He was sobered by the voice of one of the armed men,
"There is no one here, and cannot be."
They halted. Samentu felt that he loved those men, and his heart thumped within him.
The second group of persons came up; among them there was a discussion,
"How can even thou, worthiness, suppose that some one has entered?" asked a voice quivering with anger. "All the entrances are guarded, especially now. And even if any one stole in it would be only to die here of hunger."
"But, worthiness, see how this Lykon bears himself," answered another voice. "The sleeping man looks all the time as if he felt an enemy near him.."
"Lykon?" thought Samentu. "Ah, that Greek who is like the pharaoh. What do I see? Mefres has brought him!"
At this moment the sleeping Greek rushed forward and stopped at the column behind which Samentu was hidden. The armed men ran after him, and the gleam of their torches threw light on the dark figure of Samentu.
"Who is here?" cried, with a hoarse voice, the leader.
Samentu stood forth. The sight of him made such a powerful impression that the torch-bearers withdrew. He might have passed out between them, so terrified were they, and no one would have detained him; but the priest thought no longer of rescue.