the tall valves
turned and the sun leaped into the cella, hidden voices returned the
former strains--mournful at first. Out of the adytum echoed a cry of
anguish, the lament of the Mother of Wisdom at her children's deathly
ignorance, which plucks them down from the Mount of the Beautiful Vision.
But as the thousands neared, as its paeans became a prayer, as yearning
answered to yearning, lo! the hidden song swelled and soared,--for the
goddess looked for her own, and her own were come to her. And thus in
beneath the massy pediment, in through the wide-flung doors, floated the
peplus, while under its guardian shadow walked Hermione.

So they brought the robe to Athena.

* * * * * * *

Glaucon and his companions had watched the procession ascend, then
followed to see the sacrifice upon the giant altar. The King Archon cut
the throat of the first ox and made public prayer for the people. Wood
soaked in perfumed oil blazed upon the huge stone platform of the
sacrifice. Girls flung frankincense upon the roaring flames. The music
crashed louder. All Athens seemed mounting the citadel. The chief
priestess came from the holy house, and in a brief hush proclaimed that
the goddess had received the robe with all favour. After her came the
makers of the peplus, and Hermione rejoined her husband.

"Let us not stay to the public feast," was her wish; "let these hucksters
and charcoal-burners who live on beans and porridge scramble for a bit of
burned meat, but we return to Colonus."

"Good then," answered Glaucon, "and these friends of course go with us."

Cimon assented readily. Democrates hesitated, and while hesitating was
seized by the cloak by none other than Agis, who gave a hasty whisper and
vanished in the swirling multitude before Democrates could do more than
nod.

"He's an uncanny fox," remarked Cimon, mystified; "I suppose you know his
reputation?"

"The servant of Athens must sometimes himself employ strange servants,"
evaded the orator.

"Yet you might suffer your friends to understand--"

"Dear son of Miltiades," Democrates's voice shook in the slightest, "the
meaning of my dealings with Agis I pray Athena you may never have cause to
know."

"Which means you will not tell us. Then by Zeus I swear the secret no
doubt is not worth the knowing." Cimon stopped suddenly, as he saw a look
of horror on Hermione's face. "Ah, lady! what's the matter?"

"Glaucon," she groaned, "frigh