounts to his princi- 
 pal as they have been shown here. 
 
 " III. Also, it is ordered that Malus be taken into cus- 
 tody until the payment now decreed has been made, and 
 until it has been legally determined whether he is guilty 
 of the crime of smuggling. LiciTUM est Decedere." 
 
 Aleph and Cimon were overwhelmed with congratu- 
 lations. The Governor pressed them to become his 
 guests and occupy a vacant palace at Bruchium ; but 
 they excused themselves, and begged to be allowed to 
 return unceremoniously with Seti to the Serapeum. 
 They were unable, however, to return as inconspicuously 
 as they wished : for the delegation of students, with Cor- 
 nelius at their head, insisted on escorting them, and 
 cheering crowds gradually gathered about them, and 
 before they reached the temple they met nearly the whole 
 enthusiastic membership of the University, whom noth- 
 ing could i)i-event from rending the air and shaking the 
 city with cries of ''Long live Aleph the Prince!'' 
 
THE BASILICA. 395 
 
 Who were they who said that poetical justice is always 
 done ill this world? Ah, I remember — they were the 
 friends of Job. Who were they who said that poetical 
 justice is never done in actual life .^ No matter : who- 
 ever said it smote facts in the face. I mean such facts as 
 are recorded in this chapter : also such as are recorded in 
 the Bible history of Joseph, but especially of Daniel the 
 prophet, the great ancestor of our Aleph, against whose 
 fortunes the floods of wrong not only surged in vain, but 
 floated them up to higher levels. 
 
 Under the sun, the race is not always to the swift, 
 nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor 
 riches to men of understanding, nor favor to men of 
 skill. Sometimes good men have to wait long for their 
 due — sometimes even into the next world. Of course, 
 sooner or later justice will be done. As sure as there is 
 a God in Heaven, justice must be done, sooner or later. 
 But we are always thankful when it is done sooner — 
 when a good man does not have to wait for his due till he 
 is dead ; when some Daniels and Aleph-Daniels are not 
 only recompensed in the earth, but find the feet of jus- 
 tice not so heavily weighted but that they can reach their 
 goal within a few days of the starting. The weak in faith 
 then thank God and take courage. 
 
XVII. 
 
 THE CONCLUSION. 
 
 Orav EVTvxvou/jLei^ Tore j^cipttv rtapeoTol. 
 
 Sophocles, Eledi- 1299. 
 
 When we shall succeed, then is the time to rejoice. 
 
1. Neittier impotent nor lanne. 
 
 2. Eachi to hiis own. place. 
 
 3. By way of Jesias. 
 
 4. Honme. 
 
XVII. 
 
 THE CONCLUSION, 
 
 WERE it not for a most conspicuous example, now 
 and then, of large success in committing an en- 
 terprise to God and then mightily trusting His Provi- 
 dence, faith would lack a very desirable inspiration. 
 
 In the case of our Chaldean friends, the success was 
 very large indeed. As we all soon come to know, many 
 good enterprises end in complete failure. Only a few at- 
 tain complete success, and realize all they proposed to 
 themselves. Still fewer surpass their aim, and accom- 
 plish far more than they expected or ventured to hope. 
 Yet such was the enterprise of Cimon and Aleph in Alex- 
 andria. 
 
 What had they proposed to themselves? To investigate 
 Mains, and bring him to justice ; to gather reliable infor- 
 mation concerning Him who was born king of the Jews 
 and to whom the miraculous star had guided the Magian 
 sovereigns; to broaden and enrich the education of 
 Aleph, not only by giving him a wider outlook on tlie 
 world and humanity, but by throwing him, divested of 
 all the insignia and glamour of his rank, entirely on his 
 own resources for guidance and help in dealing with men 
 in U'^w and difficult circumstances. All these objects had 
 been accomplished. 
 
