"Your farewell has been a long one, Theophilus: it is high time that my mother and sister were relieved from the presence of an apostate. Are you in tears, Naomi, at parting with Claudia too? The admission of a heathen idolater into our family has brought with it the curse I expected. Even my father's blood is infected with worse than Roman idolatry. The name of the Nazarene impostor is invoked beneath my father's roof. But I will purge out the poison, and see that it spreads no further. Truly, Judith, if you knew of your son's infidelity and madness, you should have warned us of it, and not have suffered him to hold converse with my sister. You should have done more. If he refused to listen to the counsels of Amaziah, and return to the true faith, you should have denounced him to the council. What are all earthly ties compared to the honour of Jehovah? With my own hand would I wipe away the stain of idolatry from my family. And yet," he added, in a lower and sterner voice, "and yet it may be my lot to do so. Judith, if you and Amaziah are partakers in the impiety of your son, I warn you that it will be discovered; and even the brother of Zadok shall not be screened from offended justice. You need not reply. I have my suspicions; and we will see whether they are well founded. Now leave us, and take your adopted daughter with you. She never was a proper companion for a Jewish maiden. Probably she may become a more suitable wife for a Nazarene apostate." Claudia caught the arm of Theophilus, trembling with fear and indignation, and urged him to leave the room. It was Christian forbearance, and consideration for Salome and Naomi, that alone preserved the high-spirited young man from replying to Javan with the severity which he well merited; but he remembered Him who "when he was reviled, reviled not again," and bridling his natural feelings of resentment, he led his mother and Claudia out of the apartment. When they were gone, Salome with tears besought her son to lay aside his anger, and for her sake to take no measures against his father's relatives. Naomi joined her entreaties to those of her mother; but they could prevail little with the fanatical Javan, who used no moderate terms in expressing his opinion not only of Theophilus, but also of his parents: and the family retired to rest with agitated and uneasy feelings.