And now there began on the part of Berenice a flow of talk that, sometimes witty, sometimes wise, was always interesting. She touched on topics grave and gay, from the government of the empire to the latest fashion in sandals, never failing to illumine the subject in hand with some subtle observation. She had the field all to herself, for Vashti was content to be a listener, while Crispus put in a remark now and again. It seemed almost as if Berenice, surmising that Crispus had found a fascination in Vashti’s conversation, had determined to display her own brilliancy. And certainly the character of both was a revelation to Crispus, who, accustomed hitherto, in the haughty and exclusive spirit of his race, to regard the Jews as an inferior nation, was agreeably surprised to find among these “barbarians” two women who, while equal in beauty to any Greek or Roman lady known to him, were certainly superior in intellect and charm. “’Tis the first day of the new moon,” observed Berenice, suddenly. “I see her not,” returned Crispus, glancing over the face of the sky, and thereby missing Berenice’s little frown. A foe to paganism, she did not like to hear personality ascribed to the moon. “Its slender crescent is visible at Jerusalem, if not from here,” said Berenice. “_That_ tells me so.” She pointed to a far-off peak upon the southern horizon, a peak upon which there had appeared a light no larger than a star. The sparkle was repeated at a point northward of the first; a third followed; and soon a whole line of fires was twinkling upon the hill-summits of Judæa. “Our way of announcing the first day of the month,” explained Berenice. “So soon as the new moon is seen from a certain hill near Jerusalem by watchers appointed of the Sanhedrim for that purpose, the tidings is flashed by fire-signals throughout all the land. ’Tis an old custom lately revived by the high priest Matthias. But I will not weary you with matters in which a Roman can take no interest.” “There you err, princess. My visit to Jerusalem--for thither am I bound--is undertaken for the sole purpose of seeing your temple.” “You wish to see our temple?” exclaimed the princess in great surprise, “you, who at the banquet avowed yourself a worshiper of the gods of Rome! What interest can our temple have for _you_?” “My interest is the outcome of a--a----”; he hesitated for a moment, and then added, “a dream.” A statement so singular naturally evoked Berenice’s curiosity, and she begged him to tell the dream. Vashti, though she said nothing, was, as Crispus could see by her looks, equally curious to hear it. “I wish now that I could recall my words,” said he, “for though it was but a dream, the telling of it may cause me to fall into disfavor with you both.”