to-day."

"Child, you should not weep for that; nay, you should be glad who at
once will find your husband and your Saviour."

"Mother, I am glad; but, you see my state. It is for the child's sake I
weep, that now never will be born. Had it won life even for an hour all
of us would have dwelt together in bliss until eternity. But it cannot
be--it cannot be."

Anna looked at her with her piercing eyes.

"Have you, then, also the gift of prophecy, child, who are so young a
member of the Church, that you dare to say that this or that cannot be?
The future is in the hand of God. King Agrippa, your father, the Romans,
the cruel Jews, those lions that roar yonder, and we who are doomed to
feed them, are all in the hand of God, and that which He wills shall
befall, and no other thing. Therefore, let us praise Him and rejoice,
and take no thought for the morrow, unless it be to pray that we may die
and go hence to our Master, rather than live on in doubts and terrors
and tribulations."

"You are right, mother," answered Rachel, "and I will try to be brave,
whatever may befall; but my state makes me feeble. The spirit, truly, is
willing, but oh! the flesh is weak. Listen, they call us to partake of
the Sacrament of the Lord--our last on earth"; and rising, she began to
walk towards the arches.

Nehushta stayed to help Anna to her feet. When she judged her mistress
to be out of hearing she leaned down and whispered: