Out of the Triangle | Page 6

exit. As Athribis passed by the box again, he looked more
curiously at it. Surely the scrolls must be of some worth. He could not
read, but perhaps something of value might be secretly hidden inside
each of these scrolls. Who knew? It must be! It seemed incredible that
even Christians would be foolish enough to fill a treasure-box with
nothing but rolls of writing, and then conceal the box so carefully
behind this wind-sail!
Athribis purposely lingered a little behind the other men. He snatched
up the rolls, and having hidden them in his garment, hurried from the
roof.
"I am a Christian," calmly said a voice in the court. "Yea, I have striven
to bring others to Christ."
There stood the father of the household, his wife, and their two children,
one a girl of thirteen, the other a boy a little younger. They had broken
the emperor's decree. The father did not deny the charge brought
against them. It was his voice that Athribis had heard, and the same
voice spoke on:
"My children," continued the father, "our days on earth come to a close.
Let us sing our twilight hymn, for now indeed our work is nearly
done."

Above the scornful tumult rose the four voices, singing the "Twilight,"
or "Candle Hymn," of the early Christians. The children's tones
trembled a little at first, but soon grew firm, as if sustained by the
calmness with which the parents sang. The angry faces around the court
became yet more fierce with hatred, as, through a moment's pause, the
rioters listened to the words of the hymn:
"Calm Light of the celestial glory, O Jesus Son of the Eternal Father,
We come to thee now as the sun goes down, And before the evening
light We seek thee, Father, Son And Holy Spirit of God. Thou art
worthy to be forever praised by holy voices, O Son of God; thou givest
life to us, And therefore doth the world glorify thee."
Mocking cries arose from the mob. Not daring to linger longer,
Athribis ran out of the house, and hastened homeward, full of
apprehension as to what might await him.
"Where are the lentiles?" asked the slave by the threshold, as Athribis,
forgetful, in his excitement, of the excuse he had made for his departure,
passed swiftly and softly in.
"I found none," quickly answered Athribis, with alarm.
He sped silently to his former place of work, and fell to polishing the
pavement with a zeal unknown before. He knew well enough that the
slave by the threshold would not believe in that excuse, lentiles being
plentiful enough. Terror had robbed Athribis' deceitful tongue of its
usual cunning, and now he silently bewailed his startled answer. If the
slave by the threshold should report to Heraklas' mother the fact that
Athribis had been away!
Athribis longed to have time to unroll the scrolls which he had hidden
in his garment, but he dared not look at them till he should be alone.
A voice sounded in the court. Athribis redoubled his zeal: He
recognized the tones of Heraklas' mother.
"I was not long gone! I was not long gone!" the guilty Athribis hastily

assured himself. "Surely she hath hated the Christians, even as I hate
them! I was gone but a moment! Surely she cannot know! If I find
treasure in my rolls, I will give some to the slave by the threshold.
Surely, treasure is as dumbness to a man!"
The footsteps of the mother of Heraklas drew near. The servant bowed
over his work, and dared not lift his eyes. She did not stop! And
Athribis looked breathlessly after the woman, as she passed
majestically on.
"Surely she hath not known what I did!" he gasped as the stately figure
disappeared among the columns. "Isis preserveth me from stripes! My
feet are unbeaten!"
Athribis waited till night, when the household slept. Then he crept out
of the little chamber on the roof where the slaves were wont to sleep,
according to the custom of Egyptian households.
A dim thread of a moon floated toward the west. Athribis crept to a far
part of the roof. The wind blew somewhat, but it did not cool the fever
of excitement felt by him. Within a moment he might be rich! He might
find gold in these scrolls!
He drew out the scrolls. Surely there was something firm inside this
one! He felt something! He narrowly scanned the Christians' papyrus,
as he hastily unrolled it. His lips were parted with eagerness, his breath
panted into the heart of the scroll, as he held his face down that he
might see. He unrolled the papyrus to the end. He sat up, and drew a
breath. His bare feet kicked viciously at the