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Sisters, the — Volume 5 by Georg Ebers
page 33 of 64 (51%)

The Israelite waved his hand to his travelling companion, and proceeded
at first along the shore under the shade of an alley of sycamores with
their broad unsymmetrical heads of foliage, but presently he turned aside
into a narrow street which led from the quay to the city. He stood still
for a moment opposite the entrance of the corner house, one side of which
lay parallel to the stream while the other--exhibiting the front door,
and a small oil-shop--faced the street; his attention had been attracted
to it by a strange scene; but he had still much to attend to before
starting on his journey, and he soon hurried on again without noticing a
tall man who came towards him, wearing a travelling-hat and a cloak such
as was usually adapted only for making journeys.

The house at which the Jew had gazed so fixedly was that of Apollodorus,
the sculptor, and the man who was so strangely dressed for a walk through
the city at this hour of the day was the Roman, Publius Scipio. He
seemed to be still more attracted by what was going on in the little
stall by the sculptor's front door, than even the Israelite had been; he
leaned against the fence of the garden opposite the shop, and stood for
some time gazing and shaking his head at the strange things that were to
be seen within.

A wooden counter supported by the wall of the house-which was used by
customers to lay their money on and which generally held a few oil-jars-
projected a little way into the street like a window-board, and on this
singular couch sat a distinguished looking youth in a light blue,
sleeveless chiton, turning his back on the stall itself, which was not
much bigger than a good sized travelling-chariot. By his side lay a
"Himation"--[A long square cloak, and an indispensable part of the dress
of the Greeks.]--of fine white woolen stuff with a blue border. His legs
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