he had prided
himself, as regarded his plan of educating Gnulemah, had amounted to
little more than imbecile inaction.

As Manetho prostrated himself, and even touched the hem of Gnulemah's
robe to his forehead, Balder looked to see her recoil; but she
maintained a composure which argued her not unused to such homage. So
much evil (albeit unintentionally) had the Egyptian done her, that she
could suffer, while she slighted, his worship. Yet, in the height of
her proud superiority to him, she turned with sweet submission to her
lover, and, obedient to his whisper, gathered up her purple mantle and
passed through the green conservatory to her own door, through which,
with a backward parting glance at her master, she superbly vanished.
Balder had disliked the scene throughout, yet his love was greater
than before. An awe of the woman whose innate force could command a
nature like this priest's seemed to give his passion for her a more
vigorous fibre.

The two men were now left alone to come to what understanding they
might. Manetho rose to his feet, obliquely eying Helwyse, and spoke
with the manner and tone of true humility,--

"You have seen me in my weakness. I am but a broken man, Balder
Helwyse."

"We had better speak the plain truth to each other," said Balder,
after a pause. "You can have no cause to be friendly to me. I cannot
extenuate what I did. I think I meant to kill you."

"You were not to blame!" exclaimed the other, vehemently, holding up
his hands. "You had to deal with a madman!"

"It is a strange train of chances has brought us together again; it
ought to be for some good end. I came here unawares, and, but for this
ring, should not have known that we had met before."

"I lie under your suspicion on more accounts than one," observed
Manetho, glancing in the other's face. "I have assumed your uncle's
name, and the disposal of his property; and I have concealed his
death; but you shall be satisfied on all points. The child, too,
Gnulemah!--I have kept her from sight and knowledge of the world, but
not without reason and purpose, as you shall hear. Ah! I am but a
poor broken man, liable, as you have seen, to fits of madness and
extravagance. You shall hear everything. And listen,--as a witness
that I shall speak truth, I will say my say before the face of Hiero
Glyphic yonder, and upon the steps of his altar! See, I desire neither
to palliate nor falsify. Shall we go in?"

With some repugnance H