He carefully approached one of the holes of the roof, and, kneeling, put his face down to the aperture.
The man spoke, and, by his tones, Timokles recognized Pentaur the merchant.
"Oh, Christian!" cried Pentaur into the depth of the building, "livest thou?
Ill shall I fare at the judgment of Osiris for this day's deed!" There was silence.
Perhaps, from the darkness of the room below, Pentaur could see the shining of the brute's eyes, or hear his uneasy stepping to and fro.
Something sent a shudder of horror through the man.
"I have taken pleasure in righteousness," he protested.

"I have heretofore done no injury to men who honored their gods.

Oh, Osiris, I have been righteous!" There was an awful horror in the man's voice.

Timokles was moved with compassion for his former owner, and yet the lad kept silent.
"Shall I speak to him ?" Timokles questioned himself.

"If he shall be beset in some other place by those who hate Christians, will he not abandon me again to my enemies ?" The merchant waited a moment longer.
"Oh, Osiris!" then he wailed again, "I have been righteous! He was only a Christian!" The merchant sprang up, and sped toward the edge of the roof where he had first appeared.