of the Museum, and stopping began to dismount, while their slaves
took charge of the mules and horses.

There was no escape for Hypatia; pride forbade her to follow her own
maidenly instinct, and to recoil among the crowd behind her; and in
another moment the Amal had lifted Pelagia from her mule, and the rival
beauties of Alexandria stood, for the first time in their lives, face to
face.

'May Athene befriend you this day, Hypatia!' said Pelagia with her
sweetest smile. 'I have brought my guards to hear somewhat of your
wisdom this afternoon. I am anxious to know whether you can teach Ahem
anything more worth listening to than the foolish little songs which
Aphrodite taught me, when she raised me from the sea-foam, as she rose
herself, and named me Pelagia.'

Hypatia drew herself up to her stateliest height, and returned no
answer.

'I think my bodyguard will well hear comparison with yours. At least
they are the princes and descendants of deities. So it is but fitting
that they should enter before your provincials. Will you show them the
way?'

No answer.

'Then I must do it myself. Come, Amal!' and she swept up the steps,
followed by the Goths, who put the Alexandrians aside right and left, as
if they had been children.

'Ah! treacherous wanton that you are!' cried a young man's voice out
of the murmuring crowd. 'After having plundered us of every coin out
of which you could dupe us, here you are squandering our patrimonies on
barbarians!'

'Give us back our presents, Pelagia,' cried another, 'and you are
welcome to your herd of wild bulls!'

'And I will!' cried she, stopping suddenly; and clutching at her chains
and bracelets, she was on the point of dashing them among the astonished
crowd--

'There! take your gifts! Pelagia and her girls scorn to be debtors to
boys, while they are worshipped by men like these!'

But the Amal, who, luckily for the students, had not understood a word
of this conversation, seized her arm, asking if she were mad.

'No, no!' panted she, inarticulate with passion. 'Give me gold--every
coin you have. These wretches are twitting me with what they gave me
before--before--oh Amal, you understand me?' And she clung imploringly
to his arm.

'Oh! Heroes! each of you throw his purse among these fellows! they say
that we and our ladies are living on their spoils!' And he tossed his
purse among the crowd.

In an instant every Goth had followed his example: more than one
follow