by Georg Ebers
CHAPTER XV.
Charmain went towards her own apartments. How often she had had asimilar experience! In the midst of the warmest admiration for thisrare woman's depth of feeling, masculine strength of intellect, tirelessindustry, watchful care for her native land, steadfast loyalty, andmaternal devotion, she had been sobered in the most pitiable way.
She had been forced to see Cleopatra, for the sake of realizing achildish dream, and impressing her lover, squander vast sums, whichdiminished the prosperity of her subjects; place great and importantmatters below the vain, punctilious care of her own person; forget, inpetty jealousy, the justice and kindness which were marked traits in hercharacter; and, though the most kindly and womanly of sovereigns, sufferherself to be urged by angry excitement to inflict outrage on a subjectwhose acts had awakened her displeasure. The lofty ambition which hadinspired her noblest and most praiseworthy deeds had more than once beenthe source of acts which she herself regretted. When a child, she couldnot endure to be surpassed in difficult tasks, and still deemed it anecessity to be first and peerless. Hence the unfortunate circumstancethat Antony had given Barine the counterpart of an armlet which sheherself wore as a gift from her lover, was perhaps the principal causeof her bitter resentment against the hapless woman.
Charmian had seen Cleopatra forgive freely and generously many a wrong,nay, many an affront, inflicted upon her; but to see herself placedby her husband on the same plane as a Barine, even in the most trivialmatter, might easily seem to her an unbearable insult; and the mishapwhich had befallen Caesarion, in consequence of his foolish passion forthe young beauty, gave her a right to punish her rival.
Deeply anxious concerning the fate of the woman in her care--greatlyagitated, moreover, and exhausted physically and mentally--Charmiansought her own apartments.
Here she hoped to find solace in Barine's cheerful and equable nature;here the helpful hands of her dark-skinned maid and confidante awaitedher.
The sun was low in the western horizon when she entered the anteroom.The members of the body-guard who were on duty told her that nothingunusual had occurred, and with a sigh of relief she passed into thesitting-room.
But the Ethiopian, who usually came to meet her with words of welcome,took her veil and wraps, and removed her shoes, was absent. Today noone greeted her. Not until she entered the second room, which she hadassigned to her guest, did she find Barine, who was weeping bitterly.
During Charmian's absence the latter had received a letter from Alexas,in which he informed her that he was ordered by the Queen to subject herto an examination the next morning. Her cause looked dark but, if shedid not render his duty harder by the harshness which had formerlycaused him much pain, he would do his utmost to protect her fromimprisonment, forced labour in the mines, or even worse misfortunes.The imprudent game which she had played with King Caesarion hadunfortunately roused the people against her. The depth of theirindignation was shown by the fury with which they had assailed thehouse of her grandfather, Didymus. Nothing could save Dion, who hadaudaciously attacked the illustrious son of their beloved Queen, fromthe rage of the populace. He, Alexas, knew that in this Dion she wouldlose a friend and protector, but he would be disposed to take his placeif her conduct did not render it impossible for him to unite mercy withjustice.
This shameful letter, which promised Barine clemency in return for herfavour without unmasking him in his character of judge, explained toCharmian the agitation in which she found her friend's daughter.
It was doubtless a little relief to Barine to express her loathing andabhorrence of Alexas as eagerly as her gentle nature would permit, butfear, grief, and indignation continued to struggle for the mastery inher oppressed soul.
It would have been expected that the keen-witted woman would haveeagerly inquired what Charmian had accomplished with the Queen andArchibius, and what new events had happened to affect Cleopatra, thestate, and the city; but she questioned her with far deeper interestconcerning the welfare of her lover, desiring information in regardto many things of which her friend could give no tidings. In herbrief visit to Dion's couch she had not learned how he bore his ownmisfortunes and Barine's, what view he took of the future, or what heexpected from the woman he loved.
Charmian's ignorance and silence in regard to these very mattersincreased the anxiety of the endangered woman, who saw not only her ownlife, but those dearest to her, seriously threatened. So she entreatedher hostess to relieve her from the uncertainty which was harder toendure than the most terrible reality; but the latter either could notor would not give her any further details of Cleopatra's intentions,or the fate and present abode of her grandparents and Helena. Thisincreased her anxiety, for if Alexas's information was correct, herfamily must be homeless. When Charmian at last admitted that she hadseen Dion only a few minutes, the tortured Barine's power of quietendurance gave way.
