"Our pious Paulus, warned me against you and I will thank him for it.

'The evil one,' he says, 'looks out of your eyes,' and he is right, a thousand times right.

When you look at me I feel as if I could tread every thing that is holy under foot; only last night again I dreamed I was whirling in a dance with you--" At these words all gravity and spite vanished from Miriam's eyes; she clapped her hands and cried, "If it had only been the fact and not a dream! Only do not be frightened again, you fool! Do you know then what it is when the pipes sound, and the lutes tinkle, and our feet fly round in circles as if they had wings ?" "The wings of Satan," Hermas interrupted sternly.

"You are a demon, a hardened heathen." "So says our pious Paulus," laughed the girl.
"So say I too," cried the young man.

"Who ever saw you in the assemblies of the just?
Do you pray?
Do you ever praise the Lord and our Saviour ?" "And what should I praise them for ?" asked Miriam.