gitives; and when, with beaming looks, he went on
to praise Orion's foresight and keen decisiveness, Paula flew to him
proudly and gladly, holding out both her hands. As for the young man, he
felt as though wings were growing from his shoulders, and this fateful
evening was one of the happiest of his life.

The superior had agreed to his scheme, and in some details had improved
upon it. Two lay sisters and one nun should remain behind. The two
former were to attend to the sick in the infirmary, to ring the bell and
chant the services as usual, that the escape of the rest might not be
suspected; and Joanna, Paula, and Pulcheria, were to assist them.

When, at a late hour, Orion was about to leave, Rufinus asked whether,
under these circumstances, it would be well to bring Mary to his
house; he himself doubted it. Joanna was of his opinion; Paula, on the
contrary, said that she believed it would be better to let the child run
the risk of a remote danger--hardly to be called danger, than to leave
her to pine away body and soul in her old home. Pulcheria supported her,
but the two girls were forced to yield to the decision of the elders.

CHAPTER V.

After that interview with Orion, Philippus hurried off through the
town, paying so little heed to the people he met and to the processions
besieging Heaven with loud psalms to let the Nile at last begin to rise,
that he ran up against more than one passer-by, and had many a word of
abuse shouted after him. He went into two or three houses, and neither
his patients nor their attendants could recognize, in this abrupt and
hasty visitor, the physician and friend who was usually so sympathetic
to the sufferer: who would speak with a cordiality that brought new life
to his heart, who would toss the children in the air, kiss one and nod
merrily to another. To-day their elders even felt shy and anxious in
his presence. For the first time he found the duty he loved a wearisome
burthen; the sick man was a tormenting spirit in league with the world
against his peace of mind. What possessed him, that he should feel such
love of his fellow-men as to deprive himself of all comfort in life and
of his night's rest for their sake? Rufinus was right. In these times
each man lived solely to spite his neighbor, and he who could be most
brazenly selfish, looking neither to the right hand nor to the left, was
the most certain to get on in life. Fool that he was to let other folks'
woes des