enter, but be shipwrecked at
the last.'

'Poor girl, thou art indeed sad!'

'Yea, sad I am, yet happy in my sadness. Oftentimes I am sad and
wretched withal; but to-night, I know not why, I am resigned--feeling as
if some great, sad joy spread its wings around me for protection. Oh
that I might ever continue so! I fear this is but a prelude to a
storm-wind which shall rush over and break me as a hurricane would kill
those lovely flowers.'

As she spoke a night-hawk passed with a shriek, and the evening star was
hid with a cloud.

'Sawest thou that dreadful bird? Heard'st thou its wail, Chios?'

'Yea. What of it? It goes to its home on the cliffs of Coressus.'

'No, no! That is not all! It spoke as it flew--shrieked sounds of gloom,
which the augurs understand; it means evil!'

'Dost thou believe the augurs, Nika?'

'I do, and the words of the priestess also.'

'Which priestess?'

'Saronia.'

'What of her?'

'Dost thou not know?'

'Thy mother told me something respecting an uttered curse.'

'What if she become High Priestess of Diana?'

'She would deal justly.'

'Thou dost not know how I fear that girl--how I fear her spell. I have
tried to drown it, but it will not die. It mounts above the crested
ocean of my pleasure, and, like the evil bird just passed, it wheels and
shrieks around, and mars the joys that youth and the world give me.'

Just then the notes of a bird singing out its soul came forth from the
myrtle-trees.

'Hearest that jubilant song? It compensates the evil omen. Light up,
sweet face, with radiant smiles! Answer it back with joyous greeting!'

'No, I cannot. This omen is for Chios. Thou wilt joy. Thy life is tinged
with richest colour--mine is shadowed with darkness. Thou art good! I
see it all when too late.'

Venusta and Varro were returning, and met Nika and her companion. The
Roman playfully remarked:

'Ionian, dost thou mean to steal my love?'

'No! If thou wert jealous, why quicken thy pace and leave us, like
wounded birds or disabled ships, to follow in thy wake? Here she is
safely brought, and as I have acted sea-pilot; thou shalt be the harbour
guide, and take her into port. Do not miss your way, as lovers often do!
Come, noble Venusta, let me be thy guide.'

CHAPTER XVII

THE PICTURE

The day arrived for the election of High Priestess of Diana, and, as was
generally expected within the Temple, Saroni