ock."

And then, with an imperious gesture of command, Antiochus dismissed the
assembly.

CHAPTER XXII.

A BREATHING SPACE.

The captive was not taken back to prison-chamber which she had occupied
during the preceding night, but to an apartment in the palace--one
belonging to the suite appropriated to Pollux. She was confined within
a room so luxurious, that, save from the door being fastened to prevent
her exit, and there being no possibility of escaping through the
latticed window, Zarah could scarcely have realized that she was a
prisoner still. The floor of the apartment was inlaid with costly
marbles; on the walls were depicted scenes taken from mythological
subjects; luxurious divans invited to repose; and vases, wreathed with
brilliant flowers and filled with rose-water, were surrounded by others
loaded with a profusion of fruit and a variety of dainties. The young
Hebrew maiden, accustomed to the simplicity of Hadassah's humble home,
gazed around in wonder.

When left alone by the guards, the first impulse of the captive was to
kneel and return thanks to her heavenly Protector for the merciful
respite granted to her. Zarah was young, and hope was strong within
her. What might not happen in the space of twenty-four hours to effect
complete deliverance! She then laved her face, hands, and arms, and
the tresses of her long hair, in the cool, fragrant water, and found
great refreshment from her ablutions. It was then with a sense of
enjoyment, at which she herself was surprised, that Zarah partook of
the fruit before her. Nature had been almost exhausted, not only by
the terrible excitement and alarm which the maiden had had to endure,
but by sleeplessness and abstinence from food. Coarse bread had indeed
been brought to her in her prison, but had remained untouched, not only
because the poor captive had had no appetite for eating, but because
the bread, being leavened, was not at that season lawful food for a
Jewess. Zarah now carefully abstained from any part of the collation
which she deemed might contain anything which Moses had judged unclean,
and chiefly partook of the fruits, which were pure, as God Himself had
made them, and which were, of all kinds of food, that most refreshing
to her parched and burning lips.

"How good is my Lord, to spread a table for me thus in this wilderness
of trial!" murmured Zarah; and she felt much as the Israelites must
have felt when they first saw the gl