No doubt his mother is some captive taken from a gentler and fairer race, for the child is not like a pure Arab. I hope his other parent treats him more kindly than that gigantic son of Ishmael appears to do."

As Alypius said these words the boat was brought to the foot of the broad steps cut in the rock that formed a landingplace to the island; and he sprang eagerly from the boat, and then assisted Claudia to land.

With every step, as they ascended to the upper part of the island, Alypius saw more to admire in the singular little spot, which is not more than about one hundred English acres in extent, and which formerly contained more magnificent temples than almost any city of ancient Egypt. Indeed, the whole island was covered nearly to the water's edge with sacred buildings, either gorgeous shrines for the chief divinities of Egyptian mythology, or colleges and dwellings for the priests and priestesses, and for those students of either sex who desired to be initiated into so much of the holy mysteries of religion as might be vouchsafed to them.

Even at the early period to which our story belongs, the greater part of the temples were regarded as monuments of antiquity, and wonders of ancient skill in architecture. But they were then almost as perfect as when the builders first left them; for in a country like Upper Egypt, where rain so seldom falls, all buildings remain in a wonderful state of preservation. The frescoes in the interior of the temples are yet, in many places, not affected by moisture; and even the paintings on the external walls may be seen by modern travellers in all their original freshness of form and colouring.

Alypius would have been more impressed by the grandeur and beauty of all that met his eyes as he reached the first terrace to which the rocky staircase led him and his companion, had not all his thoughts and feelings been so much absorbed by one far more interesting object. He passed the sculptured hieroglyphics, with which all the rocks around the landingplace were profusely covered, with little notice; but his attention was irresistibly attracted by the colossal figure of the god Nilus, placed on a huge block of stone, and overlooking the terrace. The image was in a sitting posture, and held in each hand a capacious jar, from which flowed streams of water that ran down into the river, as an emblem of the inundation, over which the deity was supposed to preside. An enormous serpent was coiled round his rocky throne, and above his head were perched the sacred hawk and vulture, which occur so frequently in Egyptian hieroglyphics.

A winding path led up to the summit of the cliffs, and there a solid wall seemed to forbid the further advance of the travellers. But they soon came to a massy gateway, through which they were admitted into the interior of the holy island.

A dreamy, mysterious silence pervaded the whole place. It seemed like a city of the dead; and this impression was scarcely lessened by the solemn priestly forms that were seen here and there, gliding with noiseless steps through lofty arches or along gloomy corridors.

Claudia had no need of the guidance of the appointed guardian of the sacred enclosure. She had visited the island in her younger days, and every part of it was strongly impressed upon her memory. She led Alypius through lines of

sacerdotal buildings and courts of gorgeous temples; but she walked along in silence, for her mind was busy with many sad and many pleasant memories of the past, and also many plans for the future; and her companion was in no mood to disturb her meditations.

CHAPTER XXI.

RE long our travellers reached the portal of the building where Arsinöe, the sister of Sophis, presided as a sort of abbess over a community of priestesses, and other female assistants in the service of Isis; and where also the daughters of some of the Egyptian aristocracy, who still adhered to the ancient national religion, were sent to be educated.

Like all the other buildings of Philæ, this college was highly ornamented, and very imposing in its outward aspect. An attendant of grave and solemn mien led Claudia and Alypius through the richly-carved entrance, and along painted corridors, towards the private apartments of the abbess; but the pictured walls, with all their strange devices, and the quaint statues that filled every niche and corner, were entirely lost upon them.

Was it a disappointment, or was it a relief, when they reached Arsinöe's apartment, to be told that she and her niece were engaged in the great temple of Osiris, where a solemn service was being celebrated, and where the priest, Orestes, was officiating?

Probably it was a mixed feeling, in which relief was predominant; for Claudia was greatly agitated at the idea of meeting the sister whom she had so dearly loved, and who would now probably not even recognise her; and Alypius felt hardly less emotion when he thought of again beholding the lovely Egyp

tian maiden; and both were glad of a little time to collect their thoughts, and prepare for the meeting.

One of the sisterhood now entered the apartment, and proposed to the strangers that they should repair with her to the temple. She spoke with reverential pride of the grand ceremony which was just about to commence; as she never contemplated the possibility of any persons coming to Philæ, and seeking the abode of the pious Arsinöe, who did not sympathize with the abbess in her religious creed, and were not prepared to assist in the worship of the gods to whom the whole island was dedicated.

Alypius eagerly accepted the invitation. He was desirous to witness the ceremonies of Egyptian worship, and he was still more desirous to have an opportunity of beholding Medora, unknown and unseen by her.

Claudia would have preferred waiting her sister's return to the college, for she shrank from seeing Medora actually engaged in the worship of those false gods whom she had herself renounced; but as she could assign no reason to the young novice for remaining alone, she accompanied her and Alypius. Through long porticoes, and cool, dimly-lighted passages, where the glowing sunbeams could not enter, they passed on, until they entered the open court in front of the grand temple of Osiris.

It was a noble building, with lofty walls adorned with pillars, and galleries, and stately entrances, and with many small chapels or oratories attached to it. The court was surrounded by a colonnade, and from thence shrines and chambers innumerable. Flights of winding steps

were passages that led to