re."

With these words she flung herself on her knees before the chest,
pressed her brow against the hard wood, and strove to pray.

Only for one thing did she entreat the gods; for strength to forget the
man who had betrayed her into losing her peace of mind.

But just as swift clouds float across the sky, distracting the labors
of the star-gazer, who is striving to observe some remote planet--as the
clatter of the street interrupts again and again some sweet song we fain
would hear, marring it with its harsh discords--so again and again the
image of the young Roman came across Klea's prayers for release from
that very thought, and at last it seemed to her that she was like a
man who strives to raise a block of stone by the exertion of his utmost
strength, and who weary at last of lifting the stone is crushed to the
earth by its weight; still she felt that, in spite of all her prayers
and efforts, the enemy she strove to keep off only came nearer, and
instead of flying from her, overmastered her soul with a grasp from
which she could not escape.

Finally she gave up the unavailing struggle, cooled her burning face
with cold water, and tightened the straps of her sandals to go to the
temple; near the god himself she hoped she might in some degree recover
the peace she could not find here.

Just at the door she met Irene, who told her that the singing-practice
was put off, on account of the procession which was fixed for four hours
after noon. And as Klea went towards the temple her sister called after
her.

"Do not stay too long though, water will be wanted again directly for
the libations."

"Then will you go alone to the work?" asked Klea; "there cannot be
very much wanted, for the temple will soon be empty on account of the
procession. A few jars-full will be enough. There is a cake of bread and
a peach in there for you; I must keep the other for little Philo."

CHAPTER IV.

Klea went quickly on towards the temple, without listening to Irene's
excuses. She paid no heed to the worshippers who filled the forecourt,
praying either with heads bent low or with uplifted arms or, if they
were of Egyptian extraction, kneeling on the smooth stone pavement, for,
even as she entered, she had already begun to turn in supplication to
the divinity.

She crossed the great hall of the sanctuary, which was open only to
the initiated and to the temple-servants, of whom she was one. Here all
around her stood a crowd