He desired to be buried in the church of St.John at Alexandria by his father's side, and to be prayed for in front of the mortuary chapel of his ancestors in the Necropolis; he had set aside a sum of money, in his will, to pay for the prayers to be offered for his soul.

The priests were well pleased to hear this, and they absolved him unconditionally and completely; then, after blessing him fervently, they quitted the room.
Philippus heaved a sigh of relief when the ecclesiastics had departed, and constantly renewed the wet compress, while the dying governor lay for a long time in silence with his eyes shut.

Presently he rubbed them as though he felt revived, raised his head a little with the physician's help, and looking up, said: "Draw the ring off my finger, Orion, and wear it worthily .-- Where is little Mary, where is Paula?
I should wish to bid them farewell too." The young man and his mother exchanged uneasy glances, but Neforis collected herself at once and replied: "We have sent for Mary; but Paula--you know she never was happy with us--and since the events of yesterday...." "Well ?" asked the invalid.
"She hastily quitted the house; but we parted friends, I can assure you of that; she is still in Memphis, and she spoke of you most affectionately and wished to see you, and charged me with many loving messages for you; so, if you really care to see her...." The sick man tried to nod his head, but in vain.

He did not, however, insist on her being sent for, but his face wore an expression of deep melancholy and the words came faintly from his lips.
"Thomas' daughter! The noblest and loveliest of all." "The noblest and loveliest," echoed Orion, in a voice that was tremulous with strong, deep and sincere emotion; then he begged the leech and the deaconess to leave him alone with his parents.

As soon as they had left the room the young man spoke softly but urgently into his father's ear: "You are quite right, Father," he said.