'

'Kill the body,' said the people, 'lest it darken the Temple!'

The priests closed around, ruthlessly dragging her from before the altar
to the Temple cells, and thrust her in, dethroned, disgraced.

The priests wailed:

'Woe! Woe! Woe! O goddess! O goddess! O mighty goddess! The omens are
grievous: the High Priest is dead; thy priestess denies thee. Thine
altar is lonely. The Temple polluted. Arise! Arise! Scatter thy foes!
Great goddess, arise! Deliver us! Forsake us not! Forsake us not!'

CHAPTER XLII

VARRO

'Thou hast heard,' said the Proconsul, 'that Saronia has abjured her
faith in the great Diana, and is a prisoner within the Temple where once
she reigned supreme, second only to the goddess?'

'Yes,' replied Chios, 'I have, and my heart is nearly dead. Can anything
be done to save her?'

'I think not. The Roman State cannot interfere in such matters. The
faiths of the empire are manifold. Beside, Nero has enough on his hands,
and knows better than to stir up the passions of the Ionian people for
the sake of a woman who in no way interferes with his caprice. No, my
dear fellow; I am afraid all will be settled by the Temple custom, and
Saronia must accept her fate.'

'But, Varro, Proconsul, thou hast power here second only to the Emperor,
and perhaps greater. The State allows great latitude. Where is Lucius?'

'At sea.'

'Where?'

'I cannot tell thee, Chios.'

'Where was he when last thou heardst?'

'At Rome, receiving orders from Nero.'

'Varro, thou canst tell me of his whereabouts, if thou carest.'

'I can say only that ere long he will arrive at Ephesus, but he cannot
help thee, noble Chios. A weightier charge than thou knowest awaits the
priestess.'

'What is it?'

'Murder!'

'Murder! Of whom?'

'The High Priest.'

''Tis a lie!' spoke out the Greek.

'Perhaps so,' replied Varro; 'but circumstances are against her. After
her arrest, in her room was found a pair of sandals, stained underneath
with human blood.'

'Merciful God!' exclaimed Chios.

'Listen further. It is well known that on the fateful night she went to
the Sacred Grove, close to the river Cayster, where the priest was
found. Do not be jealous, good fellow. The prying eyes of an attendant
priestess reports that a man supposed to be her lover was seen in the
company of this beautiful woman, even in the company of Saronia, the
haughty Saronia, prieste