But in those few moments the scene in the building changed once more.
The madman, while he still wavered between relapsing into the raving
fit and continuing under the influence of the tranquil mood in which he
had been prematurely disturbed, caught sight of Goisvintha when her
approach suddenly shadowed the entrance to the temple. Her presence,
momentary though it was, was for him the presence of a figure that had
not appeared before; that had stood in a strange position between the
shade within and the faint light without; it was a new object,
presented to his eyes while they were straining to recover such
imperfect faculties of observation as had been their wont, and it
ascendancy over him was instantaneous and all-powerful.

He started, bewildered like a deep sleeper suddenly awoke; violent
shudderings ran for a moment over his frame; then it strengthened again
with its former unnatural strength; the demon raged within him in
renewed fury as he tore his robe which Numerian held as he lay at his
feet from the feeble grasp that confined it, and, striding up to the
pile of idols, stretched out his hands in solemn deprecation. 'The
high priest has slept before the altar of the gods!' he cried loudly,
'but they have been patient with their well-beloved; their thunder has
not struck him for his crime! Now the servant returns to his
service--the rites of Serapis begin!'

Numerian still remained prostrate, spirit-broken; he slowly clasped his
hands together on the floor, and his voice was now to be heard, still
supplicating in low and stifled accents, as if in unceasing prayer lay
his last hope of preserving his own reason. 'God! Thou art the God of
Mercy; be merciful to him!' he murmured. 'Thou acceptest of
repentance; grant repentance to him! If at any time I have served Thee
without blame, let the service be counted to him; let the vials of Thy
wrath be poured out on me!'

'Hark! the trumpet blows for the sacrifice!' interrupted the raving
voice of the Pagan, as he turned from the altar, and extended his arms
in frenzied inspiration. 'The roar of music and the voice of
exultation soar upward from the highest mountain-tops! The incense
smokes, and in and out, and round and round, the dancers whirl about
the pillars of the temple! The ox for the sacrifice is without spot;
his horns are gilt; the crown and fillet adorn his head. The priest
stands before him naked from the waist upwards; he heaves the libation