fect which
had been produced upon him by its believers, sought, not unskilfully, to
undo that effect, by a tone of reasoning, half-sarcastic and
half-earnest.

'This faith,' said he, 'is but a borrowed plagiarism from one of the
many allegories invented by our priests of old. Observe,' he added,
pointing to a hieroglyphical scroll--'observe in these ancient figures
the origin of the Christian's Trinity. Here are also three gods--the
Deity, the Spirit, and the Son. Observe, that the epithet of the Son is
"Saviour"--observe, that the sign by which his human qualities are
denoted is the cross.' Note here, too, the mystic history of Osiris, how
he put on death; how he lay in the grave; and how, thus fulfilling a
solemn atonement, he rose again from the dead! In these stories we but
design to paint an allegory from the operations of nature and the
evolutions of the eternal heavens. But the allegory unknown, the types
themselves have furnished to credulous nations the materials of many
creeds. They have travelled to the vast plains of India; they have
mixed themselves up in the visionary speculations of the Greek; becoming
more and more gross and embodied, as they emerge farther from the
shadows of their antique origin, they have assumed a human and palpable
form in this novel faith; and the believers of Galilee are but the
unconscious repeaters of one of the superstitions of the Nile!'

This was the last argument which completely subdued the priest. It was
necessary to him, as to all, to believe in something; and undivided and,
at last, unreluctant, he surrendered himself to that belief which
Arbaces inculcated, and which all that was human in passion--all that
was flattering in vanity--all that was alluring in pleasure, served to
invite to, and contributed to confirm.

This conquest, thus easily made, the Egyptian could now give himself
wholly up to the pursuit of a far dearer and mightier object; and he
hailed, in his success with the brother, an omen of his triumph over the
sister.

He had seen Ione on the day following the revel we have witnessed; and
which was also the day after he had poisoned her mind against his rival.
The next day, and the next, he saw her also: and each time he laid
himself out with consummate art, partly to confirm her impression
against Glaucus, and principally to prepare her for the impressions he
desired her to receive. The proud Ione took care to conceal the anguish
she endured; an