ked the young man, as he tossed his riding-hat to a
slave, and he stood hesitating.

He was too much a son of his time, and the Church and her ministers had
exercised too marked influence on his education, for the great prelate's
visit to be regarded otherwise than as a high honor. At the same time
he could not forget the insult done to his father's vanes, nor the Arab
general's warning to be on his guard against Benjamin's enmity; and
perhaps, he said to himself, it might be better to avoid a meeting with
the powerful priest than to expose himself to the danger of losing his
self-control and finding fresh food for his wrath.

However, he had in fact no choice, for the patriarch just now came out
of the fountain-hall into the viridarium. The old man's tall figure was
not bent, his snowy hair flowed in abundance round his proud head, and a
white beard fell in soft waves far down his breast. His fine eyes rested
on the young man with a keen glance, and though he had last seen Orion
as a boy he recognized him at once as the master of the house. While
Orion bowed low before him, the patriarch, in his deep, rich voice,
addressed him with cheerful dignity.

"All hail, son of my never-to-be-forgotten friend! The child I remember,
has, I see, grown to a fine man. I have devoted a short time to the
mother, and now I must say what is needful to the son."

"In my father's study," Orion said to the steward; and he led the way
with the ceremonious politeness of a chamberlain of the imperial court.

The patriarch, as he followed him, signed to his escort to remain
behind, and as soon as the door was closed upon them, he went up to
Orion and exclaimed: "Again I greet you! This, then, is the descendant
of the great Menas, the son of Mukaukas George, the adored ruler of my
flock at Memphis, who held the first place among the gilded youth of
Constantinople in their gay whirl! A strange achievement for an Egyptian
and a Christian! But first of all, child, first give me your hand!" He
held out his right hand and Orion accepted it, but not without reserve,
for he had suspected a scornful ring in the patriarch's address, and he
could not help asking himself whether this man honestly meant so well
by him, that he could address him thus paternally as "child" in all
sincerity of heart? To refuse his hand was, however, impossible; still,
he found courage to reply:

"I can but obey your desire, holy Father; but, at the same time, I do
not k