ghter, and yet we are so heavily punished for her
sake. But her curse rests on us--and only on us;--not on thee, Psamtik,
nor on thy children. Bring my grandson. Was that a tear? Perhaps; well,
the little things to which one has accustomed one's self are generally
the hardest to give up."

......................

Rhodopis entertained a fresh guest that evening; Kallias, the son of
Phoenippus, the same who first appeared in our tale as the bearer of
news from the Olympic games.

The lively, cheerful Athenian had just come back from his native
country, and, as an old and tried friend, was not only received by
Rhodopis, but made acquainted with the secret of Sappho's marriage.

Knakias, her old slave, had, it is true, taken in the flag which was
the sign of reception, two days ago; but he knew that Kallias was always
welcome to his mistress, and therefore admitted him just as readily as
he refused every one else.

The Athenian had plenty to tell, and when Rhodopis was called away
on business, he took his favorite Sappho into the garden, joking and
teasing her gaily as they looked out for her lover's coming. But Bartja
did not come, and Sappho began to be so anxious that Kallias called
old Melitta, whose longing looks in the direction of Naukratis were, if
possible, more anxious even than those of her mistress, and told her to
fetch a musical instrument which he had brought with him.

It was a rather large lute, made of gold and ivory, and as he handed
it to Sappho, he said, with a smile: "The inventor of this glorious
instrument, the divine Anakreon, had it made expressly for me, at my
own wish. He calls it a Barbiton, and brings wonderful tones from its
chords--tones that must echo on even into the land of shadows. I have
told this poet, who offers his life as one great sacrifice to the Muses,
Eros and Dionysus, a great deal about you, and he made me promise to
bring you this song, which he wrote on purpose for you, as a gift from
himself.

"Now, what do you say to this song? But by Hercules, child, how pale you
are! Have the verses affected you so much, or are you frightened at this
likeness of your own longing heart? Calm yourself, girl. Who knows what
may have happened to your lover?"

"Nothing has happened,--nothing," cried a gay, manly voice, and in a few
seconds Sappho was in the arms of him she loved.

Kallias looked on quietly, smiling at the wonderful beauty of these two
young lovers.

"But n