The City of Delight

The chief merchant of Ascalon stood in the guest-chamber of his house.

Although it was a late winter day the old man was clad in the free

white garments of a midsummer afternoon, for to the sorrow of

Philistia the cold season of the year sixty-nine had been warm, wet

and miasmic. An old woman entering presently glanced at the closed

windows of the apartment when she noted the flushed face of the

merchant but she made no movement to have them opened. More than the

warmth of the day was engaging the attention of the grave old man, and

the woman, by dress and manner of equal rank with him, stood aside

until he could give her a moment.

His porter bowed at his side.

"The servants of Philip of Tyre are without," he said. "Shall they

enter?"

"They have come for the furnishings," Costobarus answered. "Take thou

all the household but Momus and Hiram, and dismantle the rooms for

them. Begin in the library; then the sleeping-rooms; this chamber

next; the kitchen last of all. Send Hiram to the stables to except

three good camels from the herd for our use. Let Momus look to the

baggage. Where is Keturah?"

A woman servant hastening after a line of men bearing a great divan,

picking up the draperies and pillows that had dropped, stopped and

salaamed to her master.

"Is our apparel ready?" he asked.

"Prepared, master," was the response.

"Then send hither--" But at that moment a man-servant dressed in the

garb of a physician hastened into the chamber. Without awaiting the

notice of his master he hurried up and whispered in his ear.

Costobarus' face grew instantly grave.

"How near?" he asked anxiously.

"In the next house--but a moment since. The household hath fled," was

the low answer.

"Haste, haste!" Costobarus cried to the rush of servants about him.

"Lose no time. We must be gone from this place before mid-afternoon.

Laodice! Where is Laodice?" he inquired.

Then his wife who had stood aside spoke.

"She is not yet prepared," she explained unreadily. "She needs a

frieze cloak--"

Costobarus broke in by beckoning his wife to one side, where the

servants could not hear him say compassionately, "Let there be no delay for small things, Hannah. Let us haste, for

Laodice is going on the Lord's business."

"A matter of a day only," Hannah urged. "A delay that is further

necessary, for Aquila's horse is lame."