lue cloak, Argutis, to make you more dignified; and
disguise yourself, for you must escort me, and we may be followed. You,
Dido, come and help me. Take my new dress, that I wore at the Feast of
Adonis, out of my trunk; and with it you will see my mother's blue fillet
with the gems. My father used to say I should first wear it at my
wedding, but--Well, you must bind my hair with it to-night. I am going to
a grand house, where no one will be admitted who does not look worthy of
people of mark. But take off the jewel; a supplicant should make no
display."

ETEXT EDITOR'S BOOKMARKS:

Begun to enjoy the sound of his own voice
Cast off their disease as a serpent casts its skin

A THORNY PATH

By Georg Ebers

Volume 5.

CHAPTER XV.

Nothing delighted old Dido more than to dress the daughter of her beloved
mistress in all her best, for she had helped to bring her up; but to-day
it was a cruel task; tears dimmed her old eyes. It was not till she had
put the finishing touches to braiding the girl's abundant brown hair,
pinned her peplos on the shoulders with brooches, and set the girdle
straight, that her face cleared, as she looked at the result. Never had
she seen her darling look so fair. Nothing, indeed, remained of the
child-like timidity and patient submissiveness which had touched Dido
only two days since, as she plaited Melissa's hair. The maiden's brow was
grave and thoughtful, the lips firmly set; but she seemed to Dido to have
grown, and to have gained something of her mother's mature dignity. She
looked, the old woman told her, like the image of Pallas Athene; adding,
to make her smile, that if she wanted an owl, she, Dido, could fill the
part. Jesting had never been the old woman's strong point, and to-day it
was less easy than ever; for, if the worst befell, and she were sent in
her old age to a strange house--and Argutis, no doubt, to another--she
would have to turn the handmill for the rest of her days.

But it was a hard task which the motherless--and now fatherless--girl had
set herself, and she must try to cheer her darling. While she was
dressing her, she never ceased praying to all the gods and goddesses she
could think of to come to the maiden's aid and move the souls of those
who could help her. And though she was, as a rule, ready to expect the
worst, this time she hoped for the best; for Seleukus's wife must have a
heart of stone if she could close it to such inno