"He was a bondslave of the centurion of the band of legionaries on the quinquereme," said Ben Ezra. "His father was a rich man in Corinth, but the proconsul lusted after his goods and he was accused. He was but slain, not crucified, but his older sons went to the arena to feed lions, and this Lysias, for his youth and beauty, was kept alive, if a man be indeed living who is slave to a Roman. Thou mayest trust him that he hated his master."
"For what part didst thou intend to sail," asked Ulric; "seeing the Romans could have found thee anywhere on the earth?"
"Not so," replied Ben Ezra. "I were safe if once I were in Judea or Galilee."
"And where are they?" asked Ulric.
"At the eastern shore of this sea, as thou shouldst know," said Ben Ezra, "is the land of my people. In it are many cities and mountains, and its provinces are under different governors. He who is threatened by one needs but to flee to another if he can take a gift with him. I have a gift for thee wherewith thou couldst buy a consul, if so be he had no opportunity to rob thee. My goods, all but one casket, went down with the quinquereme. In that casket are gems of my own—"
"I want them not," said Ulric. "They are not my prizes. I struck no blow for them. Keep thou that which is thine own. I am a Saxon, not a pirate."
"Thou art a sea king," replied Ben Ezra. "I have had many dealings with such as thou art. They are not like other men, for they keep faith with strangers. But this, also, I tell thee: as the Roman ship began to fill the centurion went mad, it seemed, for he took from his crypt in his cabin his own jewels and some that the prætor would have sent to Cæsar to buy a pardon for some of his offenses. These, also, went into my casket, and he placed it on the deck and by it a small bag of gold. With aid of three oars for floats and with strong swimming I rescued all, and here they are. Even the centurion knew not their value."
"I know what gold coins are," said Ulric, as the bag was opened before him. "Oswald the Harper taught me concerning money. Are these thine?"
"Nay," said Ben Ezra, "they are thine, for they belonged to the centurion. Of the stones I will show thee. That sardonyx is mine. It was graven in Egypt, and on it are words of the wisdom of the priests of Isis."
"Runes like Hilda's!" exclaimed Ulric, gazing earnestly upon the characters which blended with the varying tints of the beautifully polished stone. "Canst thou read them?"