wrinkled old face lighted up amazingly
as he glanced round at his feminine associates; only Eudoxia was absent,
confined to her room by some slight ailment. He had something pleasant
to say to each; he frankly compared his former circumstances with his
present position, without disguising his heartfelt thankfulness; then,
with a merry glance at Pulcheria, he described how delightful it would
be when Philippus should come home to make the party complete--a true
and perfect star: for every Egyptian star must have five rays. The
ancients had never painted one otherwise nor graven it in stone; nay,
they had used it as the symbol for the number five.

At this Mary exclaimed: "But then I hope--I hope we shall make a
six-rayed star; for by that time poor Paula may be with us again!"

"God grant it!" sighed Dame Joanna. Pulcheria, however, asked the old
man what was wrong with him, for his face had suddenly clouded. His
cheerfulness had vanished, his tufted eyebrows were raised, and his
pinched lips seemed unwilling to part, when at length he reluctantly
said:

"Nothing--nothing is wrong.... At the same time; once for all--I loathe
that name."

"Paula?" cried the child in astonishment. "Oh! but if you knew..."

"I know more than enough," interrupted the old man. "I love you
all--all; my old heart expands as I sit in your midst; I am comfortable
here, I feel kindly towards you, I am grateful to you; every little
attention you show me does me good; for it comes from your hearts: if I
could repay you soon and abundantly--I should grow young again with joy.
You may believe me, as I can see indeed that you do. And yet," and again
his brows went up, "and yet, when I hear that name, and when you try to
win me over to that woman, or if you should even go so far as to assail
my ears with her praises--then, much as it would grieve me, I would go
back again to the place where I came from."

"Why, Horapollo, what are you saying?" cried Joanna, much distressed.

"I say," the old man went on, "I say that in her everything is
concentrated which I most hate and contemn in her class. I say that she
bears in her bosom a cold and treacherous heart; that she blights my
days and my nights; in short, that I would rather be condemned to
live under the same roof with clammy reptiles and cold-blooded snakes
than..."

"Than with her, with Paula?" Mary broke in. The eager little thing
sprang to her feet, her eyes flashed lightnings and her voice