d left the room, she exclaimed, turning to her
husband, "One may well be perplexed about these poor creatures, when one
sees how they behave to each other. I have seen it a thousand times! No
judgment is so hard as that dealt by a slave to slaves!"

Jethro and a woman now led Miriam into the room. The girl's hands were
bound with thick cords, and dry grass clung to her dress and rough black
hair. A dark fire glowed in her eyes, and the muscles of her face moved
incessantly, as if she had St. Vitus' dance. When Dorothea looked at her
she drew herself up defiantly, and looked around the room, as if to
estimate the strength of her enemies.

She then perceived Hermas; the blood left her lips, with a violent effort
she tore her slender hands out of the loops that confined them, covering
her face with them, and fled to the door. But Jethro put himself in her
way, and seized her shoulder with a strong grasp. Miriam shrieked aloud,
and the senator's daughter, who had set down the medicines she had had in
her hand, and had watched the girl's movements with much sympathy,
hastened towards her. She pushed away the old man's hand, and said, "Do
not be frightened, Miriam. Whatever you may have done, my father can
forgive you."

Her voice had a tone of sisterly affection, and the shepherdess followed
Marthana unresistingly to the table, on which the plans for the bridge
were lying, and stood there by her side.

For a minute all were silent; at last Dame Dorothea went up to Miriam,
and asked, "What did they do to you, my poor child, that you could so
forget yourself?"

Miriam could not understand what was happening to her; she had been
prepared for scoldings and blows, nay for bonds and imprisonment, and now
these gentle words and kind looks! Her defiant spirit was quelled, her
eyes met the friendly eyes of her mistress, and she said in a low voice:
"he had followed me for such a long time, and wanted to ask you for me as
his wife; but I cannot bear him--I hate him as I do all your slaves." At
these words her eyes sparkled wildly again, and with her old fire she
went on, "I wish I had only hit him with a stick instead of a sickle; but
I took what first came to hand to defend myself. When a man touches me--I
cannot bear it, it is horrible, dreadful! Yesterday I came home later
than usual with the beasts, and by the time I had milked the goats, and
was going to bed, every one in the house was asleep. Then Anubis met me,
and began c