400 THE CONCLUSIOl^'. 
 
 Within a few days from the close of the trial the 
 authorities had placed in the hands of Cimon the full 
 amount of his claim against Malus^, together with inter- 
 est on all delayed payments. This, in itself, was not 
 sufficient to ruin the rogue financially. But he had al- 
 ready drawn considerably on his resources in his attemj^t 
 to bribe the judges and secure the countenance of other 
 influential people : for they had not hesitated to take 
 silently his gifts though no equivalent was rendered. 
 But the greatest drain upon him came from another 
 quarter. Other victims of his rapacity, encouraged by 
 the result of Cimon's suit, attacked him successfully; 
 and before long it seemed as if there would be no end to 
 the suits. Under these circumstances, Alexandria was 
 not much surprised, one fine morning, to hear that Malus 
 (latterly they had fallen into the way of calling him 
 Pessimus) was nowhere to be found — nor any of his re- 
 maining assets. The guard set upon him was not incor- 
 ruptible, and he had disappeared between two days. No 
 one knew where he had gone. Some said to Ethiopia; 
 some said to Spain ; some said to Marseilles in Gaul ; and 
 some would have it that he had taken to the desert with 
 Draco. A few declared that he had committed suicide. 
 This last supposition, however, was considered extremely 
 improbable, on the ground that so shrewd a person would 
 not take the trouble to carry away with him goods which 
 he did not mean to use. There is no use for current 
 money of the merchant in Hades. Whatever supposition 
 was correct, it is certain that Malus never reappeared in 
 Alexandria. 
 
 But our friends had a still more important object in 
 coming to the commercial metropolis of the West. It 
 
THE CONCLUSION. 401 
 
 was to learn about llim who was born king of the Jews. 
 Some things they already knew from the Magi — that his 
 coming was divinely heralded and accompanied by super- 
 natural events, that his mission was a great and glorious 
 one, having significance for all nations. AVhat had they 
 learned in addition? That the life which had opened so 
 grandly amid the ministries and songs of angels, and the 
 worship and gifts of star -led pilgrims, had come to a 
 still grander sequel — that into the glowing dawn had at 
 length come the sun in his strength ; a mingled glory of 
 miracles and character and teaching such as never before 
 gathered about a single life — that Jesus is surely the 
 Messiah of the Sacred Books and their sufficient creden- 
 tial — that this Messiah is not, as has been commonly 
 supposed, a secular warrior, conqueror, and king ; but a 
 spiritual monarch ruling over willing hearts in the inter- 
 est of truth and righteousness, and whose victories are 
 salvations — that his mission in the world is one of humil- 
 iation instead of exaltation, of suffering instead of pleas- 
 ure, of death instead of life ; and that in dying he com- 
 pleted a vicarious sacrifice for the sins of the world — 
 also, that to express the dignity of his being both the 
 prophets and himself use language which exalts him far 
 above angels and claims for him a Divine nature. To 
 know all this was a great gain, more than they had ven- 
 tured to hope. And if, on their way home, they should 
 be able to see the Messiah with their own eyes, witness 
 personally some wonderful work, and obtain for them- 
 selves and theirs his personal benediction, they would 
 feel that their way had been wonderfully prospered. 
 
 And then the educational object which the father of 
 Aleph distinctly proposed to himself — was that object 
 
402 THE CONCLUSION. 
 
 well secured? How well Alei^h carried himself when 
 thrown on his own resources for guidance we have seen ; 
 and my belief is that when his parents come to see him 
 and to hear the report of Cimon, they will be quite satis- 
 fied with their experiment. They will realize that the 
 promising bud has beautifully flowered, that the rare 
 plant which had started and grown so thriftily in their 
 sheltered and sunny conservatory was now hardy enough 
 to be transplanted into the open field, and even to the 
 windy summits of life. 
 
 So all the ends proposed in the visit of our friends to 
 Alexandria were accomplished — and more. For these 
 unknown men had been the means of introducing not 
 only a loftier moral element into the student life of Alex- 
 andria, but had so drawn upon Cornelius and Metellus, 
 who had specially attached themselves to them, that they 
 had begun to study the Septuagint, to frequent the ser- 
 vices at the Diapleuston, to admire the sublime mono- 
 theism and hopes of the Jew, and finally to give sure 
 token of becoming, the one the devout Cornelius of the 
 Acts of the Apostle and the other one of those Christians 
 saluted by Paul as belonging to "Aristobulus' house- 
 hold." 
 
 But the influence of Aleph on Sextus Flaccus \vas still 
 more remarkable. His frequent interviews with that 
 penitent man ended not only in his thorough reform, 
 and in his renouncing idolatry, but also in his accepting 
 Jesus as a Divine sacrifice for sin. 
 
