geance? Of that let me ponder well!
Oh! Ate, if thou art indeed a goddess, fill me with thy direst
Inspiration!' The Egyptian sank into an intent reverie, which did not
seem to present to him any clear or satisfactory suggestions. He
changed his position restlessly, as he revolved scheme after scheme,
which no sooner occurred than it was dismissed: several times he struck
his breast and groaned aloud, with the desire of vengeance, and a sense
of his impotence to accomplish it. While thus absorbed, a boy slave
timidly entered the chamber.

A female, evidently of rank from her dress, and that of the single slave
who attended her, waited below and sought an audience with Arbaces.

'A female!' his heart beat quick. 'Is she young?'

'Her face is concealed by her veil; but her form is slight, yet round,
as that of youth.'

'Admit her,' said the Egyptian: for a moment his vain heart dreamed the
stranger might be Ione.

The first glance of the visitor now entering the apartment sufficed to
undeceive so erring a fancy. True, she was about the same height as
Ione, and perhaps the same age--true, she was finely and richly
formed--but where was that undulating and ineffable grace which
accompanied every motion of the peerless Neapolitan--the chaste and
decorous garb, so simple even in the care of its arrangement--the
dignified yet bashful step--the majesty of womanhood and its modesty?

'Pardon me that I rise with pain,' said Arbaces, gazing on the stranger:
'I am still suffering from recent illness.'

'Do not disturb thyself, O great Egyptian!' returned Julia, seeking to
disguise the fear she already experienced beneath the ready resort of
flattery; 'and forgive an unfortunate female, who seeks consolation from
thy wisdom.'

'Draw near, fair stranger,' said Arbaces; 'and speak without
apprehension or reserve.'

Julia placed herself on a seat beside the Egyptian, and wonderingly
gazed around an apartment whose elaborate and costly luxuries shamed
even the ornate enrichment of her father's mansion; fearfully, too, she
regarded the hieroglyphical inscriptions on the walls--the faces of the
mysterious images, which at every corner gazed upon her--the tripod at a
little distance--and, above all, the grave and remarkable countenance of
Arbaces himself: a long white robe like a veil half covered his raven
locks, and flowed to his feet: his face was made even more impressive by
its present paleness; and his dark and penetra