The ceremony was over and Sarthia was conducted back to her chamber, a Vestal of The Temple of Isis.  The occult powers that had been evoked in behalf of Sarthia soon became manifest in her daily life.  The zeal and zest with which she pursued her studies and the understanding of their interior meanings were sufficient evidence of her teacher’s inspiring influence.  She was soon placed under her brother Hermo’s instruction in astronomical and astrological lore, and here also displayed a proficiency in learning that surprised Hermo and delighted the Astrologer Priests.  At Temple Service she was all devotion and, as an Attendant, ever true and faithful.  The brother and sister became devotedly attached to each other and the Priestess often observed this attachment, which sent a pang through her heart, lest such joy and happiness might not be granted Hermo for the remainder of his life.  Then instantly would she offer a silent prayer that such supreme happiness would be theirs throughout eternity.

CHAPTER X.

The Princess’ wedding.

The Princess’ recovery was very slow, owing to the great depletion of the physical body during her recent illness.  Much care and attention were bestowed upon her by her royal friends.  All the luxury which wealth alone could procure, and the kindly influences of loving associates were brought to bear to speedily hasten the restoration of their Princess to her former health and spirits.  Health was slowly but surely gaining the ascendency, but the spirits of heart and mind were not of that buoyant, external nature that she formerly displayed.

With her return to health, demands of a social nature were made upon her.  She enjoyed pleasures but a seriousness attended her every movement that much annoyed her friends.  The attendants and servants were excited to wonder at her kind and thoughtful interests of them—­while many thought it was due to her weak physical condition, others remarked, how much the Princess’ sickness had improved her.  Those that before feared her, now began to love and seek to please and serve her.

Rathunor was a daily visitor, and remembering the advice and instructions of the Hierophant he was calm, silent, and patient in his attentions to her and apparently took no heed of her fancies and strange conversation.  She would constantly plan amusements and social entertainments on a grand scale, but with such a seriousness of purpose that it quite annoyed Rathunor at times and caused him to wonder if this was really his former Nu-nah.

While the annoyance came purely from the external, there was an interior attraction that was, irresistibly, holding him spell-bound to her side.  His happiness now was greatest when they sat, rode or walked in silence.  Little did he dream, while in that silence which so enraptured him, the soul of Nu-nah was blending and drawing the electric life-essence from his own to hers.  That interchange was going on wherein there is no robbery, but an inter-blending of the magnetic and electric life-forces that cause to spring into activity the harmonious vibrations of a complete whole, and the reaction upon both brain and the physical organism was health, contentment and happiness that rises above all external cares, sorrows and discords.