'I trust,' said I, 'that at some future time I may, with your guidance, or
through your influence, gain admittance to this aged professor of the
Christian faith. I confess myself now, since what I have heard, a seeker
after Christian knowledge.'

'Gladly shall I take you there,' replied the princess, 'and gladly will
St. Thomas receive you.'

We now at the same time rose from our seats. Zenobia, taking the hand of
Fausta, walked toward the palace; Longinus, with folded arms, and as if
absorbed by the thoughts which were passing through his mind, began to
pace to and fro beneath the thick shadows of a group of orange trees. I
was left with Julia.

'Princess,' said I, 'it is yet early, and the beauty of the evening makes
it wrong to shut ourselves up from the sight of so fair a scene: shall we
follow farther some of these inviting paths?'

'Nothing can be more pleasant,' said she; 'these are my favorite haunts,
and I never am weary of them, and never did they seem to me to wear a more
lovely aspect than now. Let me be your guide, and I will lead you by a
winding way to Zenobia's Temple, as we call it, for the reason that it is
her chosen retreat, as the arbor which we have now left is mine.'

So we began to walk toward the spot of which she spoke. We were for
some time silent. At length the princess said, 'Roman, you have now
seen Zenobia, both as a queen and a woman. Has fame done her more
than justice?'

'Great as her reputation is in Rome,' I replied, 'fame has not, to my ear