s fellow-citizens, who were, this very day,
to assemble in one of the smaller theatres of the city. Every one that
knew him, knew too that "suitable" with him meant as much as to say
imperial splendor.

The ship-builder's daughter had prepared Arsinoe for grand doings,
but by the time she had reached the entrance only of the theatre her
expectations were exceeded, for as soon as she gave her father's name
and her own, a boy, who looked out from an arbor of flowers gave her a
magnificent bunch of flowers, and another, who sat perched on a dolphin,
handed her, as a ticket of admission, a finely-cut ornament of ivory
mounted in gold, with a pin, by which the invited owner was intended to
fix it like a brooch in her peplum; and at each entrance to the theatre,
the ladies, as they came in, had a similar present made them.

The passage leading to the auditorium was full of perfume, and Arsinoe,
who had already visited this theatre two or three times, hardly
recognized it, it was so gaily decorated with colored scarfs. And who
had ever seen ladies and young girls filling the best places instead
of men, as was the case to-day? Indeed the citizens' daughters were in
general not permitted to see a theatrical performance at all, unless on
very special and exceptional occasions. She looked up with a smile
at the empty topmost rows of the cheapest seats of the semicircular
auditorium, as one looks at an old playfellow one had outgrown by a
head, for it was there--when she had occasionally been permitted to dip
into their scanty common purse--that she had almost fainted many a time,
with pleasure, fear, or sympathy, though the draught so high up and
under the open heaven which was the only roof, was incessantly blowing;
and in summer the discomforts were even greater from the awning which
shaded the amphitheatre on the sunny side. The wide breadths of canvas
were managed by means of stout ropes, and when these were pulled through
the rings they rode in, they made a screech which compelled the bearer
to stop his ears; and often it was necessary to duck his head not to
be hit by the heavy ropes or by the awning itself. But Arsinoe only
remembered these things to-day as a butterfly sporting in the sun may
remember the hideous pupa-case that it has burst and left behind it.

Radiant with happy excitement, she was led to her seat with her young
companion, the black-haired daughter of the shipwright. She perceived
indeed that numerous ey