The Romans saw her, however, for she perceived that some of his officers
were pointing her out to a man on horseback, clad in splendid armour,
over which fell a purple cloak, whom she took to be Titus himself. Also
one of the soldiers shot an arrow at her which struck upon the spiked
column above her head and, rebounding, fell at her feet. Titus noted
this, for she saw the man brought before him, and by his gestures
gathered that the general was speaking to him angrily. After this no
more arrows were shot at her, and she understood that their curiosity
being stirred by the sight of a woman chained upon a gateway, they did
not wish to do her mischief.
Now the August sun shone out from a cloudless sky till the hot air
danced above the roofs of the Temple and the pavings of the courts, and
the thousands shut within their walls were glad to crowd into the shadow
to shelter from its fiery beams. But Miriam could not escape them
thus. In the morning and again in the afternoon she was able indeed, by
creeping round it, to take refuge in the narrow line of shade thrown by
the marble column to which she was made fast. At mid-day, however, it
flung no shadow, so for all those dreadful hours she must pant in the
burning heat without a drop of water to allay her thirst.
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