 And it was on this wise. The young Roman at first 
 was terribly oppressed with a sense of sin. He could 
 hardly say too much against himself. His misdeeds and 
 follies haunted him like ghosts, and hunted him like 
 
THE CONCLUSION. 403 
 
 the Eumenides. Their horrible faces scowled at him, 
 their serpent-hair hissed and leaped at him, their 
 clenched hands shook themselves at him from behind 
 almost every object he saw. Sometimes in his sleep 
 he would see a mountain, traced all over in fiery char- 
 acters with the names of his sins, moving swiftly to- 
 ward him; and he would wake drenched in sweat and 
 terror as the ponderous masses came rushing in upon 
 him and buried him thousands of feet beneath their mu- 
 nitions of rocks. At other times he dreamed that, like 
 Andromeda, he was chained to a rock at the ocean's edge, 
 and that great storm-billows in long succession were 
 sweeping in upon him, and that on the crested summit of 
 each a great sea-monster with lurid eyes and open jaws 
 came rushing and shrieking Sin, Sin, SIN. He 
 shrieked as loudly — and awoke in despair. 
 
 It was in this state that he first sent for Aleph. His 
 first sense of relief came when Aleph told him the story 
 of Jesus, and suggested the idea of a Divine incarnation 
 and atonement for sin. The wretched man clutched the 
 idea as a drowning man does a plank. Here was some- 
 thing solid to rest upon. Here was a sufficient sacrifice 
 for even his enormities. The weight began to lift from 
 his oppressed breast. At last one day as Aleph was read- 
 ing to him the sublime description which Isaiah gives in 
 his 53d chapter of Him on whom '* were laid the iniqui- 
 ties of us all," a mighty deliverance came. Suddenly all 
 his doors and windows sprang open musically to welcome 
 Jesus as the Lamb of God. The sense of need opened 
 them. From that day the sick body mended wonder- 
 fully ; and soon the streets of Alexandria saw a new man 
 under an old name. The name continued to be Sextus 
 
404 THE CONCLUSION. 
 
 Flacciis, but it stood for a very different person. It stood 
 for the first Roman Christian of rank who dared to avow 
 himself. Paul on his arrival at Rome some vears later 
 found him a member of Cesar's ht)usehold, and ready to 
 help him with all his influence in founding the first Ro- 
 man church. 
 
 This was a great and unexpected success. But, in ad- 
 dition, our eastern pilgrims, with nothing but their cul- 
 tured manhood to show, had found other friends such as 
 they had never counted on finding— friends well worth 
 the having, even by a prince; friends whose friendship 
 was for themselves and not for their rank ; friends among 
 whom was one— but I must not anticipate. Nay, I must 
 go back a little. 
 
 Though Alexander had reached home early in the 
 evening before the last trial, it was very late before he 
 could get to his rest — he had so much to tell and so much 
 to hear. And this was what he had to tell. He had suc- 
 ceeded in both the objects for which he had hastened to 
 Rome. Of course, one of these objects was to prevent 
 the disturbance at the Diapleuston from being misrepre- 
 sented to the emperor as a personal affront. It was not 
 reported at all. For some reason Flaccus had not 
 thought it best to say anything about the matter in his 
 dispatches. Probably he thought that some of the cir- 
 cumstances would not bear telling ; and then the pres- 
 ence of Alexander at the ear of the emperor was in itself 
 a caution to be prudent. So Flaccus was dumb. 
 
 The other object which Alexander had in view was 
 really to find out some safe way of declining the mar- 
 riage proposals in behalf of the Caesar. 
 
