Here she was interrupted, for the young widow, who had heard the sad news, sought her out to comfort her and offer her services.  She spoke to the girl with real affection; but her sweet, low tones reminded Katharina of that evening after the old bishop’s death; and when Heliodora put out her arm to draw her to her, she shrank from her, begging her in a dry, hoarse voice, not to touch her for her clothes were infected.  She wanted no comfort; all she asked was to be left alone—­quite alone—­nothing more.  The words were hard and unkind, and as the door closed on the young woman Katharina’s eyes glared after her.

Why had this doom passed over Heliodora’s head and demanded the sacrifice of one whose loss she could never cease to mourn?

This brought her mother vividly to her mind.  She flew back to her death-bed and fell on her knees—­but even there she could not bear to stay long, so she wandered into the garden and visited every spot where she and her mother had been together.  But there were such strange crackings in the shrubs, and the trees and bushes cast such uncanny shadows that she hailed daybreak as a deliverance.

She was on her way back to the house when her foster-brother Anubis came limping to meet her.  Poor fellow!  She had made a cripple of him, too, and his mother had died through her fault.

The lad spoke to her, giving expression to his sympathy, and she accepted it; but she said such strange things, and answered him so utterly at random, that he began to fear that grief had turned her brain.  She went on to ask him point-blank how much money she now had, and as he happened to know approximately, he could tell her; she clasped her hands, for how could any one human being who was not a king possess such enormous wealth!  Finally she enquired whether he knew how a will should be drawn up, and that, too, he answered affirmatively.

She made him describe it all, and then he added that the signature must be made valid by those of two witnesses; but she, he added, was too young to be thinking of making her will.

“Why?” said she.  “Is Paula much older than I am?”

“And the day after to-morrow,” the boy went on, “she is to be cast into the Nile.  All the people call her the Bride of the Nile.”

At this that hideous, malignant smile again curled her lips, but she hastily suppressed it and walked straight on into the house.  At the door he timidly asked her whether he might once more look on his mistress; but she was obliged to forbid it for fear of infection.  However, he proudly replied:  “What you do not fear, has no terrors for me,” and he followed her to the side of the bed where the corpse now lay washed and in fine array; and when he saw Katharina kiss the dead woman’s hand he, too, as soon as she looked away, pressed his lips on the place hers had touched.  Then he sat down by the bed and remained there till she sent him away.