g ear caught the
faint sound of her music floating down from an upper apartment. Why
was she away? why should she shun him? she whose presence alone had
rendered not only tolerable but delightful the kind of mild captivity
in which he was retained, while the state of his wounds rendered the
Greek unable, without assistance, to leave the dwelling of Hadassah.
Lycidas had none of the scruples of Zarah regarding union with one of a
different race and religion. The Greek had resolved on winning the
fair Hebrew maid as his bride; he was conscious of possessing the gift
of attractions such as few young hearts could resist, and asked fortune
only for an opportunity of exerting all his powers to the utmost to
secure the most precious prize for which mortal had ever contended.

Lycidas beguiled many tedious hours by the composition of a poem, of
singular beauty, in honour of Zarah. Most melodious was the flow of
the verse, most delicate the fragrance of the incense of praise. The
realms of nature, the kingdom of art, were ransacked for images of
beauty. But Lycidas felt disgusted with his own work before he had
completed it. He seemed to himself like one decorating with gems and
hanging rich garments on an exquisite statue, in the attempt to do it
honour only marring the perfection of its symmetry, and the grace of
its marble drapery. A few words which the Greek had heard Hadassah
read from her sacred parchment, appeared to him to include more than
all his most laboured descriptions could convoy. Lycidas had thought
of Zarah when he had listened to the expression, _the beauty of
holiness_.

"I will not stay a prisoner here, if I am to be shut out in this
stifling little den not only from the world, but from her who is more
than the world to me," thought the Greek. After months of suffering
and weakness, strength, though but slowly, was returning to the frame
of Lycidas; and when no one was near to watch him, when the door to the
west was closed, and the curtain to the east was drawn, he would
occasionally try how far that strength would enable him to go. He
would raise himself on his feet, though not without a pang from his
wounded side. Then the Greek would take a few steps, from one end of
his prison to the other, leaning for support against the wall. This
was something for a beginning; youth and love would soon enable him to
do more. But Lycidas carefully concealed from Hadassah and Anna that
he could do as muc