It was this advantage in command, as well as a certain kind of talent, industry and reliability, which induced Magistus to give him the supreme charge of both households. He had been with us but a few days, before he had quite won our hearts by his friendly attentions and evident sympathy for our distress. I, who had been made suspicious by my father's opinion of our guardian, detected in the face of Ethopus (for that was his name) the same expression of pity which shone in the features of our sick aunt.
All this, however, he concealed from Magistus with the greatest care; for he was always cold and impassive toward us in the presence of his master. Unfortunately Ethopus was dumb. His communications at this time might have been of incalculable service to us. I endeavored to learn something of the habits and character of my uncle from the other servants, but on that subject they were as dumb as Ethopus; for whenever I approached it, they manifested signs of fear, and invariably put the finger on the lip.
I became dissatisfied with this secresy. I resolved to teach Ethopus to read and write, so that he might tell me his own story, and initiate me into the mysteries and dangers of my position. He comprehended my idea at once, and came to me secretly at hours when he knew Magistus was absent. He had made some little progress,--though the difficulties of the first steps were very great,--when one evening Magistus walked slyly in and surprised us at our studies. We had been betrayed by one of the servants, who all acted as spies on each other.
Magistus was in a towering passion. He beat Ethopus severely, notwithstanding my protestations that I alone was to blame--and drove him from the room.
"Do you not know the crime, the danger of teaching that man to write?"
"Oh, uncle!" said I, "what harm is there in bestowing the light of knowledge upon a poor dumb slave?"
"He was made dumb to keep him from betraying secrets."
"Not my secrets," he added, cautiously, "but his former master's. If Simon Magus thought he could write, he would come all the way from Egypt to cut his heart out of his body."
After that event, the sphere of Ethopus' duty was changed, so that we rarely saw him.
Several weeks passed away, and we wondered why Caiaphas, from whom our father expected so much, did not come to see us. He was to aid and befriend us, and, as I hoped, to deliver us from the control of Magistus. He had evidently promised all that to our dear father. The priestly authorities, if properly applied to, surely would not permit the children of a good and devout man to continue under the influence of a thief and magician.