. He spoke too gently and softly not to
mean something devilish. I watched all the morning for an opportunity of
escape, and here I am!--Will you take my message, or see her--'

'What?'

'God only knows, and the devil whom they worship instead of God.'

Raphael hurried back into the house--'Could he see Hypatia?' She had
shut herself up in her private room, strictly commanding that no visitor
should be admitted.... 'Where was Theon, then?' He had gone out by the
canal gate half an hour before, with a bundle of mathematical papers
under his arm, no one knew whither.... 'Imbecile old idiot!' and he
hastily wrote on his tablet-- 'Do not despise the young monk's warning.
I believe him to speak the truth. As you love yourself and your father,
Hypatia, stir not out to-day.'

He bribed a maid to take the message upstairs; and passed his time in
the hall in warning the servants. But they would not believe him. It was
true the shops were shut in some quarters, and the Museum gardens empty;
people were a little frightened after yesterday. But Cyril, they had
heard for certain, had threatened excommunication only last night to any
Christian who broke the peace; and there had not been a monk to be seen
in the streets the whole morning. And as for any harm happening to their
mistress--impossible! 'The very wild beasts would not tear her,' said
the huge negro porter, 'if she was thrown into the amphitheatre.'

--Whereat a maid boxed his ears for talking of such a thing; and then,
by way of mending it, declared that she knew for certain that her
mistress could turn aside the lightning, and call legions of spirits to
fight for her with a nod.... What was to be done with such idolaters?
And yet who could help liking them the better for it?

At last the answer came down, in the old graceful, studied,
self-conscious handwriting.

'It is a strange way of persuading me to your new faith, to bid me
beware, on the very first day of your preaching, of the wickedness of
those who believe it. I thank you: but your affection for me makes you
timorous. I dread nothing. They will not dare. Did they dare now, they
would have dared long ago. As for that youth--to obey or to believe his
word, even to seem aware of his existence, were shame to me henceforth.
Because he is insolent enough to warn me therefore I will go. Fear not
for me. You would not wish me, for the first time in my life, to fear
for myself. I must follow my destiny. I must spea