She, whose nature was so hopeful that, when the glow of the sunsetfaded, she already anticipated with delight the rosy dawn of the nextday, now beheld in Cleopatra's hand the reed which was to sign thedeath-sentence of Dion and herself. Her mental vision conjured up herrelatives wounded by the falling house or bleeding under the stoneshurled by the raging populace. She heard Alexas command the executionerto subject her to the rack, and fancied that Anukis had not returnedbecause she had failed to find Dion. The Queen's soldiers had probablycarried him to prison, loaded with chains, if Philostratus had notalready instigated the mob to drag him through the streets.
With feverish impetuosity, which alarmed Charmian the more becauseit was so unlike her old friend's daughter, Barine described all thespectres with which her imagination--agitated by terror, longing, love,and loathing--terrified her; but the former exerted all the power ofeloquence she possessed, by turns reproving her and loading her withcaresses, in order to soothe her and rouse her from her despair. Butnothing availed. At last she succeeded in persuading the unhappy womanto go with her to the window, which afforded a most beautiful view.Westward, beyond the Heptastadium, the sun was sinking below the forestsof masts in the harbour of the Eunostus; and Charmian, who had learnedfrom her intercourse with the royal children how to soothe a troubledyoung heart, to divert Barine's thoughts, directed her attention tothe crimson glow in the western sky, and told her how her father, theartist, had showed her the superb brilliancy which colours gained atthis hour of the day, even when the west was less radiant than now. ButBarine, who usually could never gaze her fill at such a spectacle, didnot thank her, for this sunset reminded her of another which she hadlately watched at Dion's side, and she again broke into convulsive sobs.
Charmian, not knowing what to do, passed her arm around her. Just atthat moment the door was hurriedly thrown open, and Anukis, the Nubian,entered.
Her mistress knew that something unusual must have happened to detainher so long from her post at Barine's side, and her appearance showedthat she had been attending to important matters which had severelytaxed her strength. Her shining dark skin looked ashen grey, herhigh forehead, surrounded by tangled woolly locks, was dripping withperspiration, and her thick lips were pale. Although she must haveundergone great fatigue, she did not seem in need of rest; for, aftergreeting the ladies, apologizing for her long absence, and tellingBarine that this time Dion had seemed to her half on the way torecovery, a rapid side glance at her mistress conveyed an entreaty thatshe would follow her into the next room.
But the language of the Nubian's eyes had not escaped the suspiciouswatchfulness of the anxious Barine and, overwhelmed with fresh terror,she begged that she might hear all.
Charmian ordered her maid to speak openly; but Anukis, ere she began,assured them that she had received the news she brought from amost trustworthy source--only it would make a heavy demand upon theresolution and courage of Barine, whom she had hoped to find in a verydifferent mood. There was no time to lose. She was expected at theappointed place an hour after sunset.
Here Charmian interrupted the maid with the exclamation "Impos
sible!"and reminded her of the guards which Alexas, aided by Iras, who wasthoroughly familiar with the palace, had stationed the day before in theanteroom, at all the doors--nay, even beneath the windows.
The Nubian replied that everything had been considered; but, to gaintime, she must beg Barine to let her colour her skin and curl her hairwhile she was talking.
The surprise visible in the young beauty's face caused her to exclaim:"Only act with entire confidence. You shall learn everything directly.There is so much to tell! On the way here I had planned how to relatethe whole story in regular order, but it can't be done now. No, no!Whoever wants to save a flock of sheep from a burning shed must leadout the bell-wether first--the main thing, I mean--so I will begin withthat, though it really comes last. The explanation of how all this--"
Here, like a cry of joy, Barine's exclamation interrupted her:
"I am to fly, and Dion knows it and will follow me! I see it in yourface."
In fact, every feature of the dusky maid-servant's ugly face betrayedthat pleasant thoughts were agitating her mind. Her black eyes flashedwith fearless daring, and a smile beautified her big mouth and thicklips as she replied:
"A loving heart like yours understands the art of prophecy better thanthe chief priest of the great Serapis. Yes, my young mistress, he ofwhom you speak must disappear from this wicked city where so much evilthreatens you both. He will certainly escape and, if the immortals aidus and we are wise and brave, you also. Whence the help comes canbe told later. Now, the first thing is to transform you--don't bereluctant--into the ugliest woman in the world--black Anukis. You mustescape from the palace in this disguise.--Now you know the whole plan,and while I get what is necessary from my chest of clothes, I beg you,mistress, to consider how we are to obtain the black stains for thativory skin and golden hair."
With these words she left the room, but Barine flung herself into herfriend's arms, exclaiming, amid tears and laughter: "Though I should beforced to remain forever as black and crooked as faithful Aisopion, ifhe did not withdraw his love, though I were obliged to go throughfire and water--I would O Charmian! what changes so quickly as joy andsorrow? I would fain show some kindness to every one in the world, evento your Queen, who has brought all these troubles upon me."
