the lofty
pretensions of her mistress, and returned with old Miriam, keeping,
however, prudently behind her, in order to test as little as possible
the power of her own amulet by avoiding the basilisk eye which had
terrified her.

Miriam came in, and advancing to the proud beauty, who remained seated,
made an obeisance down to the very floor, without, however, taking her
eyes for an instant off Hypatia's face.

Her countenance was haggard and bony, with broad sharp-cut lips, stamped
with a strangely mingled expression of strength and sensuality. Put the
feature about her which instantly fixed Hypatia's attention, and from
which she could not in spite of herself withdraw it, was the dry,
glittering, coal-black eye which glared out from underneath the gray
fringe of her swarthy brows, between black locks covered with gold
coins. Hypatia could look at nothing but those eyes; and she reddened,
and grew all but unphilosophically angry, as she saw that the old woman
intended her to look at them, and feel the strange power which she
evidently wished them to exercise.

After a moment's silence, Miriam drew a letter from her bosom, and with
a second low obeisance presented it.

'From whom is this?'

'Perhaps the letter itself will tell the beautiful lady, the fortunate
lady, the discerning lady,' answered she, in a fawning, wheedling tone.
'How should a poor old Jewess know great folks' secrets?'

'Great folks?--'

Hypatia looked at the seal which fixed a silk cord round the letter. It
was Orestes'; and so was the handwriting.... Strange that he should have
chosen such a messenger! What message could it be which required such
secrecy?

She clapped her hands for the maid. 'Let this woman wait in the
ante-room.' Miriam glided out backwards, bowing as she went. As Hypatia
looked up over the letter to see whether she was alone, she caught
a last glance of that eye still fixed upon her, and an expression in
Miriam's face which made her, she knew not why, shudder and turn chill.

'Foolish that I am! What can that witch be to me? But now for the
letter.'

'To the most noble and most beautiful, the mistress of philosophy,
beloved of Athene, her pupil and slave sends greeting.'....

'My slave! and no name mentioned!'

'There are those who consider that the favourite hen of Honorius, which
bears the name of the Imperial City, would thrive better under a new
feeder; and the Count of Africa has been despatched by himself and