but he perceived the glimmer of his little fire through the dust and
gloom, and he knew that he lived in this place. The whole case struck
him at once; he whispered a few significant words to one of the officers
who marched with the troops on each side of the procession; then he gave
the signal, and the procession moved on as if nothing had happened.

The old man tried with still more loud and crazy laughter to reach and
seize the heart, but the crowd kept him back; and while the last groups
passed on after the priests, he contrived to slip back as far as the door
of his hovel, though much damaged and hurt.

There he fell, and Uarda rushed out and threw herself over the old man,
who lay on the earth, scarcely recognizable in the dust and darkness.

"Crush the scoffer!"

"Tear him in pieces!"

"Burn down the foul den!"

"Throw him and the wench into the fire!" shouted the people who had been
disturbed in their devotions, with wild fury.

Two old women snatched the lanterns froth the posts, and flung them at
the unfortunate creatures, while an Ethiopian soldier seized Uarda by the
hair, and tore her away from her grandfather.

At this moment Pinem's wife appeared, and with her Pentaur. She had
found not Nebsecht, but Pentaur, who had returned to the temple after his
speech. She had told him of the demon who had fallen upon her husband,