第26章

Hisbloodcurdled——hishairstoodonend。Thatawfulsolitude，whatmysteriousandpreternaturalbeingcouldpenetrate！’Who’sthere？’hecried，innewalarm；’whatspectre——whatdreadlarva，callsuponthelostCalenus？’

’Priest，’repliedtheThessalian，’unknowntoArbaces，Ihavebeen，bythepermissionofthegods，awitnesstohisperfidy。IfImyselfcanescapefromthesewalls，Imaysavethee。Butletthyvoicereachmyearthroughthisnarrowpassage，andanswerwhatIask。’

’Ah，blessedspirit，’saidthepriest，exultingly，andobeyingthesuggestionofNydia，’saveme，andIwillselltheverycupsonthealtartopaythykindness。’

’Iwantnotthygold——Iwantthysecret。DidIheararight？CanstthousavetheAthenianGlaucusfromthechargeagainsthislife？’

’Ican——Ican！——therefore（maytheFuriesblastthefoulEgyptian！）hathArbacessnaredmethus，andleftmetostarveandrot！’

’TheyaccusetheAthenianofmurder：canstthoudisprovetheaccusation？’

’Onlyfreeme，andtheproudestheadofPompeiiisnotmoresafethanhis。

Isawthedeeddone——IsawArbacesstriketheblow；Icanconvictthetruemurdererandacquittheinnocentman。ButifIperish，hediesalso。Dostthouinterestthyselfforhim？Oh，blessedstranger，inmyheartistheurnwhichcondemnsorfreeshim！’

’Andthouwiltgivefullevidenceofwhatthouknowest？’

’Will！——Oh！werehellatmyfeet——yes！RevengeonthefalseEgyptian！——revenge！——revenge！revenge！’

AsthroughhisgroundteethCalenusshriekedforththoselastwords，NydiafeltthatinhisworstpassionswashercertaintyofhisjusticetotheAthenian。Herheartbeat：wasittobeherprouddestinytopreserveheridolized——heradored？Enough，’saidshe，’thepowersthatconductedmehitherwillcarrymethroughall。Yes，IfeelthatIshalldeliverthee。

Waitinpatienceandhope。’

’Butbecautious，beprudent，sweetstranger。AttemptnottoappealtoArbaces——heismarble。Seekthepraetor——saywhatthouknowest——obtainhiswritofsearch；bringsoldiers，andsmithsofcunning——theselocksarewondrousstrong！Timeflies——Imaystarve——starve！ifyouarenotquick！

Go——go！Yetstay——itishorribletobealone！——theairislikeacharnel——andthescorpions——ha！andthepalelarvae；oh！stay，stay！’

’Nay，’saidNydia，terrifiedbytheterrorofthepriest，andanxioustoconferwithherself——’nay，forthysake，Imustdepart。Takehopeforthycompanion——farewell！’

Sosaying，sheglidedaway，andfeltwithextendedarmsalongthepillaredspaceuntilshehadgainedthefartherendofthehallandthemouthofthepassagethatledtotheupperair。Butthereshepaused；shefeltthatitwouldbemoresafetowaitawhile，untilthenightwassofarblendedwiththemorningthatthewholehousewouldbeburiedinsleep，andsothatshemightquititunobserved。she，therefore，oncemorelaidherselfdown，andcountedthewearymoments。Inhersanguineheart，joywasthepredominantemotion。Glaucuswasindeadlyperil——butsheshouldsavehim！

ChapterXV

ARBACESANDIONE。NYDIAGAINSTHEGARDEN。WILLSHEESCAPEANDSAVETHE

ATHENIAN？

WHENArbaceshadwarmedhisveinsbylargedraughtsofthatspicedandperfumedwinesovaluedbytheluxurious，hefeltmorethanusuallyelatedandexultantofheart。Thereisaprideintriumphantingenuity，notlessfelt，perhaps，thoughitsobjectbeguilty。Ourvainhumannaturehugsitselfintheconsciousnessofsuperiorcraftandself—obtainedsuccess——afterwardscomesthehorriblereactionofremorse。

