over　her　shoulder　and　hid　itself　in　her　bosom；　her　nostrils；　a　little
  too　large　for　beauty；　quivered　with　triumph；　and　her　face　was　alight
  with　joy。　She　gently　shook　the　tetrarch's　shoulder；　and　exclaimed
  exultantly：
  〃Caesar　is　our　friend！　Agrippa　has　been　imprisoned！〃
  〃Who　told　thee　that？〃
  〃I　know　it！〃　she　replied；　adding：　〃It　was　because　he　coveted　the　crown
  of　Caligula。〃
  While　living　upon　the　charity　of　Antipas　and　Herodias；　Agrippa　had
  intrigued　to　become　king；　a　title　for　which　the　tetrarch　was　as　eager
  as　he。　But　if　this　news　were　true；　no　more　was　to　be　feared　from
  Agrippa's　scheming。
  〃The　dungeons　of　Tiberias　are　hard　to　open；　and　sometimes　life　itself
  is　uncertain　within　their　depths；〃　said　Herodias；　with　grim
  significance。
  Antipas　understood　her；　and；　although　she　was　Agrippa's　sister；　her
  atrocious　insinuation　seemed　entirely　justifiable　to　the　tetrarch。
  Murder　and　outrage　were　to　be　expected　in　the　management　of　political
  intrigues；　they　were　a　part　of　the　fatal　inheritance　of　royal　houses；
  and　in　the　family　of　Herodias　nothing　was　more　common。
  Then　she　rapidly　unfolded　to　the　tetrarch　the　secrets　of　her　recent
  undertakings；　telling　him　how　many　men　had　been　bribed；　what　letters
  had　been　intercepted；　and　the　number　of　spies　stationed　at　the　city
  gates。　She　did　not　hesitate　even　to　tell　him　of　her　success　in　an
  attempt　to　befool　and　seduce　Eutyches　the　denunciator。
  〃And　why　should　I　not？〃　she　said；　〃it　cost　me　nothing。　For　thee；　my
  lord；　have　I　not　done　more　than　that？　Did　I　not　even　abandon　my
  child？〃
  After　her　divorce　from　Philip；　she　had　indeed　left　her　daughter　in
  Rome；　hoping　that；　as　the　wife　of　the　tetrarch；　she　might　bear　other
  children。　Until　that　moment　she　had　never　spoken　to　Antipas　of　her
  daughter。　He　asked　himself　the　reason　for　this　sudden　display　of
  tenderness。
  During　their　brief　conversation　several　attendants　had　come　out　upon
  the　balcony；　one　slave　brought　a　quantity　of　large；　soft　cushions；　and
  arranged　them　in　a　kind　of　temporary　couch　upon　the　floor　behind　his
  mistress。　Herodias　sank　upon　them；　and　turning　her　face　away　from
  Antipas；　seemed　to　be　weeping　silently。　After　a　few　moments　she　dried
  her　eyes；　declared　that　she　would　dream　no　more；　and　that　she　was；　in
  reality；　perfectly　happy。　She　reminded　Antipas　of　their　former　long
  delightful　interviews　in　the　atrium；　their　meetings　at　the　baths；
  their　walks　along　the　Sacred　Way；　and　the　sweet　evening　rendezvous　at
  the　villa；　among　the　flowery　groves；　listening　to　the　murmur　of
  splashing　fountains；　within　sight　of　the　Roman　Campagna。　Her　glances
  were　as　tender　as　in　former　days；　she　drew　near　to　him；　leaned　against
  his　breast　and　caressed　him　fondly。
  But　he　repelled　her　soft　advances。　The　love　she　sought　to　rekindle　had
  died　long　ago。　He　thought　instead　of　all　his　misfortunes；　and　of　the
  twelve　long　years　during　which　the　war　had　continued。　Protracted
  anxiety　had　visibly　aged　the　tetrarch。　His　shoulders　were　bent　beneath
  his　violet…bordered　toga；　his　whitening　locks　were　long　and　mingled
  with　his　beard；　and　the　sunlight　revealed　many　lines　upon　his　brow；　as
  well　as　upon　that　of　Herodias。　After　the　tetrarch's　repulse　of　his
  wife's　tender　overtures；　the　pair　gazed　morosely　at　each　other。
  The　mountain　paths　began　to　show　signs　of　life。　Shepherds　were　driving
  their　flocks　to　pasture；　children　urged　heavy…laden　donkeys　along　the
  roads；　while　grooms　belonging　to　the　palace　led　the　horses　to　the
  river　to　drink。　The　wayfarers　descending　from　the　heights　on　the
  farther　side　of　Machaerus　disappeared　behind　the　castle；　others
  ascended　from　the　valleys；　and　after　arriving　at　the　palace　deposited
  their　burdens　in　the　courtyard。　Many　of　these　were　purveyors　to　the
  tetrarch；　others　were　the　servants　of　his　expected　guests；　arriving　in
  advance　of　their　masters。
  Suddenly；　at　the　foot　of　the　terrace　on　the　left；　an　Essene　appeared；
  he　wore　a　white　robe；　his　feet　were　bare；　and　his　demeanour　indicated
  that　he　was　a　follower　of　the　Stoics。　Mannaeus　instantly　rushed
  towards　the　stranger；　drawing　the　cutlass　that　he　wore　upon　his　hip。
  〃Kill　him！〃　cried　Herodias。
  〃Do　not　touch　him！〃　the　tetrarch　commanded。
  The　two　men　stood　motionless　for　an　instant；　then　they　descended　the
  terrace；　both　taking　a　different　direction；　although　they　kept　their
  eyes　fixed　upon　each　other。
  〃I　know　that　man；〃　said　Herodias；　after　they　had　disappeared。　〃His
