“A mirror!” laughed Paulus.

“How much you are mistaken!” said Sirona; and she thought to herself, “The woman that Polykarp looks at as he does at me, does not need a mirror.”

An old Jewish merchant lived in the fishing-town on the western declivity of the mountain; he shipped the charcoal for Egypt, which was made in the valleys of the peninsula by burning the sajal acacia, and he had formerly supplied fuel for the drying-room of the papyrus-factory of Paulus’ father.  He now had a business connection with his brother, and Paulus himself had had dealings with him.  He was prudent and wealthy, and whenever he met the anchorite, he blamed him for his flight from the world, and implored him to put his hospitality to the test, and to command his resources and means as if they were his own.

This man was now to find a boat, and to provide the means of flight for Sirona.  The longer Paulus thought it over, the more indispensable it seemed to him that he should himself accompany the Gaulish lady to Alexandria, and in his own person find her a safe shelter.  He knew that he was free to dispose of his brother’s enormous fortune-half of which in fact was his—­as though it were all his own, and he began to rejoice in his possessions for the first time for many years.  Soon he was occupied in thinking of the furnishing of the house, which he intended to assign to the fair Sirona.  At first he thought of a simple citizen’s dwelling, but by degrees he began to picture the house intended for her as fitted with shining gold, white and colored marble, many-colored Syrian carpets, nay even with vain works of the heathen, with statues, and a luxurious bath.  In increasing unrest he wandered from rock to rock, and many times as he went up and down he paused in front of the cave where Sirona was.  Once he saw her light robe, and its conspicuous gleam led him to the reflection, that it would be imprudent to conduct her to the humble fishing-village in that dress.  If he meant to conceal her traces from the search of Phoebicius and Polykarp, he must first provide her with a simple dress, and a veil that should hide her shining hair and fair face, which even in the capital could find no match.

The Amalekite, from whom he had twice bought some goat’s-milk for her, lived in a but which Paulus could easily reach.  He still possessed a few drachmas, and with these he could purchase what he needed from the wife and daughter of the goatherd.  Although the sky was now covered with mist and a hot sweltering south-wind had risen, he prepared to start at once.  The sun was no longer visible though its scorching heat could be felt, but Paulus paid no heed to this sign of an approaching storm.

Hastily, and with so little attention that he confused one object with another in the little store-cellar, he laid some bread, a knife, and some dates in front of the entrance to the cave, called out to his guest that he should soon return, and hurried at a rapid pace up the mountain.