ButremorsewasnotafeelingwhichArbaceswaslikelyevertoexperienceforthefateofthebaseCalenus。Hesweptfromhisremembrancethethoughtofthepriest’sagoniesandlingeringdeath：hefeltonlythatagreatdangerwaspassed，andapossiblefoesilenced；alllefttohimnowwouldbetoaccounttothepriesthoodforthedisappearanceofCalenus；andthisheimagineditwouldnotbedifficulttodo。Calenushadoftenbeenemployedbyhiminvariousreligiousmissionstotheneighboringcities。Onsomesucherrandhecouldnowassertthathehadbeensent，withofferingstotheshrinesofIsisatHerculaneumandNeapolis，placatoryofthegoddessfortherecentmurderofherpriestApaecides。WhenCalenushadexpired，hisbodymightbethrown，previoustotheEgyptian’sdeparturefromPompeii，intothedeepstreamoftheSarnus；andwhendiscovered，suspicionwouldprobablyfallupontheNazareneatheists，asanactofrevengeforthedeathofOlinthusatthearena。Afterrapidlyrunningovertheseplansforscreeninghimself，Arbacesdismissedatoncefromhismindallrecollectionofthewretchedpriest；and，animatedbythesuccesswhichhadlatelycrownedallhisschemes，hesurrenderedhisthoughtstoIone。Thelasttimehehadseenher，shehaddrivenhimfromherpresencebyareproachfulandbitterscorn，whichhisarrogantnaturewasunabletoendure。Henowfeltemboldenedoncemoretorenewthatinterview；forhispassionforherwaslikesimilarfeelingsinothermen——itmadehimrestlessforherpresence，eventhoughinthatpresencehewasexasperatedandhumbled。Fromdelicacytohergriefhelaidnotasidehisdarkandunfestiverobes，but，renewingtheperfumesonhisravenlocks，andarranginghistunicinitsmostbecomingfolds，hesoughtthechamberoftheNeapolitan。Accostingtheslaveinattendancewithout，heinquiredifIonehadyetretiredtorest；

andlearningthatshewasstillup，andunusuallyquietandcomposed，heventuredintoherpresence。Hefoundhisbeautifulwardsittingbeforeasmalltable，andleaningherfaceuponbothherhandsintheattitudeofthought。YettheexpressionofthefaceitselfpossessednotitswontedbrightandPsyche—likeexpressionofsweetintelligence；thelipswereapart——theeyevacantandunheeding——andthelongdarkhair，fallingneglectedanddisheveleduponherneck，gavebythecontrastadditionalpalenesstoacheekwhichhadalreadylosttheroundnessofitscontour。

Arbacesgazeduponheramomentereheadvanced。She，too，lifteduphereyes；andwhenshesawwhowastheintruder，shutthemwithanexpressionofpain，butdidnotstir。

’Ah！’saidArbacesinalowandearnesttoneasherespectfully，nay，humbly，advancedandseatedhimselfatalittledistancefromthetable——’Ah！thatmydeathcouldremovethyhatred，thenwouldIgladlydie！

Thouwrongestme，Ione；butIwillbearthewrongwithoutamurmur，onlyletmeseetheesometimes。Chide，reproach，scornme，ifthouwilt——Iwillteachmyselftobearit。Andisnoteventhybitteresttonesweetertomethanthemusicofthemostartfullute？Inthysilencetheworldseemstostandstill——astagnationcurdlesuptheveinsoftheearth——thereisnoearth，nolife，withoutthelightofthycountenanceandthemelodyofthyvoice。’

’Givemebackmybrotherandmybetrothed，’saidIone，inacalmandimploringtone，andafewlargetearsrolledunheededdownhercheeks。

’WouldthatIcouldrestoretheoneandsavetheother！’returnedArbaces，withapparentemotion。’Yes；tomaketheehappyIwouldrenouncemyill—fatedlove，andgladlyjointhyhandtotheAthenian’s。Perhapshewillyetcomeunscathedfromhistrial（Arbaceshadpreventedherlearningthatthetrialhadalreadycommenced）；ifso，thouartfreetojudgeorcondemnhimthyself。Andthinknot，OIone，thatIwouldfollowtheelongerwithaprayeroflove。I