Page:The Apocryphal Acts of Paul, Peter, John, Andrew and Thomas.djvu/36

 daughter, tied to the window like a spider, lays hold of what is said by him with a strange eagerness and awful emotion. For the virgin looks eagerly at what is said by him, and has been captivated. But do thou go near and speak to her, for she has been betrothed to thee."

10. And Thamyris going near, and kissing her, but at the same time also being afraid of her overpowering emotion, said, "Thecla, my betrothed, why thus? And what sort of feeling holds thee overpowered? Come back to thy Thamyris, and be ashamed." Moreover, also, her mother said the same things: "Why dost thou sit thus looking down, my child, and answering nothing, but like a mad woman?" And they wept bitterly, Thamyris for the loss of a wife, Theoclia of a child, and the maidservants of a mistress. And there was a great outpouring of lamentation in the house. And while these things were thus going on, Thecla did not turn round, but kept attending earnestly to the word of Paul.

11. And Thamyris, starting up, went forth into the street, and watched all going in to Paul and coming out. And he saw two men bitterly quarreling with each other, and he said to them, "Men, who are you, and tell me who is this among you, leading astray the souls of young men, and deceiving virgins, so that they do not marry, but remain as they are? I promise you money enough if you