Thus saying, she followed the monk to the little door at which so many garlands and wreaths had been hung, and, when it was opened, she told the porter to call together all the slaves in the house.  Four Indians, who were employed in the kitchen, were the first to appear.  They were all four yellow men, and each had but one eye.  It had cost Thais much trouble, and given her amusement, to get together these four slaves of the same race, and all afflicted with the same infirmity.  When they attended at table they excited the curiosity of the guests, and Thais made them relate the story of their lives.  These four waited in silence.  Their assistants followed them.  Then came the stablemen, the huntsmen, the litter-bearers, and the running footmen with muscles like iron, two gardeners hirsute as Priapus, six ferocious looking negroes, three Greek slaves—­one a grammarian, another a poet, and the third a singer.  They all stood, ranged in order, on the public square, and were presently joined by the negresses—­curious, suspicious, rolling big round eyes, and each with a huge mouth slit to her earrings.  Lastly, adjusting their veils and languidly dragging their feet, which were shackled with light gold chains, appeared six sulky-looking, beautiful white slave-girls.  When they were all assembled, Thais, pointing to Paphnutius, said—­

“Do whatever this man commands you; for the spirit of God is in him, and if you disobey him you will fall dead.”

For she had heard, and really believed, that the earth would open and swallow up in flames and smoke any impious wretch whom a saint of the desert struck with his staff.

Paphnutius sent away the women and the Greek men-slaves, and said to the others—­

“Bring wood to the middle of this place, make a huge fire, and throw into it pell-mell all that there is in the house and grotto.”

They were astonished, and stood motionless, looking at their mistress.  And they still stood inactive and silent, and pressed against each other, elbow to elbow, suspecting that the order was a joke.

“Obey!” said the monk.

Several of them were Christians.  They understood the command, and went to the house to fetch wood and torches.  The others were not indisposed to imitate them, for, being poor, they hated riches and had a natural instinct for destruction.  Whilst they were building the pile, Paphnutius said to Thais—­

“I thought at one time of fetching the treasurer of one of the churches of Alexandria (if there still remain one worthy of the name of church, and that is not defiled by the Arian beasts) and giving him thy goods, woman, that he might distribute them to widows, and change the proceeds of crime into the treasure of justice.  But such a thought did not come from God, and I cast it from me, for assuredly it would be a great offence to the well-beloved of Jesus Christ to offer them the spoils of thy lust.  Thais, all that thou hast touched must be devoured