dissent was heard. The little girl
in the Persian's arms had long since been breathing hard and deep.
She thought she knew whom that fiend up there had his eye upon for his
cursed heathen sacrifice; and as Mary bent down to Dame Joanna to see
whether she shared her hideous suspicion, she perceived that her eyes
and Pulcheria's were full of tears.--That was enough; she asked no
questions, for a new act in the drama claimed her attention.

Close to the money-changer's stalls a hand was lifted on high, holding
a crucifix, and the child could see it steadily progressing through the
crowd towards the Curia. Every one made way for the sacred symbol and
the bearer of it; and to Mary's fancy the throng parted on each side of
the advancing image of the Redeemer, as the waters of the Red Sea had
parted at the approach of the people of God. The murmurs in that part of
the square grew louder; the acclamations of the populace waxed fainter;
every voice seemed to fail, and presently a frail figure in bishop's
robes, small but rigidly dignified, was seen to mount the steps and
finally disappear within the portals of the Curia.

The turmoil sank like an ebbing wave to a low, enquiring mutter, and
even this died away when the diminutive personage, who looked the
taller, however, for the crucifix which he still held, came out on the
balcony, approached the parapet, and stretched forth the arm that held
the image above the heads of the foremost rows of the people.

At this Horapollo stepped up to Alexander, his eyes flashing with rage,
and demanded that the intruder should be forbidden to speak; but the
commanding eye of the new-comer rested on the dyer, who bowed his head
and allowed him to proceed. Nor did one of the senators dare to
hinder him, for every one recognized him as the zealous, learned, and
determined priest who had, since yesterday, filled the place of the
deceased bishop.

Their new pastor began, addressing his flock in as loud a voice as he
could command:

"Look on this Cross and hearken to its minister! You languish for the
blessing of Christ, and you follow after heathen abominations. The
superstitious triumph, through which I have struggled to reach you, will
be turned to howls of anguish if you stop your ears and are deaf to the
words of salvation.

"Yea, you may murmur! You will not reduce me to silence, for Truth
speaks in me and can never be dumb. I say to each of you that knows it
not: The staff of the dep