Still she bore
it till at length came evening and its cool.
That day the Romans made no attack, nor did the Jews attempt a sally.
Only some of the lighter of the engines were brought into the Court of
Women, whence they hurled their great stones and heavy darts into the
Court of Israel beyond. Miriam watched these missiles as they rushed by
her, once or twice so close that the wind they made stirred her hair.
The sight fascinated her and took her mind from her own sufferings.
She could see the soldiers working at the levers and pulleys till the
strings of the catapult or the boards of the balista were drawn to their
places. Then the darts or the stones were set in the groove prepared to
receive it, a cord was pulled and the missile sped upon its way, making
an angry humming noise as it clove the air. At first it looked small;
then approaching it grew large, to become small again to her following
sight as its journey was accomplished. Sometimes, the stones, which did
more damage than the darts, fell upon the paving and bounded along it,
marking their course by fragments of shattered marble and a cloud of
dust. At others, directed by an evil fate, they crashed into groups
of Jews, destroying all they touched.
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