CHAPTER XXVIII
THE LAMP
If Domitian at length slackened in his fruitless search for Miriam,Caleb, whose whole heart was in the hunt, proved more diligent. Still,he could find no trace of her. At first he made sure that if she was inRome she would return to visit her friends and protectors, Gallusand his wife, and in the hope of thus discovering her, Caleb caused aconstant watch to be kept on their abode. But Miriam never came there,nor, although their footsteps were dogged from day to day, did they leadhim to her, since in truth Julia and Miriam met only in the catacombs,where he and his spies dared not venture. Soon, however, Gallusdiscovered that his home was kept under observation and its inmatestracked from place to place. It was this knowledge indeed which, morethan any other circumstance, brought him to make up his mind to departfrom Rome and dwell in Syria, since he said that he would no longer livein a city where night by night he and his were hunted like jackals. Butwhen he left for Ostia, to wait there till the ship _Luna_ was ready,Caleb followed him, and in that small town soon found out all his plans,learning that he meant to sail with his wife in the vessel. Then, as hecould hear nothing of Miriam, he returned to Rome.
After all it was by chance that he discovered her and not through hisown cleverness. Needing a lamp for his chamber he entered a shop wheresuch things were sold, and examined those that the merchant offered tohim. Presently he perceived one of the strange design of two palms withintertwining trunks and feathery heads nodding apart, having a lamphanging by a little chain from the topmost frond of each of them. Theshape of the trees struck him as familiar, and he let his eye run downtheir stems until it reached the base, which, to support so tall apiece, was large. Yes, the palms grew upon a little bank, and therebeneath the water rippled, while between bank and water was a long,smooth stone, pointed at one end. Then in a flash Caleb recognised theplace, as well he might, seeing that on many and many an evening hadhe and Miriam sat side by side upon that stone, angling for fish in themuddy stream of Jordan. There was no doubt about it, and, look! halfhidden in the shadow of the stone lay a great fish, the biggest thatever he had caught--he could swear to it, for its back fin was split.
A mist came before Caleb's eyes and in it across the years he sawhimself a boy again. There he stood, his rod of reed bent double and thethin line strained almost to breaking, while on the waters of Jordan agreat fish splashed and rolled.
"I cannot pull him in," he cried. "The line will never bear it and thebank is steep. Oh! Miriam, we shall lose him!"
Then there was a splash, and, behold! the girl at his side had sprunginto the swiftly running river. Though its waters, reaching to her neck,washed her down the stream, she hugged to her young breast that great,slippery fish, yes, and gripped its back fin between her teeth, tillwith the aid of his reed rod he drew them both to land.