"Alas! although I seem to know her yet alive, I fear that she must be dead," Marcus was saying. "It is not possible that she could have lived through that night of the burning of the Temple."
"It does not seem possible," answered Nehushta, "yet I believe that she did live--as in your heart you believe also. I do not think it was fated that any Christian should perish in that war, since it has been prophesied otherwise."
"Prove it to me, woman, and I should be inclined to become a Christian, but of prophecies and such vague talk I am weary."
"You will become a Christian when your heart is touched and not before," answered Nehushta sharply. "That light is from within."
As she spoke the bushes parted and they saw the Essene, Samuel, standing in front of them.
"Whom do you seek, man?" asked Nehushta, who did not know him.
"I seek the noble Roman, Marcus," he answered, "for whom I have a message. Is that he?"
"I am he," said Marcus, "and now, who sent you and what is your message?"
"The Queen of the Essenes, whose name is Miriam, sent me," replied the man.
Now both of them sprang to their feet.
"What token do you bear?" asked Marcus in a slow, restrained voice, "for know, we thought that lady dead."
"This," he answered, and drawing the ring from his robe he handed it to him, adding, "Do you acknowledge the token?"
"I acknowledge it. There is no such other ring. Have you aught else?"
"I had a letter, but it is lost. The Roman soldiers robbed me of my robe in which it was sewn, and I never saw it more. But the ring I saved by hiding it in my mouth while they searched me."
Marcus groaned, but Nehushta said quickly: "Did she give you no message? Tell us your story and be swift."
So he told them all.
"How long was this ago?" asked Nehushta.
"Nearly five months. For a hundred and twenty days I was kept as a slave at Jerusalem, labouring at the levelling of the walls."
"Five months," said Marcus. "Tell me, do you know whether Titus has sailed?"
"I heard that he had departed from Alexandria on his road to Rome."
"Miriam will walk in his Triumph, and afterwards be sold as a slave! Woman, there is no time to lose," said Marcus.
"None," answered Nehushta; "still, there is time to thank this faithful messenger."
"Ay," said Marcus. "Man, what reward do you seek? Whatever it be it shall be paid to you who have endured so much. Yes, it shall be paid, though here and now I have no money."