polished　silver；　thy　fans　of　ostrich　plumes；　thy　shoes　with　their
  heels　of　mother…of…pearl；　that　serve　to　increase　thy　stature；　thy
  glittering　diamonds；　the　scent　of　thy　hair；　the　tint　of　thy　nails；
  all　the　artifices　of　thy　coquetry　shall　disappear；　and　missiles　shall
  be　found　wherewith　to　stone　the　adulteress！〃
  Herodias　looked　around　for　some　one　to　defend　her。　The　Pharisees
  lowered　their　eyes　hypocritically。　The　Sadducees　turned　away　their
  heads；　fearing　to　offend　the　proconsul　should　they　appear　to
  sympathise　with　her。　Antipas　was　almost　in　a　swoon。
  Louder　still　rose　the　voice　from　the　dungeon；　the　neighbouring　hills
  gave　back　an　echo　with　startling　effect；　and　Machaerus　seemed　actually
  surrounded　and　showered　with　curses。
  〃Prostrate　thyself　in　the　dust；　daughter　of　Babylon；　and　scourge
  thyself！　Remove　thy　girdle　and　thy　shoes；　gather　up　thy　garments　and
  walk　through　the　flowing　stream；　thy　shame　shall　follow　thee；　thy
  disgrace　shall　be　known　to　all　men；　thy　bosom　shall　be　rent　with　sobs。
  God　execrates　the　stench　of　thy　crimes！　Accursed　one！　die　like　a　dog！〃
  At　that　instant　the　trap…door　was　suddenly　shut　down　and　secured　by
  Mannaeus；　who　would　have　liked　to　strangle　Iaokanann　then　and　there。
  Herodias　glided　away　and　disappeared　within　the　palace。　The　Pharisees
  were　scandalised　at　what　they　had　heard。　Antipas；　standing　among　them；
  attempted　to　justify　his　past　conduct　and　to　excuse　his　present
  situation。
  〃Without　doubt；〃　said　Eleazar；　〃it　was　necessary　for　him　to　marry　his
  brother's　wife；　but　Herodias　was　not　a　widow；　and　besides；　she　had　a
  child；　which　she　abandoned；　and　that　was　an　abomination。〃
  〃You　are　wrong；〃　objected　Jonathas　the　Sadducee；　〃the　law　condemns
  such　marriages　but　does　not　actually　forbid　them。〃
  〃What　matters　it？　All　the　world　shows　me　injustice；〃　said　Antipas；
  bitterly；　〃and　why？　Did　not　Absalom　lie　with　his　father's　wives；　Judah
  with　his　daughter…in…law；　Ammon　with　his　sister；　and　Lot　with　his
  daughters？〃
  Aulus；　who　had　been　reposing　within　the　palace；　now　reappeared　in　the
  court。　After　he　had　heard　how　matters　stood；　he　approved　of　the
  attitude　of　the　tetrarch。　〃A　man　should　never　allow　himself　to　be
  annoyed；〃　said　he；　〃by　such　foolish　criticism。〃　And　he　laughed　at　the
  censure　of　the　priests　and　the　fury　of　Iaokanann；　saying　that　his
  words　were　of　little　importance。
  Herodias；　who　also　had　reappeared；　and　now　stood　at　the　top　of　a
  flight　of　steps；　called　loudly：
  〃You　are　wrong；　my　lord！　He　ordered　the　people　to　refuse　to　pay　the
  tax！〃
  〃Is　that　true？〃　he　demanded。　The　general　response　was　affirmative；
  Antipas　adding　his　word　to　the　declaration　of　the　others。
  Vitellius　had　a　misgiving　that　the　prisoner　might　be　able　to　escape；
  and　as　the　conduct　of　Antipas　appeared　to　him　rather　suspicious；　he
  established　his　own　sentinels　at　the　gates；　at　intervals　along　the
  walls；　and　in　the　courtyard　itself。
  At　last　he　retired　to　the　apartments　assigned　to　him；　accompanied　by
  the　priests。　Without　touching　directly　upon　the　question　of　the
  coveted　offices　of　public　sacrificers；　each　one　laid　his　own
  grievances　before　the　proconsul。　They　fairly　beset　him　with　complaints
  and　requests；　but　he　soon　dismissed　them　from　his　presence。
  As　Jonathas　left　the　proconsul's　apartments　he　perceived　Antipas
  standing　under　an　arch；　talking　to　an　Essene；　who　wore　a　long　white
  robe　and　flowing　locks。　Jonathas　regretted　that　he　had　raised　his
  voice　in　defence　of　the　tetrarch。
  One　thought　now　consoled　Herod…Antipas。　He　was　no　longer　personally
  responsible　for　the　fate　of　Iaokanann。　The　Romans　had　assumed　that
  charge。　What　a　relief！　He　had　noticed　Phanuel　pacing　slowly　through
  the　court；　and　calling　him　to　his　side；　he　pointed　put　the　guards
  established　by　Vitellius；　saying：
  〃They　are　stronger　than　I！　I　cannot　now　set　the　prisoner　free！　It　is
  not　my　fault　if　he　remains　in　his　dungeon。〃
  The　courtyard　was　empty。　The　slaves　were　sleeping。　The　day　was　drawing
  to　a　close；　and　the　sunset　spread　a　deep　rosy　glow　over　the　horizon；
  against　which　the　smallest　objects　stood　out　like　silhouettes。　Antipas
  was　able　to　distinguish　the　excavations　of　the　salt…mines　at　the
  farther　end　of　the　Dead　Sea；　but　the　tents　of　the　Arabs　were　no　longer
  visible。　As　the　moon　rose；　the　effect　of　the　day's　excitement　passed
  away；　and　a　feeling　of　peace　entered　his　heart。
  Phanuel；　also　wearied　by　the　recent　agitating　scenes；　remained　beside
