Thereon he who seemed to be the officer spurred his horse forward to intercept them.
"Do not run--stand still," said Nehushta to Miriam, "and show no sign of fear." So Miriam halted and began to gather a few autumn flowers that still bloomed among the bushes, till the shadow of the officer fell upon her--that shadow in which she was destined to walk all her life-days.
"Lady," said a pleasant voice in Greek, spoken with a somewhat foreign accent--"lady, pardon, and I pray you, do not be alarmed.

I am a stranger to this part of the country, which I visit on official business.

Will you of your kindness direct me to the village of a people called Essenes, who live somewhere in this desert ?" "Oh, sir!" answered Miriam, "do you, who come with Roman soldiers, mean them any harm ?" "Not I.But why do you ask ?" "Because, sir, I am of their community." The officer stared at her--this beautiful, blue-eyed, white-skinned, delicate-featured girl, whose high blood proclaimed itself in every tone and gesture.
"You, lady, of the community of the Essenes! Surely then those priests in Jerusalem lie more deeply than I thought.

They told me that the Essenes were old ascetics who worship Apollo, and could not bear so much as the sight of a woman.

And now you say you are an Essene--you, by Bacchus! you!" and he looked at her with an admiration which, although there was nothing brutal or even rude about it, was amusingly undisguised.
"I am their guest," she said.
"Their guest?
Why, this is stranger still.