she slept.

"Lovely, most lovely--fairer even than her mother!" murmured Pollux, as
he stood beside the couch of Zarah, upon whose slumbering form softly
fell the light from a silver lamp. "Even so beautiful and so pure lay
my Naomi, when the angel of death had in mercy called her soul away,
and bereft me of a gift of which I was so unworthy."

What bitter memories of early years passed through the renegade's soul
as he spoke! Happy days, when there was no shame on the brow, no
gnawing worm in the conscience--when he had feared the face of no man,
and had dared to lift his eyes towards heaven, and his heart to One who
dwelt there! Blessed days, never, never to come again!

"Hark! she speaks in her sleep. What says she?"

Pollux bent down his head to listen, and caught the faint murmur, "My
poor, poor father!"

The groan which burst from the apostate's lips awoke the sleeper.
Zarah started into a sitting posture, and, with a gesture of alarm,
threw back the long tresses which had partly fallen over her face.

"Fear not, poor child; I would not harm you," said Pollux, in a gentle,
soothing tone, which restored Zarah's confidence at once.

"Oh no! I will not fear you!" she cried, recognizing her protector;
"it was you--the God of Jacob requite you for it!--it was you who saved
me to-day."

"And will do so again," said Pollux, as he seated himself at Zarah's
side; "but I cannot save you in spite of yourself. You must let
yourself be guided by me."

"What would you have me do?" asked Zarah.

"Bend to the force of circumstances, humour the mighty king, give an
outward obedience to his will. I have pledged myself that you should
do so. There is nothing so dreadful, after all," continued the
courtier, forcing a smile, "in bowing the knee as others do, or in
burning a few grains of incense. It is but a little matter."

"A little matter!" repeated Zarah, opening wide her eyes in innocent
surprise; "is it a little matter for me to throw away my soul, and
break the heart of Hadassah?"

Pollux winced on hearing the name, but quickly recovering himself,
observed, "The heart of no woman would be thus broken. She would feel
a pang less keen at your falling away for a time, than that which would
wring her soul should you die by the executioner's hand."

"You have never seen Hadassah; you do not know her!" exclaimed Zarah
with spirit; "she has told me herself that she would rather lose seven
children by death th