 Notwithstanding the fears of his daughter, he had 
 
THE CONCLUSION. 405 
 
 never been so much attracted by the offer of an imperial 
 alliance as were some of his Jewish friends. He had 
 been too much behind the scenes at the Palatine. He 
 knew too much of Tiberius and Caesarism. He knew 
 nothing to the disadvantage of Germanicus and much to 
 his advantage ; but he also knew that Tiberius as a young 
 man had won golden opinions; also, that to be the 
 nephew and heir apparent of the jealous and capricious 
 emperor was very far from being foreordained to empire. 
 So one of his objects in going to Rome was, not to see 
 Avhether the proposals were desirable, but to see how they 
 might safely be declined. That Avas a hard problem. 
 But Providence favored him. He found that Germani- 
 cus, who had never seen Rachel, had many times seen 
 Agrippina, the granddaughter of Augustus, and to very 
 good purpose. The growing intimacy and attachment 
 between the young people which he was not slow to dis- 
 cover he promoted to the utmost. And when the matter 
 was ripe he found means of bringing it to the knowledge 
 of Sejanus, the emperor's favorite, and of so enlisting 
 him in its support that under his influence Tiberius began 
 to regret his Egyptian proposals, and to seek some excuse 
 for recalling them. " He did not know, when they Avere 
 made, of the situation at home. It had only just come 
 to his knowledge. He was sorry ; but he hated to break 
 young hearts." Alexander allowed that it would be a 
 pity. The emperor also thought that, inasmuch as Ger- 
 manicus and Rachel had never met, it might not, after 
 all, be a very hard matter for the fair Alexandrian to have 
 the matter dropped in such a quiet and honorable way as 
 could easily be devised. Alexander candidly allowed 
 that the fact which his majesty had stated was a weighty 
 
406 THE CONCLUSION-. 
 
 one. In short, Tiberius receded from liis proposals; 
 and, to soften the supposed disappointment to the mighty 
 banker for whom his treasury had so much use, he sent 
 him home in the imperial galley with new guaranties and 
 privileges for the Jewish community in Egypt, and with 
 a broad hint to Flaccus to let it be known that the honor 
 of the imperial alliance had been declined from religious 
 considerations which the emperor felt bound to respect. 
 The Alabarch expected nothing less than that early the 
 next morning all Alexandria would be in possession of the 
 news, and would be wondering how he could so rebuff 
 the emperor and yet stand higher in his favor than ever. 
 
 This, for substance, was what Alexander had to tell. 
 Of course Rachel was vastly delighted at her escape ; and 
 showed that she was by flinging her arms about her 
 father's neck and rapturously kissing him. 
 
 But the father wanted to hear as well as to tell. 
 Something of what had transpired had reached him by 
 letter ; but he wanted to know all. And Seti rehearsed 
 all that had hapj^ened since that memorable Sabbath at 
 the Diapleuston. Rachel sat uneasily silent, leaning 
 against her father and toying with the splendid jewelled 
 badge of the Order of the Golden Eagle which Tiberius 
 at parting had, with his own hands, fastened on his 
 breast — listening with burning cheeks as her grandfather 
 in his graphic way reproduced the events and expressed 
 the confidence and admiration with which Aleph had in- 
 spired him. Every now and then she stole an anxious 
 look at her father's face; not quite sure how the shrewd 
 man of affairs, i)rofessionally accustomed to deal with 
 men on a principle of suspicion aiul abundant caution, 
 would view the eulogiums of the priest and philosopher. 
 

 THE CONCLUSION^. 407 
 
 founded on so brief an acquaintance. When Alexander 
 had heard all, he said slowly : 
 
 " If I had never seen the young man, nor known Seti 
 so well, I might have challenged the sobriety of the ac- 
 count I have just heard. But, having seen him twice, 
 and you a thousand times, I have nothing to say, save 
 that I wish he was emperor of the West, or at least the 
 Ca?sar. In that case, perhaps, I would not take so much 
 trouble to keep the Caesar at arm's-length, as I have been 
 lately taking in another quarter " — and he nodded smil- 
 ingly at Rachel. '' But who can he be? " 
 
 No matter who he is," returned Seti>with emphasis, 
 since he is a Man, a sovereign man. He has a broader 
 empire within him than Tiberius sees without him ; an 
 empire of which no caprice of fortune «an rob him. And 
 his body is as sovereign as his soul. He needs no herald 
 to go before him and cry. Make way, for the king is com- 
 ing. Men know it as soon as they see him.'' 
 
