form and drooping head.

"Tear off her veil!" said the king.

The command was instantly obeyed, and, like the painful glare of
noonday to one brought suddenly out of darkness, the terrible splendour
of the scene before her flashed upon Zarah. Her exquisite beauty, as
her face now flushed crimson with shame at having to meet, without the
protection of a veil, so many gazing eyes, then turned pale from
overwhelming fear, caused an involuntary murmur of admiration to burst
from the throng.

"No Herculean task to bend this willow wand," observed Antiochus, even
his hard stern countenance relaxing into a smile. "Bring her nearer."
The guards obeyed. Zarah approached the king, but with timid,
faltering steps; how different from the firm tread with which a captive
Maccabeus would have drawn nigh to the oppressor who might slay but
never subdue him!

"There is the altar of Jupiter Olympus--that of Venus would have been
more appropriate to so fair a votary," said Antiochus, with an oath;
"but it little matters which deity receives the homage, so that it be
duly paid. Maiden, throw some grains of yon incense into the flame,
bend the knee in worship, and I promise you," the king added, with a
laugh, "a gay house and a gallant husband, pearls and goodly array, and
all else that a young maid's heart can desire."

Zarah did not stir; she did not appear to have even understood or heard
the words of the king, only her lips were moving in agonized prayer.

Antiochus repeated more sternly his command to offer the incense.

"Oh, my God, help me; let me not be tried beyond what I can bear!" was
the silent ejaculation which rose from the heart of the terror-stricken
girl, as she slightly shook her bended head as her only reply.

"What! silent still," cried Antiochus, with displeasure. "Know you
not, young mute, that we have workers of miracles here,"--he pointed to
some black African slaves who performed the office of executioners;
"these are skilful to bring sounds, and those some of the shrillest,
from lips the most closely sealed."

In terror Zarah raised her dark eyes and looked wildly around her, in
the vain hope of seeing some one, perhaps Lycidas himself, from whom
she might receive protection or pity. But there was not a single
countenance amidst the gay throng of courtiers that promised anything
but cold indifference to, if not cruel amusement in her sufferings or
her degradation; unless, perhaps, that of Pollux fo