The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-12-15
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Hypatia was the handsome young Jew, Raphael Aben-ESra. reputed richest or the Hebrews of Alexandria He had forsahen the creed of his fathers and pute with his fais instructress~%per. haps more because of Hypatia than Of
 her philosophy, against which, after au. the sparkE of his old faith In the God of Abraham revolted.
 one day as Raphael and Orestes sat in . summer room of the protects pal nee throwing dice for horses and slaves and dancing girls, the wifhered old Jewess Miriam came with . letter Tn answer to one Orestes had written to Hypatia. That old hag has the evil eye" said Orestes, "and Hypatia tells me she haunts her all the time. ! must see to 1t that she Is disciplined. race would stir up all the hornets in Jewry."
 Really. can't say" replied Raphael Tt might Or 1t might stir up Miriam
 to call in some of her loans-whtch
 would be quite as disagreeable."
 Orestes winced at the intimate knowledge which the Jew seemed to have of his monetary affairs. and con tinued: Well. she always has a batch of handsome dancing girls for sale and
 so shall be forgiven. Bid the slave
 bring in the letter."
 After reading 1t Orestes threw It to
 Raphael. What am to do? She asks me to apostatize. Ins the face of Cyril and his monks dare not. They
 would tear me to pieces in the streets. Married to Hypatia I might become En-
 peror of Africa. l say, suppose you
 marry her and I will make you any
 thing you like. You can be my right
 hand and so we shall have the benefit of Hypatia's wisdom and influence"
 hf foh r1afCr
 whelms me-" replied the Jew, lowing,
 but having never in my life cared for any one's interest except my own, you
 must pardon nae if at my time of life must refuse to devote myself to yours. But you can walt. There Is no hurry about the answer. Xou can
 promise. They tell me Romans before now have broken promises"
 As Raphael bowed himself out, old
 Miriam caught him by the arm and said: Does the fool dare? If that Pefagia had as much common sense as Hypatia has in her little finger I could
 place her and her Goth on the throne
 of the Caesars"
 "Pelagia is your meet successful pu- pill. certainly" replied Raphael. The hag chuckled to herself for . while and then suddenly forcing a splendid opal ring into RaphaeT's hand she said In a wheedling voice: There. my son. Take 1t. Now you are safe.f It has the
 unspeakable name carved on 1t, just like Solomon's own--and do not call
 me witch and hag as you often do. do not mind it from anybody else. but from you" and the old woman van- | ished down by-lane leaving Raphael utterly bewiidered. Moses and the prophets" said he. 'tdoes this old lady As Hypatia went forth next morning
 in all her glory with a crowd of phil- osophers. students and fine gentlemen following her in reverent admiration across the street to her lecture room
 . ragged beggar placed himself Tn her
 way. way ana nd extending . dirty hand,
 him and started with surprise. The man was Raphael Aben-E Ezra!
 The night before. Thousands of monks had broken into the Jew quar- ter under the lead of Cyril. and, driv- ing the Hebrews from the city, had footed their houses. Old Miriam had warned Raphael of what was to hap pen. but he had calmly stayed on to 1 the end. and then giving to the old wo- man for safe keeping such portable | property as she could take away in Jewels and gold. he had dressed him self as a beggar, and now announced his inteptions of journeying, to Italy. q am nov at the foot of the ladder, most fair Hypatia. You have so often l lectured of the blessing of poverty that you should not be surprised if one of | your pupils at least tries the experi- | ment," said he. T go to look for a mafl. When I find him I will come I and tell you.". And taking his staff and l calling to his dog the most luxurious 1 dandy in Alexandria went forth as a | beggar.
 The strange scene had been witt xxrffh Inf fnf " | most of all by another young man | who had set for himseik a task which | 1t took all of his courage to carry out. | it was Philammon, the boy monk. 1'he reputation Of Hypatia had become so | great and her influence was extending so fast that the youth had begged of | Cyrial to let him go to one of the | lectures and confute and confound her | heathen doctrine. But Cyril had
 warned him: Do not argue. You will be lost if you try to match wits with
 her.. She is subtle as the old serpent himself. Do not argue. Assert and deny with vehemence, but no arguing" The scene with Raphael had filled Philammon with the question: Could ] 1t be possible that 8 Jew or heather l could actually seek a life of poverty" He had supposed only Christians cap l able of self sacrifice. And now the wonderful beauty of Hypatia, the voice l like music in which she poured out her | words. and the rapt attention with which her hearers hung on her every | expression, so entranced the young
 monk that for a time he forgot his
 mission and saw only Hypatia, heard only Hypatia. But, recollecting himself
 suddenly. he shouted: 'It Is false
 blasphemous! The Scriptures cannot
 lioP Yet even as he spoke he felt
 that he was-for the first time in his
 life-face to face with the root ques-
 tions of all thought: "What am and where2 What can l knowr'
 Throw the rustic through the Win
 dow" shouted the young gentleman. Turn the monk outP' But Hypatia said: Let him stay gentlemen. He is 1 but monk and plebian and kno ES no better" After the lecture she sent | for him. presenting him with a free
 ticket for her lectures and generally l treating him with a sweet condescen-
 sion as If he were a half reasoning | child and she a superior being-as, in- deed, Philammon began to think she | wa6 54
 Returning to the episcopal residence | he met Peter the Reader, a schemins | cold and worldly man, who had the | Patriarch's ear and meant to keep 1t.
 His calculating mind instinctiyely re- l coiled from contact with that fresh
 young soul. Fervently he wished the | boy back in the sands of the Laura. So
 now, when Philammon asked to see | the Patriarch, Peter the Reader said
 to him: Do you think His Holiness
 has nothing to do but to listen to sucn
 youthful wanderers from the desert as