“Because you wished to brand him, in the eyes of the world, as the man who lent his support to the unbelievers and helped them to victory,” said Orion gloomily.

“How well the boy can read the thoughts of men!” exclaimed the prelate, looking at the young man with approbation in which, however, there was some irony and annoyance.  “Very good.  We will assume that my object was to show the Christians of Memphis what fate awaits the man, who surrenders his country to the enemy and walks hand-in-hand with unbelievers?  And may I not possibly have been right?”

“Do you suppose my father invited the Arabs?” interrupted the young man.

“No, Child,” replied the patriarch, “the enemy came of his own free will.”

“And you,” Orion went on, “after the Greeks had driven you into exile, prophesied from the desert that they would come and overthrow the Melchites, the Greek enemies of our faith, drive them out of the country.”

“It was revealed to me by the Lord!” replied the old man, bowing his head reverently.  “And yet other things were shown to me while I dwelt a devout ascetic, mortifying my flesh under the scorching sun of the desert.  Beware my son, beware!  Heed my warning, lest it should be fulfilled and the house of Menas vanish like clouds swept before the wind.—­Your father, I know, regarded my prophecy as advice given by me to receive the infidels as the instrument of the Almighty and to support them in driving the Melchite oppressors out of the land.”

“Your prophecy,” replied Orion, “had, no doubt, a marked effect on my father; and when the cause of the emperor and the Greeks was lost, your opinion that the Melchites were unbelievers as much as the sons of Islam, was of infinite comfort to him.  For he, if any one—­as you know—­had good reason to hate the sectarians who killed his two sons in their prime.  What followed, he did to rescue his and your unfortunate brethren and dependants from destruction.  Here, here in this desk, lies his answer to the emperor’s accusations, as given to the Greek deputation who had speech of him in this very room.  He wrote it down as soon as they had left him.  Will you hear it?”

“I can guess its purport.”

“No, no!” cried the excited youth; he hastily opened his father’s desk, laid his hand at once on the wax tablet, and exclaimed:  “This was his reply!” And he proceeded to read: 

“These Arabs, few as they are, are stronger and more powerful than we with all our numbers.  One man of them is equal to a hundred of us, for they rush on death and love it better than life.  Each of them presses to the front in battle, and they have no longing to return home and to their families.  For every Christian they kill they look for a great reward in Heaven, and they say that the gates of Paradise open at once for those who fall in the fight.  They have not a wish in this world beyond the satisfaction of their barest need of food and clothing.  We, on the contrary, love life and dread death;—­how can we stand against them?  I tell you that I will not break the peace I have concluded with the Arabs. . . .”