d, and for this purpose
travelled down to Tyre, whence his vessel was to put to sea. In
obedience to the command of Caesar he had carried the captive Miriam to
the camp of his legion upon the Mount of Olives, and there placed her
in a tent, where an old slave-woman tended her. For a while it was not
certain whether she should live or die, for her sufferings and all that
she had seen brought her so near to death that it was hard to keep her
from passing its half-opened gates. Still, with good food and care, the
strength came back to her body. But in mind Miriam remained sick, since
during all these weeks she wandered in her talk, so that no word of
reason passed her lips.

Now, many would have wearied of her and thrust her out to take her
chance with hundreds of other poor creatures who roamed about the land
until they perished or were enslaved of Arabs. But this Roman did not
act thus; in truth, as he had promised it should be, had she been his
daughter, Miriam would not have been better tended. Whenever his duties
gave him time he would sit with her, trying to beguile her madness, and
after he himself was wounded, from morning to night they were together,
till at length the poor girl grew to love him in a crazy fashion, and
would throw her arms about his neck and call him "uncle," as in the
old days she had named the Essenes. Moreover, she learned to know the
soldiers of that legion, who became fond of her and would bring her
offerings of fruit and winter flowers, or of aught else that they
thought would please her. So when the captain received his orders to
proceed to Tyre with the treasure and take ship there, he and his guard
took Miriam with them, and journeying easily, reached the city on the
eighth day.

As it chanced their ship was not ready, so they camped on the outskirts
of Paleotyrus, and by a strange accident in that very garden which had
been the property of Benoni. This place they reached after sunset one
evening and set up their tents, that of Miriam and the old slave-woman
being placed on the seashore next to the tent of her protector. This
night she slept well, and being awakened at the dawn by the murmur of
the sea among the rocks, went to the door of the tent and looked out.
All the camp was sleeping, for here they had no enemy to fear, and a
great calm lay upon the sea and land. Presently the mist lifted and
the rays of the rising sun poured across the blue ocean and its gray,
bordering coast.