with the back of her hand, exclaiming, "The old ones, not these. Wooden
shoes even would do here."

And with these words she pointed to the court-yard under the window,
which was in fact as ill contrived, as though gilt sandals had never yet
trodden it. It was surrounded by buildings; on one side was a wall with
a gateway, and on the others buildings which formed a sharply bent
horseshoe.

Opposite the wing in which Sirona and her husband had found a home stood
the much higher house of Petrus, and both had attached to them, in the
background of the court-yard, sheds constructed of rough reddish brown
stones, and covered with a thatch of palm-branches; in these the
agricultural implements were stored, and the senator's slaves lived. In
front lay a heap of black charcoal, which was made on the spot by burning
the wood of the thorny sajala species of acacia; and there too lay a
goodly row of well smoothed mill-stones, which were shaped in the quarry,
and exported to Egypt. At this early hour the whole unlovely domain lay
in deep shadow, and was crowded with fowls and pigeons. Sirona's window
alone was touched by the morning sun. If she could have known what a
charm the golden light shed over her figure, on her rose and white face,
and her shining hair, she would have welcomed the day-star, instead of
complaining that it had too early waked her from sleep--her best comfort
in her solitude.

Besides a few adjoining rooms she was mistress of a larger room, the
dwelling room, which look out upon the street.

She shaded her eyes with her hand, exclaiming, "Oh! the wearisome sun.
It looks at us the first thing in the morning through the window; as if