They had walked among the coloured columns, and had visited the inner chamber, where upon the wall is painted the Judgment of Paris.

Mr.Bradshaw passed out through the narrow doorway, and his voice was dulled; Miriam passed with him, and, close after her, Mrs.Bradshaw.Reuben seemed to draw aside for Cecily, but she saw his hand extended towards her--it held a spray of maidenhair that he had just gathered.

She took it, or would have taken it, but her hand was closed in his.
"I have stayed only to see you again," came panting from his lips.

"I could not go till I had seen you again!" And before the winged syllables had ceased, their eyes met; nor their eyes alone, for upon both was the constraint of passion that leaps like flame to its desire--mouth to mouth and heart to heart for one instant that concentrated all the joy of being.
What hand, centuries ago crumbled into indistinguishable dust, painted that parable of the youth making his award to Love?
What eyes gazed upon it, when this was a home of man and woman warm with life, listening all day long to the music of uttered thoughts?
Dark-buried whilst so many ages of history went by, thrown open for the sunshine to rest upon its pallid antiquity, again had this chamber won a place in human hearts, witnessed the birth of joy and hope, blended itself with the destiny of mortals.

He who pictured Paris dreamt not of these passionate lips and their unborn language, knew not that he wrought for a world hidden so far in time.