 To such words Rachel could have listened all night. 
 But she wondered whether they would have been spoken 
 had father and grandfather known what she knew. She 
 had not yet mustered courage to speak to Seti of her new 
 relation to Aleph ; in fact had about made up her mind 
 to leave all explanations to Providence and Aleph. So 
 both Seti and Alexander remained ignorant of that won- 
 derful conversation between the young people which I 
 have lately recorded till Aleph the Chaldean had be- 
 come Aleph the Prince, and had asked leave to substi- 
 tute for the proposals of Tiberius certain proposals of his 
 own. Then the whole matter came out. The Alabarch 
 found that his daughter had no serious objection to being 
 a princess provided the prince was of the right sort. He 
 
408 THE CONCLUSION. 
 
 was in very much the same mood himself. Indeed, he 
 went so far as to say that he would not have refused his 
 daughter to Alej^h had he always remained simply Aleph 
 the Chaldean, of unknown birth and fortunes : how much 
 less could he do it now that the young man stood re- 
 vealed a Hebrew of the Hebrews, a descendant of Daniel 
 the illustrious statesman and prophet, and the heir of the 
 stablest and choicest, though not the largest, sovereignty 
 of the age ! 
 
 So, before many days (but not until the arrival of 
 Rachel's mother from Jerusalem, and her express sanc- 
 tion, and even her joyful confession that Aleph was a 
 very welcome substitute for even so good a C^sar as Ger- 
 manicus) a formal betrothal took place ; and all Alexan- 
 dria took to busily talking over the gracious ceremonial. 
 Now they understood why Germanicus had been respect- 
 fully declined. The ground had been pre empted. An- 
 other prince had spoken, and spoken in person. "And 
 no wonder," said they, "that he was successful; for 
 never did we set eyes on a goodlier person or a prince- 
 lier." So Alexandria was in excellent humor; and for 
 once all the five quarters of the city ceased their mutual 
 wrangling and railing and consented to say the same 
 complimentary things. Even the elders of the Diapleus- 
 ton who so much wanted to see a second Esther on the 
 imperial throne were by this time ready to allow that 
 Kachel had chosen very happily for herself, if not for the 
 Jewish public. They offered congratulations. They 
 sent in rich presents — especially Ben Simeon, who, from 
 the first, had been so drawn to Aleph, and was now in 
 charge as consignee in the place of Malus. But the rich- 
 est and most valued presents that Rachel received on that 
 
THE CONCLUSION. 409 
 
 auspicious day were two — from opposite quarters. One 
 was a copy from the Septuagint of all the Messianic 
 prophecies in their order, beautifully done on vellum 
 margined with jewels — this came from Alepli. The 
 other came from Flaccus, in the name of his son Sextus, 
 and was no less than the Setian palace on the Nile which 
 has had so conspicuous a place in this narrative. Some 
 damage had been done to it by Draco and his band in 
 their orgies and final rummage for concealed treasure: 
 but he had been so thoroughly frightened by what he 
 had done to Sextus, as well as by the escape of Aleph and 
 the numerous foot-prints found about the premises early 
 the next morning, that his search was very hasty and 
 ended in the whole gang betaking themselves precipitately 
 to the desert — to the great misfortune of the desert and 
 travelers, but without much damage to the stronghold 
 they had left. It was soon put in prime condition by 
 Flaccus, and then, in an elaborate communication, pre- 
 sented to Seti for Rachel and Aleph as an '^ Egyptian 
 home to which his excellency hoped they would very 
 often return." It was a question in the mind of Seti 
 whether a man could give what does not belong to him ; 
 but this question, wise man that he was, he kept to him- 
 self, and was very glad to have the ancient heirloom come 
 back in any way into his family. 
 
 And these were the ulterior arrangements. Cimon 
 and Aleph would return home at once by way of Palestine, 
 with the hope of falling in with the Messiah ere his re- 
 turn heavenward. Then, as soon as possible, Aleph 
 would come again with his father's formal sanction to 
 claim his bride ; and then her father and mother and dear 
 mother-father would take a long vacation and accompany 
 
410 THE CONCLUSION". 
 
 her and Miriam (henceforth inseparable) to their new 
 home. Alexander even went so far as to intimate that, 
 mindful of the uncertainty of the imperial favor and of 
 the Jewish position in Alexandria, he was thinking seri- 
 ously of transferring the bulk of his fortune to a safer 
 region; and to facilitate this had already arranged to 
 open a branch banking house at Ecbatana, where con- 
 verged many routes of commercial travel. By all means 
 do this, great financier, and tarry not in the doing; 
 for the times in the west are threatening, and Rome is a 
 volcano that may at any moment send streams of lava 
 farther than Alexandria. Plant thy family and fortunes 
 amid the safe Chaldean mountains, hard by the tombs of 
 Daniel and Esther in Eden ; and, looking calmly forth 
 from your impregnable observatory, see distant Cc^sars 
 rise and fall, see distant legions march and counter- 
 march, and, above all, see the friendly star that offers to 
 guide your faith and gifts to Jesus the King. Then 
 push out the antennae of commerce vigorously into all 
 lands, and gather the spoils of peace wherewith to deco- 
 rate the Prince of peace. It is your mission. You have 
 a genius for honorable money-making. Use it vigor- 
 ously. It is as sacred as a genius for eloquence, or a 
 genius for science. 
 
