第22章

see，shediscoversme！’

’Oh！Glaucus！Glaucus！doyounotknowme？Ravenotsowildly，orthouwiltkillmewithaword！’

AnewchangeseemednowtooperateuponthejarringanddisorderedmindoftheunfortunateAthenian。HeputhishanduponNydia’ssilkenhair；hesmoothedthelocks——helookedwistfullyuponherface，andthen，asinthebrokenchainofthoughtoneortwolinkswereyetunsevered，itseemedthathercountenancebroughtitsassociationsofIone；andwiththatremembrancehismadnessbecameyetmorepowerful，anditswayedandtingedbypassion，asheburstforth：

’IswearbyVenus，byDiana，andbyJuno，thatthoughIhavenowtheworldonmyshoulders，asmycountrymanHercules（ah，dullRome！whoeverwastrulygreatwasofGreece；why，youwouldbegodlessifitwerenotforus！）——I

say，asmycountrymanHerculeshadbeforeme，IwouldletitfallintochaosforonesmilefromIone。Ah，Beautiful，——Adored，’headded，inavoiceinexpressiblyfondandplaintive，’thoulovestmenot。Thouartunkindtome。TheEgyptianhathbeliedmetothee——thouknowestnotwhathoursIhavespentbeneaththycasement——thouknowestnothowIhaveoutwatchedthestars，thinkingthou，mysun，wouldstriseatlast——andthoulovestmenot，thouforsakestme！Oh！donotleavemenow！Ifeelthatmylifewillnotbelong；letmegazeontheeatleastuntothelast。Iamofthebrightlandofthyfathers——IhavetrodtheheightsofPhyle——Ihavegatheredthehyacinthandroseamidsttheolive—grovesofIlyssus。Thoushouldstnotdesertme，forthyfatherswerebrotherstomyown。Andtheysaythislandislovely，andtheseclimesserene，butIwillbeartheewithme——Ho！darkform，whyrisestthoulikeacloudbetweenmeandmine？Deathsitscalmlydreaduponthybrow——onthylipisthesmilethatslays：thynameisOrcus，butonearthmencalltheeArbaces。See，Iknowthee！fly，dimshadow，thyspellsavailnot！’

’Glaucus！Glaucus！’murmuredNydia，releasingherholdandfalling，beneaththeexcitementofherdismay，remorse，andanguish，insensibleonthefloor。

’Whocalls？’saidheinaloudvoice。’Ione，itisshe！theyhaveborneheroff——wewillsaveher——whereismystilus？Ha，Ihaveit！Icome，Ione，tothyrescue！Icome！Icome！’

Sosaying，theAthenianwithoneboundpassedtheportico，hetraversedthehouse，andrushedwithswiftbutvacillatingsteps，andmutteringaudiblytohimself，downthestarlitstreets。Thedirefulpotionburntlikefireinhisveins，foritseffectwasmade，perhaps，stillmoresuddenfromthewinehehaddrunkpreviously。Usedtotheexcessesofnocturnalrevellers，thecitizens，withsmilesandwinks，gavewaytohisreelingsteps；theynaturallyimaginedhimundertheinfluenceoftheBromiangod，notvainlyworshippedatPompeii；buttheywholookedtwiceuponhisfacestartedinanamelessfear，andthesmilewitheredfromtheirlips。Hepassedthemorepopulousstreets；and，pursuingmechanicallythewaytoIone’shouse，hetraversedamoredesertedquarter，andenterednowthelonelygroveofCybele，inwhichApaecideshadheldhisinterviewwithOlinthus。

ChapterVI

AREUNIONOFDIFFERENTACTORS。STREAMSTHATFLOWEDAPPARENTLYAPARTRUSH

INTOONEGULF。

IMPATIENTtolearnwhetherthefelldrughadyetbeenadministeredbyJuliatohishatedrival，andwithwhateffect，Arbacesresolved，astheeveningcameon，toseekherhouse，andsatisfyhissuspense。Itwascustomary，asI

havebeforesaid，formenatthattimetocarryabroadwiththemthetabletsandthestilusattachedtotheirgirdle；andwiththegirdletheywereputoffwhenathome。Infact，undertheappearanceofaliteraryinstrument，theRomanscarriedaboutwiththeminthatsamestilusaverysharpandformidableweapon。ItwaswithhisstilusthatCassiusstabbedCaesarinthesenate—house。Taking，then，hisgirdleandhiscloak，Arbaceslefthishouse，supportinghissteps，whichwerestillsomewhatfeeble（thoughhopeandvengeancehadconspiredgreatlywithhisownmedicalscience，whichwasprofound，torestorehisnaturalstrength），byhislongstaff——ArbacestookhiswaytothevillaofDiomed。

Andbeautifulisthemoonlightofthesouth！Inthoseclimesthenightsoquicklyglidesintotheday，thattwilightscarcelymakesabridgebetweenthem。Onemomentofdarkerpurpleinthesky——ofathousandrose—huesinthewater——ofshadehalfvictoriousoverlight；andthenburstforthatoncethecountlessstars——themoonisup——nighthasresumedherreign！

