Now, Zminis the Egyptian, the right hand of the man who has been turned out, is, it must be said, a wretch without ruth or conscience." But here the discussion was interrupted.

Melissa, whose ears had tingled as she listened, had started with horror as she heard that Zminis, the in former, was to be appointed to the command of the whole watch of the city.

If this should happen, her brothers and father were certainly lost.

This must be prevented.

As the high-priest ceased speaking, she laid her hand on Caesar's, and, when he looked up at her in surprise, she whispered to him, so low and so quickly that hardly any one observed it "Not Zminis; he is our mortal enemy!" Caracalla scarcely glanced at the face of the daring girl, but he saw how pale she had turned.