  name　is　Phanuel；　and　he　will　try　to　seek　out　Iaokanann；　since　thou
  wert　so　foolish　as　to　allow　him　to　live。〃
  Antipas　said　that　the　man　might　some　day　be　useful　to　them。　His
  attacks　upon　Jerusalem　would　gain　them　the　allegiance　of　the　rest　of
  the　Jews。
  〃No；〃　said　Herodias；　〃the　Jews　will　accept　any　master；　and　are
  incapable　of　feeling　any　true　patriotism。〃　She　added　that；　as　for　the
  man　who　was　trying　to　influence　the　people　with　hopes　cherished　since
  the　days　of　Nehemiah；　the　best　policy　was　to　suppress　him。
  The　tetrarch　replied　that　there　was　no　haste　about　the　matter；　and
  expressed　his　doubt　that　any　real　danger　was　to　be　feared　from
  Iaokanann　even　affecting　to　laugh　at　the　idea。
  〃Do　not　deceive　thyself！〃　exclaimed　Herodias。　And　she　retold　the　story
  of　her　humiliation　one　day　when　she　was　travelling　towards　Gilead；　in
  order　to　purchase　some　of　the　balm　for　which　that　region　was　famous。
  〃A　multitude　was　standing　on　the　banks　of　the　stream；　my　lord；　many　of
  the　people　were　putting　on　their　raiment。　Standing　on　a　hillock；　a
  strange　man　was　speaking　to　the　gathering。　A　camel's…skin　was　wrapped
  about　his　loins；　and　his　head　was　like　that　of　a　lion。　As　soon　as　he
  saw　me；　he　launched　in　my　direction　all　the　maledictions　of　the
  prophets。　His　eyes　flamed；　his　voice　shook；　he　raised　his　arms　as　if
  he　would　draw　down　lightning　upon　my　head。　I　could　not　fly　from　him；
  the　wheels　of　my　chariot　sank　in　the　sand　up　to　the　middle；　and　I
  could　only　crawl　along；　hiding　my　head　with　my　mantle；　and　frozen　with
  terror　at　the　curses　that　poured　upon　me　like　a　storm　from　heaven！〃
  Continuing　her　harangue；　she　declared　that　the　knowledge　that　this　man
  still　existed　poisoned　her　very　life。　When　he　had　been　seized　and
  bound　with　cords；　the　soldiers　were　prepared　to　stab　him　if　he
  resisted；　but　he　had　been　quite　gentle　and　obedient。　After　he　had　been
  thrown　into　prison　some　one　had　put　venomous　serpents　into　his
  dungeon；　but　strange　to　say；　after　a　time　they　had　died；　leaving　him
  uninjured。　The　inanity　of　such　tricks　exasperated　Herodias。　Besides；
  she　inquired；　why　did　this　man　make　war　upon　her？　What　interest　moved
  him　to　such　actions？　His　injurious　words　to　her；　uttered　before　a
  throng　of　listeners；　had　been　repeated　and　widely　circulated；　she
  heard　them　whispered　everywhere。　Against　a　legion　of　soldiers　she
  would　have　been　brave；　but　this　mysterious　influence；　more　pernicious
  and　powerful　than　the　sword；　but　impossible　to　grasp；　was　maddening！
  Herodias　strode　to　and　fro　upon　the　terrace；　white　with　rage；　unable
  to　find　words　to　express　the　emotions　that　choked　her。
  She　had　a　haunting　fear　that　the　tetrarch　might　listen　to　public
  opinion　after　a　time；　and　persuade　himself　it　was　his　duty　to
  repudiate　her。　Then；　indeed；　all　would　be　lost！　Since　early　youth　she
  had　cherished　a　dream　that　some　day　she　would　rule　over　a　great
  empire。　As　an　important　step　towards　attaining　this　ambition；　she　had
  deserted　Philip；　her　first　husband；　and　married　the　tetrarch；　who　now
  she　thought　had　duped　her。
  〃Ah！　I　found　a　powerful　support；　indeed；　when　I　entered　thy　family！〃
  she　sneered。
  〃It　is　at　least　the　equal　of　thine；〃　Antipas　replied。
  Herodias　felt　the　blood　of　the　kings　and　priests；　her　ancestors；
  boiling　in　her　veins。
  〃Thy　grandfather　was　a　servile　attendant　upon　the　temple　of　Ascalon！〃
  she　went　on；　with　fury。　〃Thy　other　ancestors　were　shepherds；　bandits；
  conductors　of　caravans；　a　horde　of　slaves　offered　as　tribute　to　King
  David！　My　forefathers　were　the　conquerors　of　thine！　The　first　of　the
  Maccabees　drove　thy　people　out　of　Hebron；　Hyrcanus　forced　them　to　be
  circumcised！〃　Then；　with　all　the　contempt　of　the　patrician　for　the
  plebeian；　the　hatred　of　Jacob　for　Esau；　she　reproached　him　for　his
  indifference　towards　palpable　outrages　to　his　dignity；　his　weakness
  regarding　the　Phoenicians；　who　had　been　false　to　him；　and　his　cowardly
  attitude　towards　the　people　who　detested　and　insulted　herself。
  〃But　thou　art　like　them！〃　she　cried；　〃Dost　regret　the　loss　of　the　Arab
  girl　who　danced　upon　these　very　pavements？　Take　her　back！　Go　and　live
  with　herin　her　tent！　Eat　her　bread；　baked　in　the　ashes！　Drink
  curdled　sheep's…milk！　Kiss　her　dark　cheeksand　forget　me！〃
  The　tetrarch　had　already　forgotten　her　presence；　it　appeared。　He　paid
  no　further　heed　to　her　anger；　but　looked　intently　at　a　young　girl　who
  had　just　stepped　out　upon　the　balcony　of　a　house　not　far　away。　At　her
  si