The moon shone very brightly in a clear sky, and by the light of it an observer, had there been any to observe where all were so occupied with their own urgent affairs, could have watched every movement and expression of these women. Rachel, seated on the ground, was rocking herself to and fro, her face hidden in her hands, and praying. Nehushta knelt at her side, resting the weight of her body on her heels as only an Eastern can, and stared sullenly at nothingness.
Presently Rachel, dropping her hands, looked at the tender sky and sighed.
“Our last night on earth, Nou,” she said sadly. “It is strange to think that we shall never again see the moon floating above us.”
“Why not, mistress? If all that we have been taught is true, we shall see that moon, or others, for ever and ever, and if it is not true, then neither light nor darkness will trouble us any more. However, for my own part I don’t mean that either of us should die to-morrow.”
“How can you prevent it, Nou?” asked Rachel with a faint smile. “Lions are no respecters of persons.”
“Yet, mistress, I think that they will respect my person, and yours, too, for my sake.”
“What do you mean, Nou?”
“I mean that I do not fear the lions; they are country-folk of mine and roared round my cradle. The chief, my father, was called Master of Lions in our country because he could tame them. Why, when I was a little child I have fed them and they fawned upon us like dogs.”
“Those lions are long dead, Nou, and the others will not remember.”
“I am not sure that they are dead; at least, blood will call to blood, and their company will know the smell of the child of the Master of Lions. Whoever is eaten, we shall escape.”
“I have no such hope, Nou. To-morrow we must die horribly, that King Agrippa may do honour to his master, Cæsar.”
“If you think that, mistress, then let us die at once rather than be rent limb from limb to give pleasure to a stinking mob. See, I have poison hidden here in my hair. Let us drink of it and be done: it is swift and painless.”
“Nay, Nou, it would not be right. I may lift no hand against my own life, or if perchance I may, I have to think of another life.”
“If you die, the unborn child must die also. To-night or to-morrow, what does it matter?”
“Sufficient to the day is the evil thereof. Who knows? To-morrow Agrippa may be dead, not us, and then the child might live. It is in the hand of God. Let God decide.”
“Lady,” answered Nehushta, setting her teeth, “for your sake I have become a Christian, yes, and I believe. But I tell you this—while I live no lion’s fangs shall tear that dear flesh of yours. First if need be, I will stab you there in the arena, or if they take my knife from me, then I will choke you, or dash out your brains against the posts.”
“It may be a sin, Nou; take no such risk upon your soul.”
“My soul! What do I care about my soul? You are my soul. Your mother was kind to me, the poor slave-girl, and when you were an infant, I rocked you upon my breast. I spread your bride-bed, and if need be, to save you from worse things, I will lay you dead before me and myself dead across your body. Then let God or Satan—I care not which—deal with my soul. At least, I shall have done my best and died faithful.”
“You should not speak so,” sighed Rachel. “But, dear, I know it is because you love me, and I wish to die as easily as may be and to join my husband. Only if the child could have lived, as I think, all three of us would have dwelt together eternally. Nay, not all three, all four, for you are well-nigh as dear to me, Nou, as husband or as child.”
“That cannot be, I do not wish that it should be, who am but a slave woman, the dog beneath the table. Oh! if I could save you, then I would be glad to show them how this daughter of my father can bear their torments.”
The Libyan ceased, grinding her teeth in impotent rage. Then suddenly she leant towards her mistress, kissed her fiercely on the cheek and began to sob, slow, heavy sobs.
“Listen,” said Rachel. “The lions are roaring in their dens yonder.”
Nehushta lifted her head and hearkened as a hunter hearkens in the desert. True enough, from near the great tower that ended the southern wall of the amphitheatre, echoed short, coughing notes and fierce whimperings, to be followed presently by roar upon roar, as lion after lion joined in that fearful music, till the whole air shook with the volume of their voices.
“Aha!” cried a keeper at the gate—not the Roman soldier who marched to and fro unconcernedly, but a jailor, named Rufus, who was clad in a padded robe and armed with a great knife. “Aha! listen to them, the pretty kittens. Don’t be greedy, little ones—be patient. To-night you will purr upon a full stomach.”
“Nine of them,” muttered Nehushta, who had counted the roars, “all bearded and old, royal beasts. To hearken to them makes me young again. Yes, yes, I smell the desert and see the smoke rising from my father’s tents. As a child I hunted them, now they will hunt me; it is their hour.”
“Give me air! I faint!” gasped Rachel, sinking against her.
With a guttural exclamation of pity Nehushta bent down. Placing her strong arms beneath the slender form of her young mistress, and lifting her as though she were a child, she carried her to the centre of the court, where stood a fountain; for before it was turned to the purposes of a jail once this place had been a palace. Here she set her mistress on the ground with her back against the stonework, and dashed water in her face till presently she was herself again.
While Rachel sat thus—for the place was cool and pleasant and she could not sleep who must die that day—a wicket-gate was opened and several persons, men, women, and children, were thrust through it into the court.
“Newcomers from Tyre in a great hurry not to lose the lions’ party,” cried the facetious warden of the gate. “Pass in, my Christian friends, pass in and eat your last supper according to your customs. You will find it over there, bread and wine in plenty. Eat, my hungry friends, eat before you are eaten and enter into Heaven or—the stomach of the lions.”
An old woman, the last of the party, for she could not walk fast, turned round and pointed at the buffoon with her staff.
“Blaspheme not, you heathen dog!” she said, “or rather, blaspheme on and go to your reward! I, Anna, who have the gift of prophecy, tell you, renegade who were a Christian, and therefore are doubly guilty, that you have eaten your last meal—on earth.”
The man, a half-bred Syrian who had abandoned his faith for profit and now tormented those who were once his brethren, uttered a furious curse and snatched a knife from his girdle.
“You draw the knife? So be it, perish by the knife!” said Anna. Then without heeding him further the old woman hobbled on after her companions, leaving the man to slink away white to the lips with terror. He had been a Christian and knew something of Anna and of this “gift of prophecy.”
The path of these strangers led them past the fountain, where Rachel and Nehushta rose to greet them as they came.
“Peace be with you,” said Rachel.
“In the name of Christ, peace,” they answered, and passed on towards the arches where the other captives were gathered. Last of all, at some distance behind the rest, came the white-haired woman, leaning on her staff.
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