han the staff she leans
on! Of course, the maid did what any woman in her senses would
do,--worshipped whatever the king bade her worship, the Muses, the
Graces, or the Furies. Converts are easily made at her age, with all
kinds of torments on the one side, all kinds of delights on the other."

Hadassah turned slowly away from the spot. Could the soldier's words
be true? had Zarah forsworn her faith as her father had done, though
under circumstances so different?

"Oh! God will forgive her--He will forgive my poor lost child, if she
have failed under such an awful trial!" murmured the Hebrew lady,
pressing her hand to her side, as if to keep her heart from bursting.
But Hadassah was by no means sure that Zarah's resolution had indeed
given way. She determined at all events and at any hazard to see the
maiden; and, collecting all her strength, proceded at once to the
palace. The unhappy lady ought have guessed beforehand that it would
be a hopeless attempt to gain admittance into that magnificent abode of
luxury, cruelty, and crime. The guards only mocked at her prayer to be
permitted to see the captive Hebrew maiden.

"Then I must speak to the king himself!" cried Hadassah. "I will watch
till he leave the gate."

"The king goes not forth to-day," said a Syrian noble who was quitting
the palace, and who was struck by the earnestness of the aged widow,
and, the anguish depicted on her noble features. "But Antiochus rides
forth to-morrow, soon after sunrise."

"Then," thought Hadassah, "daybreak shall find me here. I will cling
to the stirrup of Antiochus. I will constrain the tyrant to listen.
God will inspire my lips with eloquence. He will touch the heart of
the king. I may yet persuade the tyrant to accept one life instead of
another. Oh! my Zarah, child of my heart, it were bliss to suffer for
you!"

Clinging to this last forlorn hope, Hadassah allowed herself at last to
be persuaded by Anna to seek the residence of a Hebrew family, with
whom she was slightly acquainted; there to partake of a little food,
lie down and attempt to sleep. Snatches of slumber came at last to the
widow, slumber filled with dreams. Hadassah thought that she saw her
son, her Abner, bright, joyous, and happy as he had been in his youth.
Then the scene changed to own home. Hadassah fancied that Zarah had
unexpectedly returned; in delight she clasped the rescued maid to her
heart, and then, to her astonishment, found tha