nd plans which he had desired Nilus to send in from
his room for his study of the task set him by Amru; as his eye fell upon
them, he struck his fist against the wall, started up, and ran like a
madman up and down the room which had been sacred to her peaceful life.

There stood her lute; he had freshly strung and tuned it. To calm himself
he drew it to him, took up the plectrum, and began to play. But it was a
poor instrument; she had been content with this wretched thing! He flung
it on the couch and took up his own, the gift of Heliodora. How sweetly,
how delightfully she had been wont to play it! Even now its strings gave
forth a glorious tone; by degrees he began to rejoice in his own playing,
and music soothed his excitement, as it had often done before. It was
grand and touching, though he several times struck the strings so
violently that their loud clanging and sighing and throbbing answered
each other like the wild wailing of a soul in torment.

Under this vehement usage the bridge of the lute suddenly snapped off
with a dull report; and at the same instant his secretary, who had been
with him at Constantinople, threw open the door in glad excitement, and
began, even before he had crossed the threshold:

"Only think, my lord! Here is a messenger come from the inn kept by
Sostratus with this tablet for you.--It is open, so I read it. Only
think! it is hardly credible! The Senator Justinus is here with his wife,
the noble Martina--here in Memphis, and they beg you to visit them at
once to speak of matters of importance. They came last night, the
messenger tells me, and now--what joy! Think of all the hospitality you
enjoyed in their house. Can we leave them in an inn? So long as
hospitality endures, it would be a crime!"

"Impossible, quite impossible!" cried Orion, who had cast aside the lute,
and was now reading the letter himself. "It is true indeed! his own
handwriting. And that immovable pair are in Egypt--in Memphis! By
Zeus!"--for this was still the favorite oath of the golden youth of
Alexandria and Constantinople, even in these Christian times.--"By Zeus,
I ought to receive them here like princes!--Wait!--of course you must
tell the messenger that I am coming at once--have the four new Pannonians
harnessed to the silver-plated chariot. I must go to my mother; but there
is time enough for that. Desire Sebek to have the guest-chambers prepared
for distinguished guests--those sick people are out of them,