ow led Miriam into the room. The girl's hands were
bound with thick cords, and dry grass clung to her dress and rough black
hair. A dark fire glowed in her eyes, and the muscles of her face moved
incessantly, as if she had St. Vitus' dance. When Dorothea looked at
her she drew herself up defiantly, and looked around the room, as if to
estimate the strength of her enemies.

She then perceived Hermas; the blood left her lips, with a violent
effort she tore her slender hands out of the loops that confined them,
covering her face with them, and fled to the door. But Jethro put
himself in her way, and seized her shoulder with a strong grasp.
Miriam shrieked aloud, and the senator's daughter, who had set down the
medicines she had had in her hand, and had watched the girl's movements
with much sympathy, hastened towards her. She pushed away the old man's
hand, and said, "Do not be frightened, Miriam. Whatever you may have
done, my father can forgive you."

Her voice had a tone of sisterly affection, and the shepherdess followed
Marthana unresistingly to the table, on which the plans for the bridge
were lying, and stood there by her side.

For a minute all were silent; at last Dame Dorothea went up to Miriam,
and asked, "What did they do to you, my poor child, that you could so
forget yourself?"

Miriam could not understand what was happening to her; she had been
prepared for scoldings and blows, nay for bonds and imprisonment, and
now these gentle words and kind looks! Her defiant spirit was quelled,
her eyes met the friendly eyes of her mistress, and she said in a low
voice: "he had followed me for such a long time, and wanted to ask you
for me as his wife; but I cannot bear him--I hate him as I do all your
slaves." At these words her eyes sparkled wildly again, and with her old
fire she went on, "I wish I had only hit him with a stick instead of a
sickle; but I took what first came to hand to defend myself. When a man
touches me--I cannot bear it, it is horrible, dreadful! Yesterday I came
home later than usual with the beasts, and by the time I had milked the
goats, and was going to bed, every one in the house was asleep. Then
Anubis met me, and began chattering about love; I repelled him, but he
seized me, and held me with his hand here on my head and wanted to kiss
me; then my blood rose, I caught hold of my reaping hook, that hung by
my side, and it was not till I saw him roaring on the ground, that I saw
I had done