"Let be with
your questions," she said. "I bought her, that's enough. Ask that old
huckster, Stephanus, the price. But first in the name of charity give
her food. Those who have walked through a Triumph to end the day on the
slave block need victuals."
"It is here, it is here," Marcus said confusedly, "such as there is."
Taking a lamp he led the way to a table that was placed in the shadow,
where stood some meat and fruit with flagons of rich coloured wine and
pure water and shallow silver cups to drink from.
Putting her arm about Miriam's waist, Nehushta supported her to the
table and sat her down upon one of the couches. Then she poured out wine
and put it to her lips, and cut meat and made her swallow it till Miriam
would touch no more. Now the colour came back to her face, and her eyes
grew bright again, and resting there upon the couch, she listened while
Nehushta told Marcus all the story of the slave sale.
"Well done," he said, laughing in his old merry fashion, "well done,
indeed! Oh! what favouring god put it into the head of that honest old
miser, Stephanus, from year to year to hoard up all that sum of gold
against an hour of sudden need which none could foresee!"
"My God and hers," answered Nehushta solemnly, "to Whom if He give you
space, you should be thankful, which, by the way, is more than Stephanus
is, who has seen so much of your savings squandered in an hour.
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