"Yes, she is lovely to look upon," said the widow. "But her heart and
mind have been left wholly untrained, and in her the doctrine falls upon
stony ground, for she avails herself of every unoccupied moment to stare
at the horsemen and chariots that pass on the way to the Hippodrome. By
this inquisitive gaping she fills her head with a thousand useless and
distracting fancies; I am not always at home, and so it will be best to
have the pernicious window walled up."

"And did you send for me only to have that done?" cried Pontius, much
annoyed. "Your house-slaves, I should think, might have been equal to
that without my assistance."

"Perhaps, but then the wall would have to be freshly whitewashed--I know
how obliging you always are." Thank you very much. To-morrow I will
send you two regular workmen."

"Nay, to-day, at once if possible."

"Are you in such pressing haste to spoil the poor child's amusement? And
besides I cannot but think that it is not to stare at the horsemen and
chariots that she looks out, but to see her worthy lover."

"So much the worse. I was telling you, Eumenes, that a sculptor wants to
marry her."

"She is a heathen," replied the bishop.

"But on the road to salvation," answered Paulina. "But we will speak of
that presently. There is still something else to discuss, Pontius. The