“Was all thy former love and devotion but vain deceit, or hast thou gone mad? It hath been so reported, and I am constrained to believe it!
“Would that I had never seen thy face!
“I hold in contempt the love which thou dost now profess for me!
“Thou hast despised not me only, but my family and people and religion, and all which thou—when thou wert Saulus—rightly honored!
“My heart is bruised, my face blanched, and my form shrunken!
“I shall die! but many deaths would in no wise turn my heart in thy favor!
Cassia.”
The visage of Saulus as he read the missive to the end was pale but placid. Not a word escaped his lips, but with careful deliberation he slowly tore the delicate parchment into small pieces, and scattered them in one of the deep chasms of the cave.
* * * * * * * * * *
Often during a stormy evening, when the elements seem chaotic, and the gusty night wind sweeps the broken clouds or dark mist rapidly along, a brilliant star will burst into full view for a moment, and then disappear.