When it was done at last, with shouts of triumph the legionaries, commanded by Titus himself and accompanied by a body of horsemen, advanced into the Court of Women.  Back before them fled the Jews, pouring up the steps of the Gate Nicanor, on the roof of which Miriam was chained to her pinnacle.  But of her they took no note, none had time to think, or even to look at a single girl bound there on high in punishment for some offence, of which the most of them knew nothing.  Only they manned the walls to right and left, and held the gateway, but to the roof where Miriam was they did not climb, because its parapet was too low to shelter them from the arrows of their assailants.

The Romans saw her, however, for she perceived that some of his officers were pointing her out to a man on horseback, clad in splendid armour, over which fell a purple cloak, whom she took to be Titus himself.  Also one of the soldiers shot an arrow at her which struck upon the spiked column above her head and, rebounding, fell at her feet.  Titus noted this, for she saw the man brought before him, and by his gestures gathered that the general was speaking to him angrily.  After this no more arrows were shot at her, and she understood that their curiosity being stirred by the sight of a woman chained upon a gateway, they did not wish to do her mischief.

Now the August sun shone out from a cloudless sky till the hot air danced above the roofs of the Temple and the pavings of the courts, and the thousands shut within their walls were glad to crowd into the shadow to shelter from its fiery beams.  But Miriam could not escape them thus.  In the morning and again in the afternoon she was able indeed, by creeping round it, to take refuge in the narrow line of shade thrown by the marble column to which she was made fast.  At mid-day, however, it flung no shadow, so for all those dreadful hours she must pant in the burning heat without a drop of water to allay her thirst.  Still she bore it till at length came evening and its cool.

That day the Romans made no attack, nor did the Jews attempt a sally.  Only some of the lighter of the engines were brought into the Court of Women, whence they hurled their great stones and heavy darts into the Court of Israel beyond.  Miriam watched these missiles as they rushed by her, once or twice so close that the wind they made stirred her hair.  The sight fascinated her and took her mind from her own sufferings.  She could see the soldiers working at the levers and pulleys till the strings of the catapult or the boards of the balista were drawn to their places.  Then the darts or the stones were set in the groove prepared to receive it, a cord was pulled and the missile sped upon its way, making an angry humming noise as it clove the air.  At first it looked small; then approaching it grew large, to become small again to her following sight as its journey was accomplished.  Sometimes, the stones, which did more damage than the darts, fell upon the paving