take it?'

'To Pelagia?' gasped the youth. 'In the theatre? Publicly? Venus
Anadyomene?'

'Yes, fool! Were you, too, drunk last night after all?'

'She is my sister!'

'Well, and what of that? Not that I believe you, you villain! So!' said
Orestes, who comprehended the matter in an instant. 'Apparitors!'

The door opened, and the guard appeared.

'Here is a good boy who is inclined to make a fool of himself. Keep him
out of harm's way for a few days. But don't hurt him; for, after all, he
saved my life yesterday, when you scoundrels ran away.'

And, without further ado, the hapless youth was collared, and led down
a vaulted passage into the guard-room, amid the jeers of the guard, who
seemed only to owe him a grudge for his yesterday's prowess, and showed
great alacrity in fitting him with a heavy set of irons; which done, he
was thrust head foremost into a cell of the prison, locked in and left
to his meditations.

CHAPTER XX: SHE STOOPS TO CONQUER

'But, fairest Hypatia, conceive yourself struck in the face by a great
stone, several hundred howling wretches leaping up at you like wild
beasts--two minutes more, and you are torn limb from limb. What would
even you do in such a case?'

'Let them tear me limb from limb, and die as I have lived.'

'Ah, but--When it came to fact, and death was staring you in the face?'

'And why should man fear death?'

'Ahem! No, not death, of course; but the act of dying. That may be,
surely, under such circumstances, to say the least, disagreeable. If our
ideal, Julian the Great, found a little dissimulation necessary, and was
even a better Christian than I have ever pretended to be, till he found
himself able to throw off the mask, why should not I? Consider me as a
lower being than yourself,--one of the herd, if you will; but a penitent
member thereof, who comes to make the fullest possible reparation, by
doing any desperate deed on which you may choose to put him, and
prove myself as able and willing, if once I have the power, as Julian
himself.'

Such was the conversation which passed between Hypatia and Orestes half
an hour after Philammon had taken possession of his new abode.

Hypatia looked at the Prefect with calm penetration, not unmixed with
scorn and fear.

'And pray what has produced this sudden change in your Excellency's
earnestness? For four months your promises have been lying fallow.' She
did not confess how glad she would have been at heart to