with a shrug. Then both again were silent;
till Horapollo rose, and taking his staff, also paced the room while he
murmured, half to himself and half to his younger friend "They are two
quiet, reasonable women. There are not many of that sort, I fancy. How
the little one helped me up from the low seat in the garden!" It was a
reminiscence that made him chuckle to himself; he stopped Philippus, who
was pacing at his side, by lightly patting his arm, exclaiming with
unwonted vivacity: "A man should be ready to try everything--the care of
women even, before he steps into the grave. And is it a fact that neither
of them is a scold or a chatter-box?"

"It is indeed."

"And what 'if' or 'but' remains behind?" asked the old man. "Let us be
reckless for once, brother! If the whole business were not so
diabolically serious, it would be quite laughable. The young one for me
and the old one for you in our leisure hours, my son; better washed
linen; clothes without holes in them; no dust on our books; a pleasant
'Rejoice' every morning, or at meal-times;--only look at the fruit on
that dish! No better than the oats they strew before horses. At the old
man's everything was as nice as it used to be in my own home at Philae:
Supper a little work of art, a feast for the eye as well as the appetite!
Pulcheria seems to understand all that as well as my poor dead sister
did. And then, when I want to rise, such a kind, pretty little hand to
help one up! I have long hated this dwelling. Lime and dust fall from the
ceiling in my bedroom, and here there are wide gaps in the flooring-I
stumbled over one yesterday--and our niggardly landlords, the officials,
say that if we want anything repaired we may do it ourselves, that they
have no money left for such things. Now, under that worthy old man's roof
everything was in the best order." The philosopher chuckled aloud and
rubbed his hands as he went on: "Supposing we kick over the traces for
once, Philip. Supposing we were to carry out our friend's dying wish?
Merciful Isis! It would certainly be a good action, and I have not many
to boast of. But cautiously--what do you say? We can always throw it up
at a month's notice."

Then he grew grave again, shook his head, and said meditatively: "No, no;
such plans only disturb one's peace of mind. A pleasant vision! But
scarcely feasible."

"Not for the present, at any rate," replied the leech.

"So long as Paula's fate remains undecided, I beg you