ess in her pantheon?

Around the church was a formless huddle of houses, thinning out and
straggling at the water's edge; and fires were blazing here and there,
and men were hurrying to set all in order for the night. For Thorney was
a halting place where travellers from north and south and east and west
rested a space and went their way,--a noisy, crowded place, where
centred traffic for all Britain passing to and from Londinium, the great
port, and the greater inland cities.

All of this Nicanor took in with delighted eyes. He ran down to the
ford, dodging between pack-mules and jolting two-wheeled carts, and
slipping eel-like past other pedestrians, forgetting Valerius, who
hurried after. He strode from stone to stone, splashed by straining
horses that tugged beside him, and sprang to shore upon the island. So
he won to his journey's end.

"Now to find that good man Tobias," quoth Valerius, and shook his wet
feet daintily, as a cat that has stepped by accident in a puddle. "He
will give thee food and lodging, which thou wilt share with me--so?
Knowest thou his house? Jesus, Lord! Did ever man see the like of the
nest of houses? Hey, friend!" He laid a hand on the shoulder of one
passing. "Canst tell us where dwells the worthy Tobias, worker in ivory
to the Christian Church?"

"Nay, not I," the man said, and hurried on. Over his shoulder he called
back: "Ask the good priest yonder."

Valerius doffed his brazen cap to this holy man. He, in frock of sober
gray, with head shaven to the line of the ears, and worn, pale face,
walked toward the church, his beads swinging by one finger. At
Valerius's question he looked up.

"The house next the open space on the right," he answered; raised two
fingers in benediction upon them, and went his way. Valerius and Nicanor
betook themselves to the house appointed.

It was then that Nicanor began to realize that he wished himself alone.
Valerius hung to his arm affectionately, and Nicanor was too shy to
shake him off. He did not know what to do; wherefore he did nothing. The
house next the open space was low, of stone and timber. It was evident
that Tobias was well-to-do. Valerius pounded upon the door; the heavy
shutter of a window swung open, and a man's head peered out. It was a
pink head, very bald, with flabby cheeks, a full-moon face, and pursed
lips, and the beaked Hebraic nose of his father's race.

"Who comes?" the man asked, and stared at them.

Nicanor said:

"