scarcely able to pray, Zarah listened breathlessly to the
fearful sounds which were borne on the breeze--the confused noises, the
yells, the shouting--which brought vividly to her mind all the horrors
of the scene passing so near her. It was not needful for her to look
on the raging torrent of war; imagination but too readily pictured the
streams of opposing warriors, like floods from opposite mountains,
mingling and struggling together in a wild whirlpool of death; chariots
dragged by maddened horses over gory heaps of the slain--the flight of
hurtling arrows--the whirl of the deadly axe--the crash--the cry--the
rush--the retreat--the rally--the flashing weapons, now dimmed with
blood;--Zarah in thought beheld them all, and covered her eyes with
horror, as if by so doing she could shut out the sight.

For hours this agony lasted. The excitement of conflict may bear brave
hearts through a battle with little sense of horror and none of fear;
warriors, even the generous and humane, can see and do things in hot
blood, from which their souls would revolt in calmer moments; but the
woman whose earthly happiness is on the cast of the die, who cannot
shield the being dearest to her upon earth from the crushing blow or
the deadly thrust, to her the day of battle is one of unmixed anguish;
suspense is agony, and yet she dreads to exchange that suspense for
knowledge which might bring agony more intolerable still.

The maiden found some slight alleviation of her distress in the
occupation in which she and her handmaid engaged, that of making such
preparations as circumstances permitted for the comfort of the wounded,
though they knew too well that if the Syrians should win the day, there
would be no wounded Hebrews to tend--the conqueror's sword would too
thoroughly do its hideous work.

Judas Maccabeus had displayed his accustomed judgment in choosing to be
himself the assailant, instead of awaiting the assault of the myrmidons
of Syria. His sudden, unexpected attack threw the enemy into some
confusion, and gave an advantage in the commencement of the battle to
the slender forces of the Hebrew prince. His men rushed to the
conflict as those assured of success. Had they not measured swords
with the warriors of Apollonius and Seron, and more recently those of
Bacchides? Had they not scattered the thousands of Nicanor, and made
Giorgias seek safety in ignominious retreat? Was not Maccabeus their
leader, and saw they not t