Her voice had a tone of sisterly affection, and the shepherdess followed
Marthana unresistingly to the table, on which the plans for the bridge
were lying, and stood there by her side.

For a minute all were silent; at last Dame Dorothea went up to Miriam,
and asked, "What did they do to you, my poor child, that you could so
forget yourself?"

Miriam could not understand what was happening to her; she had been
prepared for scoldings and blows, nay for bonds and imprisonment, and now
these gentle words and kind looks! Her defiant spirit was quelled, her
eyes met the friendly eyes of her mistress, and she said in a low voice:
"he had followed me for such a long time, and wanted to ask you for me
as his wife; but I cannot bear him--I hate him as I do all your slaves."
At these words her eyes sparkled wildly again, and with her old fire she
went on, "I wish I had only hit him with a stick instead of a sickle; but
I took what first came to hand to defend myself. When a man touches me--
I cannot bear it, it is horrible, dreadful! Yesterday I came home later
than usual with the beasts, and by the time I had milked the goats, and
was going to bed, every one in the house was asleep. Then Anubis met me,
and began chattering about love; I repelled him, but he seized me, and
held me with his hand here on my head and wanted to kiss me; then my
blood rose, I caught hold of my reaping hook, that hung by my side, and
it was not till I saw him roaring on the ground, that I saw I had done
wrong. How it happened I really cannot tell--something seemed to rise up
in me--something--I don't know what to call it. It drives me on as the
wind drives the leaves that lie on the road, and I cannot help it. The
best thing you can do is to let me die, for then you would be safe once
for all from my wickedness, and all would be over and done with."