knew not
the name of the competitor, but the revealings of hope and love assured
her that it was none other than Parrhasius. And that hope and that love
also gave her assurance that her beloved one would be the victor, and that
holy affection rather than proud ambition would be crowned by the hand of
Astrea.

The time fixed upon for the trial arrived. The thousands who had
congregated in Athens to witness the games flowed like a living torrent
through the eastern gate of the city, and halted upon a hill overlooking a
flowery plain bordering upon the Ilyssus. The sun had journeyed half his
way toward the meridian, when amid the thundering shouts of applause of
the populace, Zeuxis, with a proud and haughty step, left the pavilion of
the judges, and with a tablet in his hand, on which was painted a cluster
of grapes, proceeded to the plain. Upon a small column erected for the
purpose, near a grove, the artist placed his painting, and, withdrawing
the curtain that concealed it, returned to the pavilion. The multitude was
astonished, for they expected to feast their eyes on the production of the
great artist. Murmurs of dissatisfaction ran through the crowd, and a few
loudly denounced the conduct of Zeuxis in placing the picture beyond their
observation.

Suddenly a deafening shout, and a cry of "Zeuxis and Athens!" arose from
the throng. A whole bevy of birds from the grove had alighted upon the
column, and eagerly sought to devour the pictured fruit!

This decision of the birds of heaven was deemed sufficient evidence of the
superiority of the Athenian painter, and the people clamored loudly for
the crown of laurels and the branch of palm for Zeuxis. His competitor had
not yet been seen, either in the crowd or with the judges; and Zeuxis
gloried in the thought that his conscious inferiority had made him shrink
from the trial. The branch of palm was placed in the Athenian's hand, and
a virgin was about to place the crown of evergreen upon his head, when,
from a small tent opposite the pavilion of the judges, stepped forth the
"Ephesian boy," pale and trembling, and, with a tablet in his hand,
approached the multitude. Not a single voice greeted him, for he was
unknown to that vast concourse, and the silence weighed like lead upon his
heart. There was, however, one heart there that beat in sympathy with his
own. It was that of Cassandra. She, too, stood pale and trembling; and by
her side was Thearchus, watching with int