 A brilliant caravan files through the gate of Canopus. 
 Our friends are moving homeward. They came by the 
 way the Magian fathers returned ; they are returning by 
 the way those fathers came. They have just said fare- 
 wells to Shaphan and Nathan : a little before they had 
 said still more tender ones at the palace of Alexander. 
 
THE CONCLUSION. 411 
 
 Flaccus had insisted on sending with them an escort of 
 cavalry as far as the frontier ; and Alexander, and Seti, 
 and Cornelius at the head of a large delegation from the 
 University, will go with them a day^s journey. 
 
 We will not go with them even that distance, though 
 we would be glad to do so ; but will say our farewells and 
 godspeeds just here before the khan where Shaphan and 
 Nathan once reluctantly parted with the Divine Child. 
 Our parting, top, is reluctant. We are vastly sorry, 
 wise men of the East, to say good-bye to you, though it 
 be for only a few moons. It is not often that such as 
 you have crossed our path, or any path. But partings 
 must be ; and so, comforting ourselves with the expecta- 
 tion of seeing you again when all Alexandria is ablaze 
 with that rare thing, a royal marriage made in Heaven, 
 we gather courage to say Adieu ! May the Father above 
 prosper your way to the father below. We foresee that 
 He will. You and yours are well mounted ; and though 
 only Aleph has a Parthia beneath him, there can be but a 
 few days of travel between you and the Messiah. The 
 longings of your hearts will be gratified. You will reach 
 Galilee in season. There, on a certain mountain, with 
 more than five hundred fellow disciples, you will see with 
 your own eyes Him in whom you have blessedly believed 
 without seeing ; will be welcomed by Him for the fathers' 
 sake as well as for your own ; will perhaps see some of 
 the "many other signs which are not written in this 
 book"; and, finally, in the early morning, as you re- 
 sume your journey and are taking a look backward on 
 the city of so many sacred memories, you will see over 
 the Mount of Olives a human form slowly rising through 
 ^he air with outstretched hands of benediction. The son 
 
4:VZ THE CONCLUSION. 
 
 of Daniel will need no interpreter. Behold the Heavenly 
 King going to his home even as you are going to yours ! 
 And you will worship and go on your way rejoicing; 
 bearing to your Chaldean home such news that all its sil- 
 ver trumpets will sound as it exclaims: 
 
 Thank God! ye, too, have been star-led pil- 
 grims. 
 
 When forth the Tribes to Canaan went, 
 
 In travel long and sore, 
 What gnide had they along the way. 
 
 Save cloud that went before — 
 
 Save cloud that goes before, 
 
 And goeth evermore ? 
 
 And when the Wise Men of the East 
 
 A pilgrim banner bore. 
 What guide had they along the way, 
 
 Save star that shone before — 
 
 Save star that shines before, 
 
 And shineth evermore ? 
 
 And when the Wise Men of the West, 
 
 Wise in a saving lore, 
 Set forth through wilds to find the Child 
 
 And win the Golden Shore, 
 
 Tliat shineth evermore, 
 
 And moveth nevermore ; 
 
 Some cloud from God will surely go 
 
 Their doubtful steps before. 
 All through the light— and through the night 
 
 Some star its beams shall pour. 
 
 Some star their path explore — 
 
 Guide faileth nevermore. 
 
 Who to the Lord his way commends 
 
 Shall never lose his way, 
 But ever find the Lord is kind 
 
 To lead from dark to day : 
 
THE CONCLUSION. 413 
 
 Shall even find the Lord doth know 
 A way so kind that e'en the blind 
 
 Straight to his mark can go — 
 At least His mark, which, kinder far, 
 The daily cloud and nightly star 
 
 Go seeking evermore, 
 
 And missing nevermore. 
 

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