Avoiding his guard, the man ran down the
line of oxen and suddenly cast himself upon the ground before the
wooden-wheeled car, which passed over his neck, crushing the life out of
him.
"Well done! Well done!" shouted the crowd, rejoicing at this unexpected
sight. "Well done! He was brave after all."
Then the body was carried away and the procession moved forward. But
Marcus, who watched, hid his face in his hands, and Nehushta, lifting
hers, uttered a prayer for the passing soul of the victim.
Now the prisoners began to go past, marching eight by eight, hundreds
upon hundreds of them, and once more the mob shouted and rejoiced over
these unfortunates, whose crime was that they had fought for their
country to the end. The last files passed, then at a little distance
from them, tramping forward wearily, appeared the slight figure of a
girl dressed in a robe of white silk blazoned at its breast with gold.
Her bowed head, from which the curling tresses fell almost to her waist,
was bared to the fierce rays of the sun, and on her naked bosom lay a
necklace of great pearls.
"Pearl-Maiden, Pearl-Maiden!" shouted the crowd.
"Look!" said Nehushta, gripping the shoulder of Marcus with her hand.
He looked, and after long years once more beheld Miriam, for though he
had heard her voice in the Old Tower at Jerusalem, then her face was
hidden from him by the darkness.
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