Brightlythen，andsoftlybright，fellthemoonbeamsovertheantiquegroveconsecratedtoCybele——thestatelytrees，whosedatewentbeyondtradition，casttheirlongshadowsoverthesoil，whilethroughtheopeningsintheirboughsthestarsshone，stillandfrequent。Thewhitenessofthesmallsacelluminthecentreofthegrove，amidstthedarkfoliage，hadinitsomethingabruptandstartling；itrecalledatoncethepurposetowhichthewoodwasconsecrated——itsholinessandsolemnity。

Withaswiftandstealthypace，Calenus，glidingundertheshadeofthetrees，reachedthechapel，andgentlyputtingbacktheboughsthatcompletelyclosedarounditsrear，settledhimselfinhisconcealment；aconcealmentsocomplete，whatwiththefaneinfrontandthetreesbehind，thatnounsuspiciouspassengercouldpossiblyhavedetectedhim。Again，allwasapparentlysolitaryinthegrove：afaroffyouheardfaintlythevoicesofsomenoisyrevellersorthemusicthatplayedcheerilytothegroupsthatthen，asnowinthoseclimates，duringthenightsofsummer，lingeredinthestreets，andenjoyed，inthefreshairandtheliquidmoonlight，amilderday。

Fromtheheightonwhichthegrovewasplaced，yousawthroughtheintervalsofthetreesthebroadandpurplesea，ripplinginthedistance，thewhitevillasofStabiaeinthecurvingshore，andthedimLectiarianhillsminglingwiththedelicioussky。PresentlythetallfigureofArbaces，inhiswaytothehouseofDiomed，enteredtheextremeendofthegrove；andatthesameinstantApaecides，alsoboundtohisappointmentwithOlinthus，crossedtheEgyptian’spath。

’Hem！Apaecides，’saidArbaces，recognizingthepriestataglance；’whenlastwemet，youweremyfoe。Ihavewishedsincethentoseeyou，forI

wouldhaveyoustillmypupilandmyfriend。’

ApaecidesstartedatthevoiceoftheEgyptian；andhaltingabruptly，gazeduponhimwithacountenancefullofcontending，bitter，andscornfulemotions。

’Villainandimpostor！’saidheatlength；’thouhastrecoveredthenfromthejawsofthegrave！Butthinknotagaintoweavearoundmethyguiltymeshes。Retiarius，Iamarmedagainstthee！’

’Hush！’saidArbaces，inaverylowvoice——buthispride，whichinthatdescendantofkingswasgreat，betrayedthewounditreceivedfromtheinsultingepithetsofthepriestinthequiverofhislipandtheflushofhistawnybrow。’Hush！morelow！thoumayestbeoverheard，andifotherearsthanminehaddrunkthosesounds——why……’

’Dostthouthreaten？——whatifthewholecityhadheardme？’

’Themanesofmyancestorswouldnothavesufferedmetoforgivethee。But，hold，andhearme。ThouartenragedthatIwouldhaveofferedviolencetothysister。Nay，peace，peace，butoneinstant，Ipraythee。Thouartright；itwasthefrenzyofpassionandofjealousy——Ihaverepentedbitterlyofmymadness。Forgiveme；I，whoneverimploredpardonoflivingman，beseechtheenowtoforgiveme。Nay，Iwillatonetheinsult——Iaskthysisterinmarriage——startnot——consider——whatistheallianceofyonholidayGreekcomparedtomine？Wealthunbounded——birththatinitsfarantiquityleavesyourGreekandRomannamesthethingsofyesterday——science——butthatthouknowest！Givemethysister，andmywholelifeshallatoneamoment’serror。’

’Egyptian，wereevenItoconsent，mysisterloathestheveryairthoubreathest：butIhavemyownwrongstoforgive——Imaypardontheethatthouhastmademeatooltothydeceits，butneverthatthouhastseducedmetobecometheabettorofthyvices——apollutedandaperjuredman。

Tremble！——evennowIpreparethehourinwhichthouandthyfalsegodsshallbeunveiled。ThylewdandCirceanlifeshallbedraggedtoday——thymummingoraclesdisclosed——thefaneoftheidolIsisshallbeabywordandascorn——thenameofArbacesamarkforthehissesofexecration！Tremble！’

TheflushontheEgyptian’sbrowwassucceededbyalividpaleness。Helookedbehind，before，around，tofeelassuredthatnonewereby；andthenhefixedhisdarkanddilatingeyeonthepriest，withsuchagazeofwrathandmenace，thatone，perhaps，lesssupportedthanApaecidesbytheferventdaringofadivinezeal，couldnothavefacedwithunflinchinglookthatloweringaspect。Asitwas，however，theyoungconvertmetitunmoved，andreturneditwithaneyeofprouddefiance。

’Apaecides，’saidtheEgyptian，inatremulousandinwardtone，’beware！

Whatisitthouwouldstmeditate？Speakestthou——reflect，pausebeforethourepliest——fromthehastyinfluencesofwrath，asyetdiviningnosettledpurpose，orfromsomefixeddesign？’

’IspeakfromtheinspirationoftheTrueGod，whoseservantInowam，’

answeredtheChristian，boldly；’andintheknowledgethatbyHisgracehumancouragehasalre