had once held so proud a position to get
his release, by an act of the senate, proved vain. It was with a broken
heart and enfeebled health that he did his duty to his master and to his
only child. He pined in torments of melancholy, till Christianity opened
new happiness to him, and revived hope brought him back from the very
brink of despair; and, even as a slave, he found the highest of all
dignities--that, namely, which a Christian derives from his faith.

At this point Melissa interrupted her friend's narrative, exclaiming, as
she pointed across the waters:

"There! there! look! In that boat--I am sure that is Alexander! And he
is making for the town."

Andreas started up, and after convincing himself that she was indeed
right, for the youth himself had recognized his sister, who waved her
hand to him, he wrathfully exclaimed:

"Madman!" and by intelligible and commanding signs he ordered the
reckless young artist to turn his little skiff, and follow in the wake
of the ferry-boat, which was by this time nearing land.

But Alexander signaled a negative, and, after gayly blowing a kiss to
Melissa, plied his oars again with as much speed and energy as though he
were rowing for a wager. How swiftly and steadily the keel of his little
boat cut through the crisply foaming waves on which it rose and fell!
The daring youth did not lack strength, that was certain, and the couple
who watched him with so much uneasiness soon understood that he was
striving to overtake another and larger bark which was at some distance
in front of him. It was being pulled by slaves, whose stalwart arms made
the pace a good one, and under the linen awning which shaded the middle
part of it two women were seated.

The rays of the sun, whose fiery globe was now sinking behind the
palm-groves on the western shore, flooded the sky with ruby light,
and tinged the white robes of these women, the light canopy over their
heads, and the whole face of the lake, with a rosy hue; but neither
Andreas nor his companion heeded the glorious farewell of departing day.

Melissa pointed out to her friend the strangeness of her brother's
attire, and the hood which, in the evening light, seemed to be bordered
with gold. He had on, in fact, a Gallic mantle, such as that which had
gained Caesar the nickname of Caracalla, and there was in this disguise
something to reassure them; for, if Alexander pulled the hood low
enough, it would hide the greater part of h