  the　tetrarch。　He　sat　in　silence　for　some　time；　his　chin　resting　on　his
  breast。　At　last　he　spoke　in　confidence　to　Antipas；　and　revealed　what
  he　had　wished　to　say。
  From　the　beginning　of　the　month；　he　said；　he　had　been　studying　the
  heavens　every　morning　before　daybreak；　when　the　constellation　of
  Perseus　was　at　the　zenith；　Agalah　was　scarcely　visible；　Algol　was　even
  less　bright；　Mira…Cetus　had　disappeared　entirely；　from　all　of　which　he
  augured　the　death　of　some　man　of　great　importance；　to　occur　that　very
  night　in　Machaerus。
  Who　was　the　man？　Vitellius　was　too　closely　guarded　to　be　reached。　No
  one　would　kill　Iaokanann。
  〃It　is　I！〃　thought　the　tetrarch。
  It　might　be　that　the　Arabs　would　return　and　make　a　successful　attack
  upon　him。　Perhaps　the　proconsul　would　discover　his　relations　with　the
  Parthians。　Several　men　whom　Antipas　had　recognised　as　hired　assassins
  from　Jerusalem；　had　escorted　the　priests　in　the　train　of　the
  proconsul；　they　all　carried　daggers　concealed　beneath　their　robes。　The
  tetrarch　had　no　doubt　whatever　of　the　exactness　of　Phanuel's　skill　in
  astrology。
  Suddenly　he　bethought　him　of　Herodias。　He　would　consult　her。　He　hated
  her；　certainly；　but　she　might　give　him　courage；　and　besides；　in　spite
  of　his　dislike；　not　all　the　bonds　were　yet　broken　of　that　sorcery
  which　once　she　had　woven　about　him。
  When　he　entered　her　chamber；　he　was　met　by　the　pungent　odour　of
  cinnamon　burning　in　a　porphyry　vase　and　the　perfume　of　powders；
  unguents；　cloud…like　gauzes　and　embroideries　light　as　feathers；　filled
  the　air　with　fragrance。
  He　did　not　speak　of　Phanuel's　prophecy；　nor　of　his　own　fear　of　the
  Jews　and　the　Arabs。　Herodias　had　already　accused　him　of　cowardice。　He
  spoke　only　of　the　Romans；　and　complained　that　Vitellius　had　not
  confided　to　him　any　of　his　military　projects。　He　said　he　supposed　the
  proconsul　was　the　friend　of　Caligula；　who　often　visited　Agrippa；　and
  expressed　a　surmise　that　he　himself　might　be　exiled；　or　that　perhaps
  his　throat　would　be　cut。
  Herodias；　who　now　treated　him　with　a　kind　of　disdainful　indulgence；
  tried　to　reassure　him。　At　last　she　took　from　a　small　casket　a　curious
  medallion；　ornamented　with　a　profile　of　Tiberius。　The　sight　of　it；　she
  said；　as　she　gave　it　to　Antipas；　would　make　the　lictors　turn　pale　and
  silence　all　accusing　voices。
  Antipas；　filled　with　gratitude；　asked　her　how　the　medallion　had　come
  into　her　possession。
  〃It　was　given　to　me；〃　was　her　only　answer。
  At　that　moment　Antipas　beheld　a　bare　arm　slipping　through　a　portiere
  hanging　in　front　of　him。　It　was　the　arm　of　a　youthful　woman；　as
  graceful　in　outline　as　if　carved　from　ivory　by　Polyclitus。　With　a
  movement　a　little　awkward　and　at　the　same　time　charming；　it　felt　about
  the　wall　an　instant；　as　if　seeking　something；　then　took　down　a　tunic
  hanging　upon　a　hook　near　the　doorway；　and　disappeared。
  An　elderly　female　attendant　passed　quietly　through　the　room；　lifted
  the　portiere；　and　went　out。　A　sudden　recollection　pierced　the　memory
  of　the　tetrarch。
  〃Is　that　woman　one　of　thy　slaves？〃　he　asked。
  〃What　matters　that　to　thee？〃　was　the　disdainful　reply。
  CHAPTER　III
  The　great　banqueting…hall　was　filled　with　guests。　This　apartment　had
  three　naves；　like　a　basilica；　which　were　separated　by　columns　of
  sandalwood；　whose　capitals　were　of　sculptured　bonze。　On　each　side　of
  the　apartment　was　a　gallery　for　spectators；　and　a　third；　with　a　facade
  of　gold　filigree；　was　at　one　end；　opposite　an　immense　arch　at　the
  other。
  The　candelabra　burning　on　the　tables；　which　were　spread　the　whole
  length　of　the　banqueting…hall；　glowed　like　clusters　of　flaming　flowers
  among　the　painted　cups；　the　plates　of　shining　copper；　the　cubes　of
  snow　and　heaps　of　luscious　grapes。　Through　the　large　windows　the
  guests　could　see　lighted　torches　on　the　terraces　of　the　neighbouring
  houses；　for　this　night　Antipas　was　giving　a　feast　to　his　friends；　his
  own　people；　and　to　anyone　that　presented　himself　at　the　castle。
  The　slaves；　alert　as　dogs；　glided　about　noiselessly　in　felt　sandals；
  carrying　dishes　to　and　fro。
  The　table　of　the　proconsul　was　placed　beneath　the　gilded　balcony　upon
  a　platform　of　sycamore　wood。　Rich　tapestries　from　Babylon　were　hung
  about　the　pavilion；　giving　a　certain　effect　of　seclusion。
  Upon　three　ivory　couches；　one　facing　the　great　hall；　and　the　other　two
  placed　one　on　either　side　of　the　pavilion；　reclined　Vitellius；　his　son
  Aulus；