r up morning
and evening, she implored the Almighty and her patron saints to rescue
the young widow, to save her from causing the death of her own mother,
and to forgive her for having indirectly caused that of worthy old
Rufinus, who had always been so good to her, and of so many innocent
creatures by her treachery.

Thus the terrible days and nights of anguish passed by; and the captives
whom the girl's sins had brought to prison were happier than she, in
spite of the doom that threatened them.

The fate of his betrothed tortured Orion more than a hundred aching
wounds. Paula's terrible end was fast approaching, and his brain burned
at the mere thought. Now, as he was told by the warder, by the bishop,
and by Justinus, the day after to-morrow was fixed for the bridal of his
betrothed. In two days the bride, decked by base and mocking hands for an
atrocious and accursed farce, would be wreathed and wedded, not to him,
the bridegroom whom she loved, but to the Nile--the insensible,
death-dealing element. He rushed up and down his cell like a madman, and
tore his lute-strings when he tried to soothe his soul with music; but
then a calm, well-intentioned voice would come from the adjoining room,
exhorting him not to lose hope, to trust in God, not to forget his duty
and the task before him. And Orion would control himself resolutely, pull
himself together, and throw himself into his work again.

Day and night were alike to him. The senator had provided him with a lamp
and oil. When he was wearied out, he allowed himself no longer sleep on
his hard couch than human nature imperatively demanded; and as soon as he
had shaken it off he again became absorbed in maps and lists, plied his
pen, thought, sketched, calculated, and reflected. Then, if a doubt arose
in his mind or he could not trust his own memory and judgment, he knocked
at the wall, and his shrewd and experienced friend was at all times ready
to help him to the best of his knowledge and opinion. The senator went to
Arsinoe for him, to gain information as to the seaboard from the archives
preserved there; and so the work went forward, approaching its end,
strengthening and raising his sinking spirit, bringing him the pleasures
of success, and enabling him not unfrequently to forget for hours that
which otherwise might have brought the bravest to despair.

The warder, the senator or his worthy wife, Dame Joanna or Eudoxia--who
twice had the pleasure of accompanyin