The group of people near her were all silent, gazing with an odd
fascination at the quaint and ancient-sculptured figures above
them, when all at once Dr. Dean, taking the taper from the hands
of the Egyptian servant, held the flame close to the features of
the warrior riding in the car of triumph, and said slowly:

"Do you not see a curious resemblance, Princess, between this
Araxes and a friend of ours here present? Monsieur Armand Gervase,
will you kindly step forward? Yes, that will do, turn your head
slightly,--so! Yes! Now observe the outline of the features of
Araxes as carven in this sculpture thousands of years ago, and
compare it with the outline of the features of our celebrated
friend, the greatest French artist of his day. Am I the only one
who perceives the remarkable similarity of contour and
expression?"

The Princess made no reply. A smile crossed her lips, but no word
escaped them. Several persons, however, pressed eagerly forward to
look at and comment upon what was indeed a startling likeness. The
same straight, fierce brows, the same proud, firm mouth, the same
almond-shaped eyes were, as it seemed, copied from the ancient
entablature and repeated in flesh and blood in the features of
Gervase. Even Denzil Murray, absorbed though he was in conflicting
thoughts of his own, was struck by the coincidence.

"It is really very remarkable!" he said. "Allowing for the
peculiar style of drawing and design common to ancient Egypt, the
portrait of Araxes might pass for Gervase in Egyptian costume."

Gervase himself was silent. Some mysterious emotion held him mute,