leech and the deaconess at once set to work to heat blocks of wood to
warm his feet; the sick man looked up gratefully and went on: "At church,
in the House of God, I have often found it deliciously cool and to-day it
is the Church that eases my death-bed by her pardon. Do you, my Son, be
faithful to her. No member of our house should ever be an apostate. As to
the new faith--it is overspreading land after land with incredible power;
ambition and covetousness are driving thousands into its fold. But we--we
are faithful to Christ Jesus, we are no traitors. If I, I the Mukaukas,
had consented to go over to the Khaliff I might have been a prince in
purple, and have governed my own country in his name. How many have
deserted to the Moslems! And the temptation will come to you, too, and
their faith offers much that is attractive to the crowd. They imagine a
Paradise full of unspeakably alluring joys--but we, my son--we shall meet
again in our own, shall we not?"

"Yes, yes, Father!" cried the young man. "I will remain a Christian,
staunch and true. . ."

"That is right," interrupted the sick man. He was determined to forget
that his son wished to marry a Melchite and went on quickly:
"Paula. . . . But no more of that. Remain faithful to your own
creed--otherwise. . . . However, child, seek your own road; you are--but
you will walk in the right way, and it is because I know that, know it
surely, that I can die so calmly.

"I have provided abundantly for your temporal welfare. I have been a good
husband, a faithful father, have I not, O Saviour?--Have I not, Neforis?
And that which is my best and surest comfort is that for many long years
I have administered justice in this land, and never, never once--and Thou
my Refuge and Comforter art my witness!--never once consciously or
willingly have I been an unrighteous judge. Before me the poor were equal
with the rich, the powerful with the helpless widow. Who would have
dared. . . ." Here he broke off; his eyes, wandering feebly round the
room, fell on Mary who had sunk on her knees, opposite to Orion on the
other side of the bed. The dying man, who had thus summed up the outcome
of a long and busy life, ceased his reflections, and when the child saw
that he was vainly trying to turn his powerless head towards her, she
threw her arms round him with passionate grief; unscared by his fixed
gaze or the altered hue of his beloved face, she kissed his lips and
cheeks, exclaiming: