at Caesarea," Philadelphus continued
calmly, "saying that Costobarus was transfigured when he had my
summons. He feels that his God has been good to him to choose his
daughter to share the throne of Judea. Hence, by this time my lady
awaits me in Jerusalem."

Again Julian sighed.

"And there is none in Jerusalem who knows your face?" he asked after a
silence.

"None, except Amaryllis, and she has not seen me since I was sixteen
years old."

"And there also is an obstacle which I had forgotten to enumerate,"
Julian said argumentatively. "You have put your trust in a frail
woman."

"Amaryllis may be frail," the Maccabee admitted, "but she is
sufficiently manly to have all that you and I demand of a man to put
faith in him. She is a good companion and she will not lie."

"Impossible! She is a woman!" Julian exclaimed.

"Even then," the Maccabee returned patiently, "her own ambition
safeguards me. She can not succeed except as I am successful, and her
purposes are of another kind than mine. She helps herself when she
helps me. Therefore I am depending on her selfishness. It is usually a
dependable thing."

"What does she want?"

"The old classic times of the _heterae_ in Greece. She wants to be the
pioneer of art in Jerusalem. It is a fertile and a neglected field.
She had rather be known as the mother of refinement in Judea than as
the queen of kings over the world."

"A modest ambition!"

"A great one. How many monarchs are forgotten while Aspasia is
remembered! Who were the reigning kings during Sappho's time?"

"But go on. You repose much on her influence. Perhaps she has the will
but not the power to help you."

"Power! She is the mistress of John of Gischala and actual potentate
over Jerusalem at this hour."

"Unless Simon bar Gioras hath taken the upper hand within the last few
days. Remember the fortunes of factionists are ephemeral."

Philadelphus jingled his harness. He was sorry that he had permitted
this discussion. Now its continuance was particularly irritating, when
he had rather think of something else. He was near Jerusalem; but he
was not going forward, now, with the same eagerness, nor with the same
enthusiasm for his cause. The incident in the hills had marked the
change in him. It was not, then, with a patient tongue that he
defended his intentions, which had grown less inviting in the last
hour.

"How little your wife will enjoy her," Julian's smooth voice broke in
once more, "s