The new-born hope had transformed the despairing woman into a happyone, and Charmian perceived it with grateful joy, secretly wishing thatCleopatra had listened to her appeal.
While examining the hair-dyes used by the Queen she saw, lurking in thebackground of what was still unexplained, and therefore confused hermind, fresh and serious perils. Barine, on the contrary, gazed acrossthem to the anticipated meeting with her lover, and was full of thegayest expectation until the maid-servant's return.
The work of disfigurement began without delay. Anukis moved her lipsas busily as her hands, and described in regular order all that hadbefallen her during the eventful day.
Barine listened with rising excitement, and her joy increased as shebeheld the path which had been smoothed for her by the care and wisdomof her friends. Charmian, on the contrary, became graver and morequiet the more distinctly she perceived the danger her favourite mustencounter. Yet she could not help admitting that it would be a sinagainst Barine's safety, perhaps her very life, to withhold her fromthis well-considered plan of escape.
That it must be tried was certain; but as the moment which was toendanger the woman she loved drew nearer, and she could not help sayingto herself that she was aiding an enterprise in opposition to theexpress command of the Queen and helping to execute a plan whichthreatened to rouse the indignation, perhaps the fury, of Cleopatra, afeeling of sorrow overpowered her. She feared nothing for herself. Notfor a single instant did she think of the unpleasant consequences whichBarine's escape might draw upon her. The burden on her soul was due onlyto the consciousness of having, for the first time, opposed the willof the sovereign, to fulfil whose desires and to promote whose aims hadbeen the beloved duty of her life. Doubtless the thought crossed hermind that, by aiding Barine's escape, she was guarding Cleopatra fromfuture repentance; probably she felt sure that it was her duty tohelp rescue this beautiful young life, whose bloom had been so cruellyassailed by tempest and hoar-frost, and which now had a prospect of thepurest happiness; yet, though in itself commendable, the deed broughther into sharp conflict with the loftiest aims and aspirations of herlife. And how much nearer than the other was the woman--she shrank fromthe word--whom she was about to betray, how much greater was Cleopatra'sclaim to her love and gratitude! Could she have any other emotion thanthankfulness if the plan of escape succeeded? Yet she was reluctantto perform the task of making Barine's beautiful, symmetrical figureresemble the hunch-backed Nubian's, or to dip her fingers into thepomade intended for Cleopatra; and it grieved her to mar the beauty ofBarine's luxuriant tresses by cutting off part of her thick fair braids.
True, these things could not be avoided, if the flight was to succeed,and the further Anukis advanced in her story, the fewer became hermistress's objections to the plan.
The conversation between Iras and Alexas, which had been overheard bythe maid, already made it appear necessary to withdraw Barine and herlover from the power of such foes. The faithful man whom Anukis hadfound with Dion, whose name she did not mention and of whose home shesaid only that no safer hiding-place could be found, even by the molewhich burrowed in the earth, really seemed to have been sent withGorgias to Dion's couch by Fate itself. The control of the subterraneanchambers in the Temple of Isis which had been bestowed on the architect,also appeared like a miracle.
Upon a small tablet, which the wise Aisopion had intentionally delayedhanding to her mistress until now, were the lines: "Archibius greets hissister Charmian. If I know your heart, it will be as hard for you as forme to share this plot, yet it must be done for the sake of her father,to save the life and happiness of his child. So it must fall to your lotto bring Barine to the Temple of Isis at the Corner of the Muses. Shewill find her lover there and, if possible, be wedded to him. As thesanctuary is so near, you need leave the palace only a short time. Donot tell Barine what we have planned. The disappointment would be toogreat if it should prove impracticable."
This letter and the arrangement it proposed transformed the seriousscruples which shadowed Charmian's good-will into a joyous, nay,enthusiastic desire to render assistance. Barine's marriage to the manwho possessed her heart was close at hand, and she was the daughter ofLeonax, who had once been dear to her. Fear and doubt vanished as ifscattered to the four winds, and when Aisopion's work of transformationwas completed and Barine stood before her as the high-shouldered,dark-visaged, wrinkled maid, she could not help admitting that it wouldbe easy to escape from the palace in that disguise.
She now told Barine that she intended to accompany her herself; andthough the former's stained face forced her to refrain from kissing herfriend, she plainly expressed to her and the faithful freedwoman theoverflowing gratitude which filled her heart.
