idas as she might have done on that of a son.
Difference in nation and creed was for awhile forgotten; the two were
united by one great love and one great fear, and the Gentile could,
with the soul's deepest fervour, say "Amen" to the Hebrew's prayer.

CHAPTER XXVII.

FLIGHT.

It was with a strange sense of happiness mingling with fear that Zarah
followed her father out of the apartment which had been her place of
confinement. The blessing of Abner lay so warm at the heart of his
daughter! Zarah was no longer like one peering into depths of darkness
to catch a glimpse of some terrible object below; she had discovered
what she had sought, and by the cords of love was, as it were, drawing
up a perishing parent into security and light. It was rapture to Zarah
to reflect on what would be the joy of Hadassah on the restoration of
her son. The maiden could rejoice in past perils, and, with a courage
which surprised herself, confront those before her; so clearly could
she now perceive that her sufferings had been made a means of blessing
to those whom she loved.

With a light, noiseless step, Zarah, obeying the directions of her
newly-found parent, and keeping his form in sight, crossed the first
court which they had to traverse. It was paved, surrounded by pillars,
and open to the sky, of which the deep azure was paling into morning.
The place was perfectly silent. Zarah observed that her father glanced
up anxiously towards the building which formed the south side of the
court, where marble pillars, with wreathed columns and richly carved
capitals, supported a magnificent frieze. Antiochus himself occupied
that part of the palace. But no eye peered forth at that early hour on
the forms that glided over the marble-paved court below.

Under the shadow of the colonnade now reached, Pollux awaited his
daughter;--the first point of danger was happily passed. Pollux now
pointed to a broad, covered passage to the right, lighted by lamps, of
which some had already burnt out, and others were flickering. Zarah
saw at the further end forms of men dimly visible. The guards, weary
with the long night-watch, were apparently sleeping; for they appeared
to be half sitting, half reclining on the pavement, and perfectly still.

Zarah had now to go first, and with a throbbing heart the maiden
approached the soldiers, breathing an inaudible prayer, for she felt
the peril to be very great. The passage at the end of which t