Still they fled, whither she
knew not, till at length the sound of the tumult died away. But not yet
would Nehushta stop, for she feared that they might be followed. So on
they went, and on, meeting few and heeded by none, till at length Miriam
sank to the ground, worn out with fear and flight.
"Up," said Nehushta.
"I cannot," she answered. "Something has hurt my foot. See, it bleeds!"
Nehushta looked about her, and saw that they were outside the second
wall in the new city of Bezetha, not far from the old Damascus Gate, for
there, to their right and a little behind them, rose the great tower of
Antonia. Beneath this wall were rubbish-heaps, foul-smelling and covered
over with rough grasses and some spring flowers, which grew upon the
slopes of the ancient fosse. Here seemed a place where they might lie
hid awhile, since there were no houses and it was unsavoury. She dragged
Miriam to her feet, and, notwithstanding her complaints and swollen
ankle, forced her on, till they came to a spot where, as it is to-day,
the wall was built upon foundations of living rock, roughly shaped,
and lined with crevices covered by tall weeds. To one of these crevices
Nehushta brought Miriam, and, seating her on a bed of grass, examined
her foot, which seemed to have been bruised by a stone from a sling.
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