"Look at the Nile, look at the river!"

"It is the water-wagtail--Philammon's rich heiress!"

"A pretty sight!"

"Another Bride--a second Bride!"

And the gaze of the multitude was now, as one eye, fixed on Katharina.

Susannah's handsome barge had been passing up and down near the platform
for the last hour, and the guards on duty had several times desired that
it was to be kept at a distance from the scene of the "marriage;" but
in vain; and they in their little boats were not strong enough to take
active measures against the larger vessel manned by fifty rowers. It
had now steered quite close to the pontoon, and the splendid gilding
and carving, the tall deck-house supported on silver pillars, and the
crimson embroidered sails would have been a gorgeous feast for the eye,
but that the black flag floating from the mast gave it a melancholy and
gloomy aspect.

Within the cabin Katharina had made her waiting-women dress her in
white and deck her with white flowers-myrtle, roses and lotos; but she
vouchsafed no reply to their anxious enquiries.

The maid who fastened the flowers on her bosom could feel her mistress's
heart beating under her hand, and the lotos-blossoms which drooped from
her shoulder rose and fell as though they were already rocking on the
waves of the Nile. Her lips, too, never ceased moving, and her cheeks
were as pale as death.

"What is she going to do?" her attendants asked each other.

Her mother dead only yesterday, and now she chose to be present at this
ceremonial, desiring the steersman to run close to the platform and keep
near to it, where all the world could see her. But she evidently wished
to display herself to the people in all her finery and be admired, for
she presently went up on the roof of the deck-house. And she looked
lovely, as lovely as a guileless angel, as she mounted the steps
with childlike diffidence-timidly, but with wide open eyes, as though
something grand was awaiting her there--something she had long yearned
for with her whole heart.

Anubis had to help her up the last steps, for her knees gave way; but
once at the top she sent him down again to remain below with the others,
as she wished to be alone. The lad was accustomed to obey; and Katharina
now stepped on a seat close to the side of the boat, turned to Paula,
whom she was now rapidly approaching, and held out to her and the bishop
two tall lily-stems covered with splendid blossoms. At the very moment
w