Well, gentlemen, grief will not bring him to life
again, and we who still stand beneath the stars have business to attend.
Bear me witness, all of you, that I am blameless in this affair, and,
slaves, bring out that priceless gem, the Pearl-Maiden."
CHAPTER XXIV
MASTER AND SLAVE
Now a hush of expectancy fell upon the crowd, till presently two
attendants appeared, each of them holding in his hand a flaming torch,
and between them the captive Pearl-Maiden. So beautiful did she look as
she advanced thus with bowed head, the red light of the torches falling
upon her white robe and breast and reflected in a faint, shimmering line
from the collar of pearls about her neck, that even that jaded company
clapped as she came. In another moment she had mounted the two steps
and was standing on the block of marble. The crowd pressed closer, among
them the merchant of Egypt, Demetrius, and the veiled woman with the
basket, who was now attended by a little man dressed as a slave and
bearing on his back another basket, the weight of which he seemed
to find irksome, since from time to time he groaned and twisted his
shoulders. Also the chamberlain, Saturius, secure in the authority of
his master, stepped over the rope and against the rule began to walk
round and round the captive, examining her critically.
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