"Very wonderful is all this," he thought. "A strange place is this city of Jerusalem, with its many rulers and its secrets of the gods and of the old time, and with these things which are done here. Of what good is it that it hath so great a temple and so many priests?"
At that moment there came to his ears a beautiful, low music murmuring through the cool air of the corridor.
"Ulric, art thou here?"
"Miriam!" he exclaimed, turning to listen.
"O, I thank thee that thou hast come," she said. "I have had such fear upon me! Much rather would I die. One moment I must see thee and speak to thee! Tarry a moment!"
"More I may not do, O Miriam," he said, with a great light rising in his eyes. "But I have given my promise to Ben Ezra and to thy God concerning thee that no harm shall come upon thee. I will but look upon thy face."
"Thou art wonderful!" she said, and then they saw not aught of all the world except each other for that breathing space.
"O thou," she whispered, "I know not if thou art of the heathen or if I am of Abraham's seed. O what but death should part me and thee!"
"I think not even death," he said, "seeing that we go to one place after the sword cometh. But if indeed thy Jehovah be a god and if he have given me to thee, I will offer to him many sacrifices. I must go forth now, for I have many things to do for thee and for a friend. If this Jesus of Nazareth arriveth, I must have speech with him. I have told thee how he healed me."
"So must I see him," she said. "I listened to him many times in Galilee. He is a very learned rabbi and I would hear him again."