and took leave of him with tender and loving words in as loud a voice as
he could command. Paulus collected all the overflow of the old man's
heart in one sentence, and called out his blessings through his two hands
as a speaking-trumpet, after his friend's son as he departed to battle.
Hermas understood; but deeply as he was touched by this farewell he
answered only by dumb signs. A father can find a hundred words of
blessing sooner than a son can find one of thanks.

As the youth disappeared behind the rocks, Paulus said, "He marches on
like an experienced soldier, and the others follow him as sheep follow a
ram. But hark!--Certainly--the foremost division of the Pharanites and
the enemy have met. The outcry comes nearer and nearer."

"Then all will be well," cried Stephanus excitedly. "If they only take
the bait and let themselves be drawn on to the plateau I think they are
lost. From here we can watch the whole progress of the battle, and if
our side are driven back it may easily happen that they will throw
themselves into the castle. Now not a pebble must be thrown in vain, for
if our tower becomes the central point of the struggle the defenders will
need stones to fling."

These words were heard by several of the anchorites, and as now the war-
cries and the noise of the fight came nearer and nearer, and one and
another repeated to each other that their place of refuge would, become
the centre of the combat, the frightened penitents quitted the posts
assigned to them by Paulus, ran hither and thither in spite of the
Alexandrian's severe prohibition, and most of them at last joined the
company of the old and feeble, whose psalms grew more and more lamentable
as danger pressed closer upon them.