re by some mocking sport
of the devil himself that Paula's room should have been the scene of
this meeting and of his weakness.

An enquiry from Heliodora, as to the fate of the little white dog that
she had given him as a remembrance, recalled to his mind that luckless
emerald which was to have been his return offering or antidoron. He
evasively replied that, remembering her love of rare gems, he had sent
her a remarkably fine stone about which he had a good deal to say;
and she gave such childlike and charming expression to her delight
and gratitude, and took such skilful advantage of his pleasure in her
clinging tenderness, to convince him of the necessity for remaining at
home, that he himself began to believe in it, and gave way. The more
this conclusion suited his own wishes the easier it became to
find reasons for it: old Rufinus really did not need him; and if
he--Orion--had cause to be ashamed of his vacillation, on the other
hand he could comfort himself by reflecting that it would be unkind and
ungrateful to his good friends to leave them in the lurch just when he
could be of use to them. One pair of protecting arms more or less could
not matter to the nuns, while the captive Narses might very probably
perish before he could be rescued without his interest with the Arab
general.

It was high time to decide one way or the other.--Well, no; he ought not
to go away to-day!

That was settled!

Rufinus must at once be informed of his change of purpose. To sit down
and write at such a moment he felt was impossible: Nilus should go and
speak in his name; and he knew how gladly and zealously he would perform
such an errand.

Heliodora clapped her hands, and just as Martina knocked at the door
the pair came out into the anteroom: She, radiant with happiness, and
so graceful in her fashionable, costly, and well-chosen garb, so
royal-looking in spite of her no more than middle height, that even in
the capital she would have excited the admiration of the men and the
envy of the women: He, content, but with a thoughtful smile on his lips.

He had not yet closed the door when in the anteroom he perceived two
female figures, who had come in while Martina was knocking at her
niece's door. These were Katharina and her waiting-maid.

Anubis had been brought to these rooms after his fall from the roof,
and notwithstanding the preparations that had been made for illustrious
guests Philippus could not be persuaded to all