"There is nothing to employ a surfeited mind in this city."
"No?" he said lightly, while interest began to awaken in his eyes.
"The making of enjoyment is here. I have found it so."
"Perchance you have," but she halted and resumed her moody gaze at the
flood of sunlight.
"Are you weary?" he asked. "What is it?"
"Idleness! Eating, sleeping--no; not even that; for idleness steals
away my appetite and my repose."
"Strange restiveness for one reared in the quiet inner chambers of a
Jewish house," he observed.
Her eyes dropped away to the floor; he saw that she was breathing
quickly.
"I dreamed of a free life once," she said in a restrained way. "I have
not since been satisfied. I dreamed of cities and kings, that were
mine! of crises that I dared, of--of things that I did!"
There was indignation and pride in the words, too much recollection of
an actuality to rise from the reminiscences of a dream. John watched
her alertly.
"Enough will happen here in time to divert you," he said.
She made a motion with her hand that swept the round of masonry about
her.
"Not until this falls."
"Come, then, up into my fortress and see my fellows from Gischala," he
offered. "They fled with me from that city when Titus took it and
together we came to this place. They are hardened to disaster; they
and death are fellow-jesters."
"Soldiers?"
"Everything! Better athletes than soldiers, better mummers than
athletes; villains most engaging of all!"
She showed no interest and, after a critical pause, he continued: "They robbed the booth of some costumer whom the Sadducees had made
rich and captured a maid whom they held until she had taught them how
to use henna and kohl. So I had a garrison of swearing girls until
they wearied of the fatigue of stepping mincingly and untangling their
garments. It was that which robbed the sport of its pleasure and
changed my harem back to a fortress. But while it lasted they were
kings over Jerusalem. And what dear mad dangerous wantons they were!
What confusion to short-sighted citizens; what affrights to sociable
maidens! Even I laughed at them."
"What antics indeed!" she murmured perfunctorily.
"Now they want new entertainment; something immense and different," he
said.
She looked up at him; in her eyes he read, "Even as I do!"
"But they are not unique in that," he continued. "All the world seeks
diversion. Observe the pretty stranger come here fresh from some
lady's tiring-room, hunting adventure, bearding thee and wearing thy
name!"
Her eyes sparkled.
"She shall have adventure enough," she declared.
"I hear," John pursued, "that she does not expect her servant to
return, whom she sent to Ascalon for proofs."
"No?" the woman cried, sitting up.