ch
any one else would not have noticed; but she not only perceived it, but
knew with perfect certainty with whom it originated. She could never fail
to recognize Hermas' foot-step, and it had an irresistible effect upon
her. She raised her head quickly from her hand, and her elbow from the
knee on which it was resting, sprang to her feet, and went out into the
yard. She was hidden by the mill-stones, but she could see Hermas lost in
admiration. She followed the direction of his eyes and saw the same image
which had fascinated his gaze--Sirona's lovely form, flooded with
sunlight. She looked as if formed out of snow, and roses, and gold, like
the angel at the sepulchre in the new picture in the church. Yes, just
like the angel, and the thought flew through her mind how brown and black
she was herself, and that he had called her a she-devil. A sense of deep
pain came over her, she felt as though paralyzed in body and soul; but
soon she shook off the spell, and her heart began to beat violently; she
had to bite her lip hard with her white teeth to keep herself from crying
out with rage and anguish.

How she wished that she could swing herself up to the window on which
Hermas' gaze was fixed, and clutch Sirona's golden hair and tear her down
to the ground, and suck the very blood from her red lips like a vampire,
till she lay at her feet as pale as the corpse of a man dead of thirst in
the desert. Then she saw the light mantle slip from Sirona's shoulders,
and observed Hermas start and press his hand to his heart.

Then another impulse seized her. It was to call to her and warn her of
his presence; for even women who hate each other hold out the hand of
fellowship in the spirit, when the sanctity of woman's modesty is
threatened with danger. She blushed for Sirona, and had actually opened
her lips to call, when the greyhound barked and the dialogue began. Not a
word escaped her sharp ears, and when he told Sirona that she was as good
as she was beautiful she felt seized with giddiness; then the topmost
stone, by which she had tried to steady herself, lost its balance, its
fall interrupted their conversation, and Miriam returned to the sick man.

Now she was standing at the door, waiting for Hermas. Long, long did she
wait; at last he appeared with Dorothea, and she could see that he
glanced up again at Sirona; but a spiteful smile passed over her lips,
for the window was empty and the fair form that he had hoped to see aga