sinful, if
thou mightest thereby bring back a lost lamb to the Good Shepherd?
Nevertheless, thou art too young for such employment--and she meant to
tempt thee doubtless.'

'I do not think it. She seemed struck by my talking Athenian Greek, and
having come from Athens.'

'And how long since she came from Athens?' said Arsenius, after a pause.
'Who knows?'

'Just after it was sacked by the barbarians,' said the little porter,
who, beginning to suspect a mystery, was peaking and peering like
an excited parrot. 'The old dame brought her hither among a cargo of
captive boys and girls.'

'The time agrees.... Can this Miriam be found?'

'A sapient and courteous question for a monk to ask! Do you not know
that Cyril has expelled all Jews four months ago?'

'True, true.... Alas!' said the old man to himself, 'how little
the rulers of this world guess their own power! They move a finger
carelessly, and forget that that finger may crush to death hundreds
whose names they never heard--and every soul of them as precious in
God's sight as Cyril's own.'

'What is the matter, my father?' asked Philammon. 'You seem deeply moved
about this woman....'

'And she is Miriam's slave?'

'Her freedwoman this four years past,' said the porter. 'The good
lady--for reasons doubtless excellent in themselves, though not
altogether patent to the philosophic mind--thought good to turn her
loose on the Alexandrian republic, to seek what she might devour.'

'God help her! And you are certain that Miriam is not in Alexandria?'

The little porter turned very red, and Philammon did so likewise; but he
remembered his promise, and kept it.

'You both know something of her, I can see. You cannot deceive an
old statesman, sir!'--turning to the little porter with a look of
authority--'poor monk though he be now. If you think fitting to tell me
what you know, I promise you that neither she nor you shall be losers by
your confidence in me. If not, I shall find means to discover.'

Both stood silent.

'Philammon, my son! and art thou too in league against--no, not against
me; against thyself, poor misguided boy?'

'Against myself?'

'Yes--I have said it. But unless you will trust me, I cannot trust you.'

'I have promised.'

'And I, sir statesman, or monk, or both, or neither, have sworn by the
immortal gods!' said the porter, looking very big.

Arsenius paused.

'There are those who hold that an oath by an idol, being nothing, is of
i