The City of Delight

"What disorder, then, in the world," she went on, as if she had

followed a train of imagination through the triumph of the risen great

man. "Rome, the ruler of nations humbled! Conquest from Germany to the

First Cataract, from Gaul to the dry rocks of Ecbatana! A world in

anarchy, for one greater than Alexander to subjugate! The ancient

splendor of Asia, the wisdom of Africa and the virginity of Europe to

be his, and the homage of the four corners of the earth to be to him!"

John said nothing. Before him, the woman had entirely stripped off her

disguise. Now for the purpose!

At that moment one of Amaryllis' servants, who had stood guard without

the door, dodged apprehensively into the room and fled across to the

opposite arch. There he paused, ready for flight, and looked back with

wide eyes. John turned hastily but with an impatient gesture fell

again to his neglected meal. The actress looked to see what had

annoyed him. There passed in from the outer corridor a young man,

tall, magnificently formed, covered with a turban and draped in quaint

garments, which to her who was familiar with all the guises of the

theater seemed to be Buddhistic. He looked neither to the right nor

left, but passed with a step infinitely soft and gliding across to the

arch, from which the terrified servant vanished instantly. The

stranger stayed only a dramatic instant on the threshold and then

disappeared into the corridor which led up into the Temple. When he

had gone the startled actress retained a picture of a face, fearless,

beatified, mystic to the very edge of the supernatural.

"Who was that?" she asked of the Gischalan, who was gazing at the

color of his wine, sitting in a shaft of sunlight.

"Seraiah! But more than that, no one knows. He appeared with the

slaying of Zechariah the Just. He haunts the garrisons. Hence his

name--Soldier of Jehovah!"

"He did not speak; why did he come?"

"He never speaks; he goes where he will; no one would dare to stop

him!"

Then suddenly realizing that he was showing disinterest the Gischalan

drew himself up and smiled.

"He is mad; I believe he is mad. The city is full of demoniacs."

"There is something great about him!" the woman declared. "He seems to

be the instrument of miracle."

"Is it that?" John asked in an amused tone.

She studied him for a moment that was tense with meaning.

"Do you know," she began slowly, "that neither you nor Simon, nor any

of these who aspire to the control of Jerusalem, have come upon the

plan which will best appeal to your distracted subjects?"

"Have we not?" he repeated. "We have bought them and bullied them; we

are fighting the Romans for them; we are preaching patience in the

will of the Lord. What more, lady?"