prisoner by one of the victorious generals, sold to Aurelius as Alyrus
and Sahira had been. He was unusually handsome, very tall, with broad,
well-formed shoulders and a face and head like one of the ancient
pagan gods, whose statues have come down to us from the chisel of
Phidias, the Greek sculptor. His skin was fair and his hair yellow as
gold. Between him and the dark Moor who walked near him, there was the
difference between light and darkness. It was not a difference in
physical beauty, altogether, although Alyrus bore not only the
disfiguring scar on his face, but smallpox scars, he was not
altogether unpleasing in appearance. The difference lay chiefly in the
expression of eyes and mouth. Alyrus was satirical, sneering,
critical; Alexis was gentle, yet commanding; benign, yet firm.

Both slaves became alert, as the Master had been, listening to the
song of the water-carrier, now becoming less and less distinct.

Alexis's eyes shown, but Alyrus cast a malignant glance at Martius,
whose face was flushed.

"What a strange song!" repeated the lawyer. "It seems to be religious
in its type, yet I never heard it at our functions or in the temples.
Who was that man, Alyrus? Thou, who sittest ever at the doorway and
hast an insatiable curiosity about our neighbors, wilt surely know."

Alyrus frowned at the implied reproof which was, after all, for the
Moor kept closely to himself, except when information could serve some
end.

"It is Lucius, the water-carrier," he said, as shortly as he dared
speak to his master. "It is a Christian song that he is singing."