"Last night you
wasted hours to spite me. To-day you begrudge me a moment's talk with
a lovely wayfarer. Or is it because she prefers me? You have ordered
our progress long enough. I shall move when it pleases me."
He sat down by the fire, clasping his hands back of his head, and
half-closed his eyes. The Ephesian rose and tramped restlessly about.
As he glanced down at the reposeful attitude of the man whom he could
not exasperate he saw the sun glitter on the Maccabaean signet on the
hand clasped back of Philadelphus' head. The sight of it in a way
collected Julian's purposes. He knew that by some misadventure he had
missed Aquila whom he had hoped to meet in Emmaus, bearing treasure
stolen from the daughter of Costobarus. By this time, then, the
Maccabee's emissary had doubtless arrived in Jerusalem--the last
possible point for the two conspirators to meet. To proceed to
Jerusalem without the Maccabee, with whatever excuse he could invent,
would not deliver the dowry of the bride into his hands, in the event
that Aquila had not succeeded in his instructions to make way with
Laodice before he reached Jerusalem. Nothing occurred to Julian at
that moment but to impersonate the Maccabee until it was possible to
get possession of the two hundred talents from those friends in
Jerusalem who were interested in his cousin's welfare.
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