Anukis was left alone. After carefully removing all the traces of heroccupation, as habit dictated, she raised her arms in prayer, beseechingthe gods of her native land to protect the beautiful woman to whomshe had loaned her own misshapen form, which had now been of genuineservice, and who had gone forth to meet so many dangers, but also ahappiness whose very hope had been denied to her.
Charmian had told her maid that if the Queen should inquire for herbefore Iras returned from the Choma to say that she had been obliged toleave the palace, and to supply her place. During their absence, whenCharmian had been attacked by sickness, Cleopatra had often entrustedthe care of her toilet to Aisopion, and had praised her skill.
The Queen's confidential attendant was followed as usual when she wentout by a dark-skinned maid. Lanterns and lamps had already been lightedin the corridors of the spacious palace, and the court-yards were ablazewith torches and pitch-pans; but, brilliantly as they burned in manyplaces, and numerous as were the guards, officers, eunuchs, clerks,soldiers, cooks
, attendants, slaves, door-keepers, and messengers whomthey passed, not one gave them more than a careless glance.
So they reached the last court-yard, and then came a moment when thehearts of both women seemed to stop beating--for the man whom they hadmost cause to dread, Alexas the Syrian, approached.
And he did not pass the fugitives, but stopped Charmian, andcourteously, even obsequiously, informed her that he wished to get ridof the troublesome affair of her favourite, which had been assigned tohim against his will, and therefore had determined to bring Barine totrial early the following morning.
The Syrian's body-servant attended his master, and while the former wastalking with Charmian the latter turned to the supposed Nubian, tappedher lightly on the shoulder, and whispered: "Come this evening, as youdid yesterday. You haven't finished the story of Prince Setnau."
The fugitive felt as if she had grown dumb and could never more regainthe power of speech. Yet she managed to nod, and directly after thefavourite bowed a farewell to Charmian. The Ligurian was obliged tofollow his master, while Charmian and Barine passed through the gatewaybetween the last pylons into the open air.
Here the sea-breeze seemed to waft her a joyous greeting from the realmof liberty and happiness, and the timid woman, amid all the perils whichsurrounded her, regained sufficient presence of mind to tell her friendwhat Alexas's slave had whispered--that Aisopion might remind him ofit the same evening, and thus strengthen his belief that the Nubian hadaccompanied the Queen's confidante.
The way to the Temple of Isis was short. The stars showed that theywould reach their destination in time; but a second delay unexpectedlyoccurred. From the steps leading to the cella of the sanctuary aprocession, whose length seemed endless, came towards them. At the headof the train marched eight pastophori, bearing the image of Isis. Thencame the basket-bearers of the goddess with several other priestesses,followed by the reader with an open book-roll. Behind him appeared thequaternary number of prophets, whose head, the chief priest, moved withstately dignity beneath a canopy. The rest of the priestly train borein their hands manuscripts, sacred vessels, standards, and wreaths. Thepriestesses--some of whom, with garlands on their flowing hair, werealready shaking the sistrum of Isis--mingled with the line of priests,their high voices blending with the deep notes of the men. Neokori, ortemple servants, and a large number of worshippers of Isis, closed theprocession, all wearing wreaths and carrying flowers. Torch and lanternbearers lighted the way, and the perfume of the incense rising from thelittle pan of charcoal in the hand of a bronze arm, which the pastophoriwaved to and fro, surrounded and floated after the procession.
The two women waiting for the train to pass saw it turn towards Lochias,and the conversation of the bystanders informed them that its object wasto convey to "the new Isis," the Queen, the greeting of the goddess, andassure the sovereign of the divinity's remembrance of her in the hour ofperil.
Cleopatra could not help accepting this friendly homage, and it wasincumbent upon her to receive it wearing on her head the crown of Upperand Lower Egypt, and robed in all the ecclesiastical vestments whichonly her two most trusted attendants knew how to put on with theattention to details that custom required. This had never been entrustedto maids of inferior position like the Nubian; so Cleopatra would missCharmian.
The thought filled her with fresh uneasiness and, when the steps were atlast free, she asked herself anxiously how all this would end.
It seemed as if the fugitive and her companion had exposed themselves tothis great peril in vain; for some of the temple servants were forcingback those who wished to enter the sanctuary, shouting that it wouldbe closed until the return of the procession. Barine gazed timidly intoCharmian's face; but, ere she could express her opinion, the tall figureof a man appeared on the temple steps. It was Archibius, who withgrave composure bade them follow him, and silently led them around thesanctuary to a side door, through which, a short time before, a litterhad passed, accompanied by several attendants.
Ascending a flight of steps within the long building, they reached thedimly lighted cella.
