rom foolish terrors of the
unknown--"

Just at that moment, Hecuba, her white hair dishevelled, her robe
tattered, came out of the tent in which she was kept captive. A long
sigh went up from the audience, when her woeful figure appeared. Hecuba
had been warned by a prophetic dream, and lamented her daughter's fate
and her own. Ulysses approached her, and asked her to give up Polyxena.
The old mother tore her hair, dug her nails into her cheeks, and kissed
the hands of the cruel chieftain, who, with unpitying calmness, seemed
to say--

"Be wise, Hecuba, and yield to necessity. There are amongst us many old
mothers who weep for their children, now sleeping under the pines of
Ida."

And Hecuba, formerly queen of the most flourishing city in Asia, and now
a slave, bowed her unhappy head in the dust.

Then the curtain in front of one of the tents was raised, and the virgin
Polyxena appeared. A tremor passed through all the spectators. They had
recognised Thais. Paphnutius saw again the woman he had come to seek.
With her white arm she held above her head the heavy curtain. Motionless
as a splendid statue, she stood, with a look of pride and resignation
in her violet eyes, and her resplendent beauty made a shudder of
commiseration pass through all who beheld her.

A murmur of applause uprose, and Paphnutius, his soul agitated, and
pressing both hands to his heart, sighed--

"Why, O my God, hast thou given this power to one of Thy creatures?"

Dorion was not so disturbed. He said--

"Certainly the atoms, which have momentarily met together to form this
woman, present a combination which is agreeable to the eye. But that is
but a freak of nature, and the atoms know not what they do. They will
some day separate with the same indifference as they came together.
Where are now the atoms which formed Lais or Cleopatra? I must confess
that women are sometimes beautiful. But they are liable to grievous
afflictions, and disgusting inconveniences. That is patent to all
thinking men, though the vulgar pay no attention to it. And women
inspire love, though it is absurd and ridiculous to love them."

Such were the thoughts of the philosopher and the ascetic as they
gazed on Thais. They neither of them noticed Hecuba, who turned to her
daughter, and seemed to say by her gestures--

"Try to soften the cruel Ulysses. Employ your tears, your beauty, and
your youth."

Thais--or rather Polyxena herself--let fall the curtain of the