rshipped in His cradle by the shepherds and
the magi, crucified by the Pharisees, buried by the holy women, revealed
to the world by the apostles, testified to by the martyrs. And now,
having learned that thou fearest death, O woman, He has come to thy
house to prevent thee from dying. Art Thou not here present with me,
Jesus, at this moment, as Thou didst appear to the men of Galilee, in
those wonderful days when the stars, which came down with thee from
heaven, were so near the earth that the holy innocents could take them
in their hands, when they played in their mothers' arms on the terraces
of Bethlehem? Is it not true, Jesus, that Thou art here present, and
that Thou showest me in reality Thy precious body? Is not Thy face here,
and that tear which flows down Thy cheek a real tear? Yes, the angel of
eternal justice shall receive it, and it shall be the ransom of the soul
of Thais. Art Thou not here, Jesus? Jesus, Thy loving lips open. Thou
canst speak; speak, I hear Thee! And thee, Thais, happy Thais! listen
to what the Saviour Himself says to thee; it is He who speaks, not I.
He says, 'I have sought thee long, O My lost sheep! I have found thee
at last! Fly from Me no more. Let Me take thee by the hands, poor little
one, and I will bear thee on My shoulders to the heavenly fold. Come, My
Thais! come, My chosen one! come, and weep with Me!'"

And Paphnutius fell on his knees, his eyes filled with ecstasy. And then
Thais saw in his face the likeness of the living Christ.

"O vanished days of my childhood!" she sobbed. "O sweet father Ahmes!
good Saint Theodore, why did I not die in thy white mantle whilst thou
didst bear me, in the first dawn of day, yet fresh from the waters of
baptism!"

Paphnutius advanced towards her, crying--

"Thou art baptised! O divine wisdom! O Providence! O great God! I know
now the power which drew me to thee. I know what rendered thee so dear
and so beautiful in my eyes. It was the virtue of the baptismal water,
which made me leave the shadow of God, where I lived, to seek thee in
the poisoned air where men dwell. A drop--a drop, no doubt, of the water
which washed thy body--has been sprinkled in my face. Come, O my sister,
and receive from thy brother the kiss of peace."

And the monk touched with his lips the forehead of the courtesan.

Then he was silent, letting God speak, and nothing was heard in the
Grotto of Nymphs but the sobs of Thais, mingled with the rippling of the
run