this Magdalen want with the young
Nazarene?'

'No doubt she comes, like many of the same sort whom you see here, less
rich than her, but not less degraded, to hear the words of Jesus; those
gentle and tender words that penetrate the heart by the mercy they
breathe, softens it, and makes it bring forth repentance.'

'Here!' said several voices: 'room for Magdalen, the handsomest amongst
the handsomest!'

'The queen of us all!' said Oliba's companion to her with a lofty air:
'for indeed Magdalen is the queen of us all!'

'A sad royalty!' replied Oliba, sighing: 'her shame is seen from the
highest to the most distant!'

'But she is so rich! so rich!'

'To sell oneself for a penny, or a mountain of gold,' replied the poor
courtezan, 'where is the difference? the ignominy is the same!'

'Oliba, you are getting completely mad!'

The young woman made no reply, but sighed. Genevieve, mounted, like her
mistress, on a stool, raised herself on the points of her toes, and soon
saw the celebrated courtezan enter the tavern.

Magdalen was possessed of a rare beauty; the chin-piece of her turban of
white silk edged with gold, encased her pale and swarthy face of an
admirable perfection; her long eye-brows, as black as ebony, like the
bands of her hair, appeared as a dark line along the brow hitherto
superb and brazen; but now, mournful and depressed, for she seemed
completely heart-broken. The ends of her eye-lashes, stained with a blue
color according to the oriental fashion, gave to her eyes, drowned in
tears, something strange, and seemed to double the grandeur of her orbs,
sparkling through her tears like two diamonds.

A long robe of Tyrian silk of shaded blue, edged with gold and
embroidered with pearls, fell in a long train behind her, and round her
waist she had a flowing scarf of cloth of gold covered with stones of
many colors, like those of the double necklaces, ear-rings and
bracelets, with which her bare and well-shaped arms were covered; and
thus attired, holding in her hands an urn of pink alabaster from
Chaldea, more precious than gold, she advanced quite slowly towards the
young man of Nazareth.

'What a change in Magdalen's traits,' said Jane to Aurelia. 'I have seen
her pass a hundred times in her litter, carried by her attendants,
dressed in rich liveries; the triumph of beauty, and the intoxication
and joy of youth could be read in her countenance. And she is timidly
approaching Jesus, humble, oppres