"How can you speak so?" interrupted Marthana. "You are wild and
ungovernable, but not wicked."

"Only ask him!" cried the girl, pointing with flashing eyes to Hermas,
who, on his part, looked down a the floor in confusion. The senator
exchanged a hasty glance with his wife, they were accustomed to under
stand each other without speech, and Dorothea said: "He who feels that
he is not what he ought to be is already on the high-road to amendment.
We let you keep the goats because you were always running after the
flocks, and never can rest in the house. You are up on the mountain
before morning-prayer, and never come home till after supper is over, and
no one takes any thought for the better part of you. Half of your guilt
recoils upon us, and we have no right to punish you. You need not be so
astonished; every one some times does wrong. Petrus and I are human
beings like you, neither more nor less; but we are Christians, and it is
our duty to look after the souls which God has entrusted to our care, be
they our children or our slaves. You must go no more up the mountain,
but shall stay with us in the house. I shall willingly forgive your
hasty deed if Petrus does not think it necessary to punish you."

The senator gravely shook his head in sign of agreement, and Dorothea
turned to enquire of Jethro: "Is Anubis badly wounded and does he need
any care?'

"He is lying in a fever and wanders in his talk, was the answer. "Old
Praxinoa is cooling his wound with water."

"Then Miriam can take her place and try to remedy the mischief which she
was the cause of," said Dorothea. "Half of your guilt will be atoned for,