pectres must have been
Romans, in their lifetime, and frequenters of this bloody amphitheatre."

"I see a spectre, now!" said Hilda, with a little thrill of uneasiness.
"Have you watched that pilgrim, who is going round the whole circle of
shrines, on his knees, and praying with such fervency at every one? Now
that he has revolved so far in his orbit, and has the moonshine on his
face as he turns towards us, methinks I recognize him!"

"And so do I," said Kenyon. "Poor Miriam! Do you think she sees him?"

They looked round, and perceived that Miriam had risen from the steps of
the shrine and disappeared. She had shrunk back, in fact, into the deep
obscurity of an arch that opened just behind them.

Donatello, whose faithful watch was no more to be eluded than that of
a hound, had stolen after her, and became the innocent witness of a
spectacle that had its own kind of horror. Unaware of his presence,
and fancying herself wholly unseen, the beautiful Miriam began to
gesticulate extravagantly, gnashing her teeth, flinging her arms wildly
abroad, stamping with her foot.

It was as if she had stepped aside for an instant, solely to snatch the
relief of a brief fit of madness. Persons in acute trouble, or laboring
under strong excitement, with a necessity for concealing it, are prone
to relieve their nerves in this wild way; although, when practicable,
they find a more effectual solace in shrieking aloud.

Thus, as soon as she threw off her self-control, under the dusky arches
of the Coliseum, we may consider Miriam as a mad woman, concentrating
the elements of a long insanity into that instant.

"Signorina! signorina! have pity on me!" cried Donatello, approaching
her; "this is too terrible!"

"How dare you look, at me!" exclaimed Miriam, with a start; then,
whispering below her breath, "men have been struck dead for a less
offence!"

"If you desire it, or need it," said Donatello humbly, "I shall not be
loath to die."

"Donatello," said Miriam, coming close to the young man, and speaking
low, but still the almost insanity of the moment vibrating in her voice,
"if you love yourself; if you desire those earthly blessings, such as
you, of all men, were made for; if you would come to a good old age
among your olive orchards and your Tuscan vines, as your forefathers
did; if you would leave children to enjoy the same peaceful, happy,
innocent life, then flee from me. Look not behind you! Get you gone
without another