will go after her at once."

"No--no, you at any rate, must remain here, for in two hours the matrons
and maidens are to meet at the theatre."

"In two hours! but mighty Serapis, what are we to put on?"

"It is your business to see to that," replied Keraunus, "I myself will
have the litter you spoke of, and be carried down to Tryphon, the
ship-builder. Is there any money left in Selene's box?"

Arsinoe went into her sleeping-room, and said, as she returned:

"This is all--six pieces of two drachmae."

"Four will be enough for me," replied the steward, but after a moment's
reflection he took the whole half-dozen.

"What do you want with the ship-builder?" asked Arsinoe.

"In the Council," replied Keraunus, "I was worried again about you girls.
I said one of my daughters was ill, and the other must attend upon her;
but this would not do, and I was asked to send the one who was well. Then
I explained that you had no mother, that we lived a retired life for each
other, and that I could not bear the idea of sending my daughter alone,
and without any protectress to the meeting. So then Tryphon said that it
would give his wife pleasure to take you to the theatre with her own
daughter. This I half accepted, but I declared at once that you would not
go, if your elder sister were not better. I could not give any positive
consent--you know why."

"Oh, blessings on Antony and his noble spit!" cried Arsinoe. "Now
everything is settled, and you can tell the ship-builder we shall go. Our
white dresses are still quite good, but a few ells of new light blue
ribbon for my hair, and of red for Selene's, you must buy on the way, at
Abibaal, the Phoenician's."

"Very good."

"I will see at once to both the dresses--but, to be sure, when are we to
be ready?"

"In two hours."

"Then, do you know what, dear old father?"

"Well?"

"Our old woman is half blind, and does everything wrong. Do let me go
down to dame Doris at the gate-house, and ask her to help me. She is so
clever and kind, and no one irons so well as she does."

"Silence!" cried the steward, angrily, interrupting his daughter. "Those
people shall never again cross my threshold."

"But look at my hair; only look at the state it is in," cried Arsinoe,
excitedly, and thrusting her fingers into her thick tresses which she
pulled into disorder. "To do that up again, plait it with new ribbons,
iron our dresses, and sew on the brooches--why the Empress' ladies-maid