his own, and passed his hand through the air from his swarthy throat to
touch the crown of her head; and the depth of loathing with which she
shrank from him did not escape his notice. The blood mounted to his
head; he desired the interpreter to inform her that she was to hope for
no mercy, and inwardly devoted her to a cruel death.

Pale, but prepared to meet the worst, Paula returned to the squalid room
she occupied with her faithful Betta.

Her arrival at the prison had been terrible. The guards had seemed
disposed to place her in a room filled with a number of male and female
criminals, whence the rattle of their chains and a frantic uproar of
coarse voices met her ear; however, the interpreter and the captain of
the town-watch had taken charge of her, prompted by Martina's promise of
a handsome reward if they could go to her next morning with a report that
Paula had been decently accommodated.

The warder's mother-in-law, too, had taken her under her protection.
This woman was the inn-keeper's wife from the riverside inn of Nesptah,
and she at once recognized Paula as the handsome damsel who had refreshed
herself there after the evening on the river with Orion, and whom she had
supposed to be his betrothed. She happened to be visiting her daughter,
the keeper's wife, and induced her to do what she could to be agreeable
to Paula. So she and Betta were lodged in a separate cell, and her gold
coin proved acceptable to the man, who did his utmost to mitigate her
lot. Indeed, Pulcheria had even been allowed to visit her and to bring
her the last roses that the drought had left in the garden.

Susannah had carried out her purpose of sending her food and fruit; but
they remained in the outer room, and the messenger was desired to explain