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Then he bowed before the Mukaukas, touching his brow, lips and breast with the finger- tips of the right hand to express: "All my thoughts, words and feelings are devoted to you," while he said: "Thanks, Son of Menas. That was the act of Moslem." "Of a Christian!" cried Orion hastily. But his father shook his head gently, and said, slowly and impressively: "Only of a man."
In the early days after his return from Constantinople she had heard his praise of the senator's kindness and hospitality, in which the Mukaukas, who had pleasant memories of the capital, heartily joined. He must, of course, be glad to be able to assist those friends, of all others; and Nilus, who was respectfully devoted to her, had greeted her from Orion with peculiar warmth.
Opposition from the town-senate was also to be looked for, since the deceased Mukaukas had pronounced this measure unjust and detrimental to the common welfare.
After the Arab conquest the Moslems had left all ancient customs and rights undisturbed, including those of the Mukaukas. The court which assembled to sit in judgment on all cases concerning the adherents of the house consisted of the higher officials of the governor's establishment. The Mukaukas himself was president, and his grown-up son was his natural deputy.
Servants and officials, in unscrupulous collusion, had managed to transport her to a country-house belonging to the Mukaukas on the other side of the Nile, and there Orion had been able to visit her undisturbed as often as fancy prompted him.
Let that rest for the present," said the youth, who was deeply moved. "Oh Father! if I only knew that your blessing..." "The Faith, the Faith," interrupted the Mukaukas in a broken voice. "I will be true to my own!" cried Orion, raising his father's hand to his lips.
When Philippus had parted from Paula he had told her that the Mukaukas might indeed die at any moment, but that it was possible that he might yet struggle with death for weeks to come.
Hiram too, the groom, and his son had found their place among the Mukaukas' household; in the first instance to take charge of the five horses from her father's stable which had brought the fugitives to Egypt, but afterwards for the governor was not slow to discern his skill in such matters as a leech for all sorts of beasts, and as an adviser is purchasing horses.
"A magnificent stone!" cried Orion. "Even Heliodora has nothing to equal it. Well, father, what do you say is its value?" "Great, very great," replied the Mukaukas. "And yet the whole unmutilated work would be too small an offering for Him to whom I propose to offer it." "To the great general, Amru?" asked Orion. "No child," said the governor decidedly.
In the afternoon after the death of the Mukaukas she had gone with her mother to the governor's house to join in her friends' lamentations. She had at once asked after Mary, but had not been allowed to see her, for she was still in bed and very feverish.