Swiftly he passed on, and was out of sight; while the same boding cry was heard repeated in the distance. But not so swiftly did the feelings of terror which he had excited in the breast of Claudia subside. Her mind had always been inclined to superstition; and though she strove to banish the impression that was made by the denunciation of the wild prophet, yet it sounded continually in her ears as the knell of all her earthly hopes. The sad party reached their home, and immediately proceeded to the apartment generally occupied by Zadok and his family; and there, to their utter astonishment, they found Javan, in the usual loose robe in which he pursued his studies, deeply occupied in transcribing some portions of the sacred Talmud. Zadok and Salome, and their guest, the beautiful Mary of Bethezob, were also engaged in their ordinary employments; and all appeared equally startled and surprised at the entrance of their relatives in a manner so unexpected, and with countenances expressive of so much grief and anxiety. Javan was the first to inquire, in a tone of perfect unconsciousness, into the cause of their distress; and so well did he feign ignorance and sympathy, that they began to doubt whether it was indeed he whom they had so lately seen under such different circumstances, and wearing so different an aspect. Naomi and Claudia fixed their eyes searchingly upon his countenance, while Amaziah related to his brother the particulars of all that had occurred to them, but they could read nothing in Javan's features to confirm their suspicions of his guilt. He betrayed no emotion, but affected sorrow and surprise; and so readily offered his assistance in discovering the authors of the deed, that his parents never thought of ascribing it to him, though the rest of his relatives were still doubtful and suspicious. Having acted his hypocritical part with perfect coolness, Javan left the house on the pretence of making instant inquiries concerning the fate of Theophilus; and with a promise to return as soon as he had obtained any intelligence. He was no sooner gone than Claudia--who had hitherto with difficulty restrained herself from charging him with his duplicity and cruelty--declared to Zadok and Salome her firm conviction that their son was the cause of the sorrow which had come upon them; and not only that the barbarous scheme had originated with him, but that he had been present in disguise to put it in execution. "He had a companion who also concealed his face, and wore the garb of a stranger," she added, "but his voice seemed to be one that I had often heard." The daughter of Eleazar was present, and for her sake Claudia forbore to say that she believed Isaac to be the accomplice of Javan; but she had no doubt on the subject, and she was right in her conjecture.