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When he looked up, he saw a man standing within a few paces of him and perfunctorily gazing at anything but the display of Laodice's fortune. He was lean, muscular, somewhat younger than forty but already gray at the temples, of nervous temperament, direct of gaze and of attractive presence. He wore a tunic of gray wool bordered with red, and a gray mantle hung negligently from his shoulders.
Who is full-fed in these days of want, yourselves or your masters? A sword, a sword is drawn; uphold the arm that wields it!" "Sedition!" Amaryllis whispered, as the mob began to murmur and stir at this new doctrine. "For behold, he shall go forth with great fury to destroy and utterly to make away many!" Amaryllis bent so she could whisper in Laodice's ear.
"God keep thee and forget thy heresy," she said. "If thou livest in Pella, Pella is indeed happy." He laughed with a flush stealing up under the brown of his cheeks. A faint light came into Laodice's eyes as she looked at him; he returned her gaze with a gradual softening that was intensely complimentary. Between the two was effected instant and lasting fellowship.
In a twinkling the whole party had mounted, and passed swiftly on toward Jerusalem. As they moved forward, the strange woman murmured softly: "Two!" Laodice's camel mounted the slope toward the east and stretched away on a comparative level toward an immense white moon.
Through a notch in the hills a golden beam shot from the sun and penetrating this inwalled valley lay like an illuminating fire on the man's face and glorified it. Laodice's breath stopped. Slowly his fingers slipped along the fine silken length of that shining strand until his arm extended to the full; and the end of the lock yet rested on her breast.
Laodice leaned forward suddenly and hung on the woman's words. "The time for sacrifice and humiliation is paid out! It was a long time! Now, behold in the generosity of his repentance, ye shall ask and nothing shall be denied. Speak! Ask! The whole world, Heaven and earth and the delights of all the years are yours, now and for all time!" At Laodice's side was Amaryllis.
Amaryllis sat in her ivory chair; opposite her in the exedra was Philadelphus. At sight of him, the last of the soft color went out of Laodice's face. A curve of despair marked the corners of her mouth and she seemed to grow old before those that looked at her. Philadelphus and the Greek sprang to their feet, the instant the group entered. Laodice waited for no preliminary.
Though the place held a great number of refugees, the footstep of the Maccabee wakened resounding emptiness. At the threshold he slackened his step and looked with pathetic anxiety at whatever light on Laodice's face would show her opinion of her refuge.
He felt his howdah lurch to one side as some one leaped up beside him; he felt remotely the great grasp of hands on him, which must have been Momus'; the quick military voice of Aquila he heard and then, keen and distinct as a call upon him, the sound of Laodice's tones made sharp with terror. He opened his eyes and saw her, holding him in her arms.
Limbs and arms were bare and his head-covering of red wool hung from his arm. Costobarus, a little discomfited that he had been surprised with Laodice's dowry exposed, spoke briskly. "Well, Aquila? Prepared?" "Everything is in order. I am ready to proceed at once." "How many in your party?" "But myself." "Have you ever been to Jerusalem?" "Never."
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