And the priests, with their torches, lighted in the middle of the jet-black room a crystal shrine, standing on a black-porphyry table. And in the crystal shrine lay a little sandal, like a child's and yet a woman's, a little red-leather sandal with gold ornaments, arabesques that glittered incredibly fresh.
"The sandal kept for tourists," murmured Uncle Catullus, with a sceptical smile. "We shall pay for it presently, Caleb, just as we did for the little Apis."
"But still it is very pretty, my lord," whispered Caleb, with a smile.
But Lucius was trembling in every limb. And he said to Thrasyllus:
"This is an omen. I had never heard of this legend. This sandal, in this shrine!... I would be alone with the priest!"
The request of so distinguished a noble could not be gainsaid. The others withdrew, after fixing two torches in sconces. Lucius remained alone with the old priest, by the shrine of Rhodopis' sandal. And then he produced Ilia's little sandal from his breast and said:
"Wise priest and holy father, you possess wisdom, you assuredly still know the past. I have confidence in you: you shall tell me where the girl Ilia is, whom I have lost; you shall tell me who stole her from me. See, this sandal is the only trace that she left behind her. Tell me the past and I will reward you richly."
The priest took the sandal and pressed it to his head, while his other hand trembled above the crystal shrine:
"May the spirit of Rhodopis enlighten me," said the old priest. "I see Ilia...."
"Give me your hand, here, above Rhodopis' sandal."
Lucius stretched out his hand to the priest, above the sandal:
And in his tortured mind he saw before him the image of one of his own sailors, of whom he had been thinking lately, who at that time used to prowl about the villa at Baiæ: a Cypriote whom he had once caught talking to Ilia in the oleanders; she had never been able to explain what he was doing.
There was a pause. The priest's lean hand trembled violently in Lucius' firm grasp. And at last the priest said, with his eyes closed and his other hand still pressing Ilia's sandal to his forehead:
"I see him, plainly, plainly! Rhodopis' spirit is enlightening me! I see the kidnapper! I see Ilia's kidnapper!"