already!'

The old man smiled very calmly. 'No, no, no!' muttered, his voice
growing lower with each word--'Death has been more kind!'

With that his head drooped on His son's breast--his arms relaxed their
grasp. Olinthus caught him by the hand--the pulse had ceased to beat!
The last words of the father were the words of truth--Death had been
more kind!

Meanwhile Glaucus and Nydia were pacing swiftly up the perilous and
fearful streets. The Athenian had learned from his preserver that Ione
was yet in the house of Arbaces. Thither he fled, to release--to save
her! The few slaves whom the Egyptian had left at his mansion when he
had repaired in long procession to the amphitheatre, had been able to
offer no resistance to the armed band of Sallust; and when afterwards
the volcano broke forth, they had huddled together, stunned and
frightened, in the inmost recesses of the house. Even the tall
Ethiopian had forsaken his post at the door; and Glaucus (who left Nydia
without--the poor Nydia, jealous once more, even in such an hour!)
passed on through the vast hall without meeting one from whom to learn
the chamber of Ione. Even as he passed, however, the darkness that
covered the heavens increased so rapidly that it was with difficulty he
could guide his steps. The flower-wreathed columns seemed to reel and
tremble; and with every instant he heard the ashes fall cranchingly into
the roofless peristyle. He ascended to the upper rooms--breathless he
paced along, shouting out aloud the name of Ione; and at length he
heard, at the end of a gallery, a voice--her voice, in wondering reply!
To rush forward--to shatter the door--to seize Ione in his arms--to
hurry from the mansion--seemed to him the work of an instant! Scarce
had he gained the spot where Nydia was, than he heard steps advancing
towards the house, and recognized the voice of Arbaces, who had returned
to seek his wealth and Ione ere he fled from the doomed Pompeii. But so
dense was already the reeking atmosphere, that the foes saw not each
other, though so near--save that, dimly in the gloom, Glaucus caught the
moving outline of the snowy robes of the Egyptian.

They hastened onward--those three. Alas! whither? They now saw not a
step before them--the blackness became utter. They were encompassed
with doubt and horror!--and the death he had escaped seemed to Glaucus
only to have changed its form and augmented its victims.

Chapter VI

CALENUS