Such an heretical proposition was of course loudly disapproved of by the assembled Jacobites; differences of opinion were more and more strongly asserted, and a calm interchange of views turned to a riotous quarrel which threatened to end in actual violence.

This discussion was already beginning when Paula succeeded in slipping unseen across the court-yard.

She silently beckoned to Hiram to follow her; he cautiously took off his shoes, pushed them under the steep servants’ stairs, and in a few minutes was standing in the young girl’s room.  Paula at once opened a chest, and took out a costly and beautifully-wrought necklace set with pearls.  This she handed to the Syrian, desiring him to wrench from its setting a large emerald which hung from the middle.  The freedman’s strong hand, with the aid of a knife, quickly and easily did the work; and he stood weighing the gem, as it lay freed from the gold hemisphere that had held it, larger than a walnut, shining and sparkling on his palm, while Paula repeated the instructions she had already given him in her nurse’s room.

The faithful soul had no sooner left his beloved mistress than she proceeded to unplait her long thick hair, smiling the while with happy hope; but she had not yet begun to undress when she heard a knock.  She started, flew to the door and hastily bolted it, while she enquired: 

“Who is there?”—­preparing herself for the worst.  “Hiram,” was the whispered reply.  She opened the door, and he told her that meanwhile the side door had been locked, and that he knew no other way out from the great rambling house whither he rarely had occasion to come.

What was to be done?  He could not wait till the door was opened again, for he must carry out her commission quite early in the morning, and if he were caught and locked up for only half the day the Nabathaean would take some other engagement.

With swift decision she twisted up her hair, threw a handkerchief over her head, and said:  “Then come with me; the moon is still up; it would not be safe to carry a lamp.  I will lead the way and you must keep behind me If only the kitchen is empty, we can reach the Viridarium unseen.  If the upper servants are still sitting in the court-yard the great door will be open, for several of them sleep in the house.  At any rate you must go through the vestibule; you cannot miss your way out of the viridarium.  But stay!  Beki generally lies in front of the tablinum—­ the fierce dog from Herrionthis in Thebais; and he does not know you, for he never goes out of the house, but he will obey me.

“When I lift my hand, hang back a little.  He is quite quiet with his masters, and does not hurt a stranger if they are by.  Now, we must not utter another word.—­If we are discovered, I will confess the truth; if you alone are seen, you can say—­well, say you were waiting for Orion, to speak to him very early about the horse-fair at Niku.”