communed with himself, as he wound hither and thither through the
excited crowds. "Should a Christian have jewels, and I none? I, who
am faithful to the gods!"

With this the slave plunged into a company of house-breakers, and
with them boldly attacked the dwelling of a Christian. It was easily
taken, and Athribis rushed with the company into the interior.
Stools and couches were wrenched to pieces, cushions were torn,
tables were overthrown.

"Woe to the Christians of Alexandria!" fiercely muttered one man.
"We will root them from our city! They shall die!"

The crude brick of the building gave way, in places, under repeated
blows. The stucco of the outer walls fell off, and was tracked with
the crushed brick into the halls. Some of the rude company, rushing
to the flat roof of the building, discovered there, hidden by a
wind-sail, a treasure-box, as was at first supposed. On being
hastily opened, however, the box was found to hold nothing but some
rolls of writing. Contemptuously the box was kicked aside.

"Come down! Come down!" cried voices from the court. "Here are the
Christians!"

The loud clamor from below announced that the Christian family had
indeed been discovered, and would be taken to prison.

The company on the roof made haste to descend, to witness the
family's humiliating exit. As Athribis passed by the box again, he
looked more curiously at it. Surely the scrolls must be of some