Pretending not to understand she sat still and sullen, till at length he stooped down and lifted her robe.

Then in an instant the girl dealt him such a kick in the face that amidst the laughter of the spectators he rolled backwards on the floor, whence he rose with a cut and bloody forehead.
"Very good, my beauty, very good," he muttered in a savage voice, "before twelve hours are over you shall pay for that." But again the girl sat sullen and motionless, pretending not to understand.
Most of the public, however, were gathered about Miriam, who sat upon a chair by herself, her hands folded, her head bent down, a very picture of pitiful, outraged modesty.

One by one as their turns came and the attendant suffered them to approach, the men advanced and examined her closely, though Nehushta noted that none of them were allowed to touch her with their hands.

Placing herself at the end of the line she watched with all her eyes and listened with all her ears.

Soon she had her reward.