As in the Temple of Osiris at Abydos seven corridors, here three ledto the same number of apartments, the holy place of the sanctuary.The central one was dedicated to Isis, that on the left to her husbandOsiris, and that on the right to Horus, the son of the great goddess.Before it, scarcely visible in the dim light, stood the altars, loadedwith sacrifices by Archibius.
Beside that of Horus was the litter which had been borne into the templebefore the arrival of the women. From it, supported by two friends,descended a slender young man.
A hollow sound echoed through the pillared hall. The iron door at themain entrance of the temple had been closed. The shrill rattle thatfollowed proceeded from the metal bolts which an old servant of thesanctuary had shot into the sockets.
Barine started, but neither inquired the cause of the noise norperceived the wealth of objects here presented to the senses; for theman who, leaning on another's arm, approached the altar, was Dion, thelover who had perilled his life for her sake. Her eyes rested intentlyon his figure, her whole heart yearned towards him and, unable tocontrol herself,--she called his name aloud.
Charmian gazed anxiously around the group, but soon uttered a sighof relief; for the tall man whose arm supported Dion was Gorgias, theworthy architect, his best friend, and the other, still taller andstronger, her own brother Archibius. Yonder figure, emerging fromthe disguise of wraps, was Berenike, Barine's mother. All trustworthyconfidants! The only person whom she did not know was the handsome youngman standing at her brother's side.
Barine, whose arm she still held, had struggled to escape to rush to hermother and lover; but Archibius had approached, and in a whisperwarned her to be patient and to refrain from any greeting or question,"supposing," he added, "that you are willing to be married at this altarto Dion, the son of Eumenes."
Charmian felt Barine's arm tremble in hers at this suggestion, but theyoung beauty obeyed her friend's directions. She did not know what hadbefallen her, or whether, in the excess of happiness which overwhelmedher, to shout aloud in her exultant joy, or melt into silent tears ofgratitude and emotion.
No one spoke. Archibius took a roll of manuscript from Dion's hand,presented himself before the assembled company as the bride's kyrios,or guardian, and asked Barine whether she so recognized him. Then hereturned to Dion the marriage contract, whose contents he knew andapproved, and informed those present that, in the marriage about to besolemnized, they must consider him the paranymphos, or best man, andBerenike as the bridesmaid, and they instantly lighted a torch at thefires burning on one of the altars. Archibius, as kyrios, joined thelovers' hands in the Egyptian--Barine's mother, as bridesmaid, in theGreek-manner, and Dion gave his bride a plain iron ring. It was the sameone which his father had bestowed at his own wedding, and he whispered:"My mother valued it; now it is your turn to honour the ancienttreasure."
After stating that the necessary sacrifices had been offered to Isis andSerapis, Zeus, Hera, and Artemis, and that the marriage between Dion,son of Eumenes, and Barine, daughter of Leonax, was concluded, Archibiusshook hands with both.
Haste seemed necessary, for he permitted Berenike and his sister onlytime for a brief embrace, and Gorgias to clasp her hand and Dion's. Thenhe beckoned, and the newly made bride's mother followed him in tears,Charmian bewildered and almost stupefied. She did not fully realize themeaning of the event she had just witnessed until an old neokori hadguided her and the others into the open air.
Barine felt as if every moment might rouse her from a blissful dream,and yet she gladly told herself that she was awake, for the man walkingbefore her, leaning on the arm of a friend, was Dion. True, shesaw, even in the faint light of the dim temple corridor, that he wassuffering. Walking appeared to be so difficult that she rejoiced when,yielding to Gorgias's entreaties, he entered the litter.
But where were the bearers?
She was soon to learn; for, even while she looked f
or them, thearchitect and the youth, in whom she had long since recognized Philotas,her grandfather's assistant, seized the poles.
"Follow us," said Gorgias, under his breath, and she obeyed, keepingclose behind the litter, which was borne first down a broad and then anarrow staircase, and finally along a passage. Here a door stopped thefugitives; but the architect opened it and helped his friend out of thelitter, which before proceeding farther he placed in a room filled withvarious articles discovered during his investigation of the subterraneantemple chambers.
Hitherto not a word had been spoken. Now Gorgias called to Barine: "Thispassage is low--you must stoop. Cover your head, and don't be afraid ifyou meet bats. They have long been undisturbed. We might have taken youfrom the temple to the sea, and waited there, but it would probably haveattracted attention and been dangerous. Courage, young wife of Dion! Thecorridor is long, and walking through it is difficult; but compared withthe road to the mines, it is as smooth and easy as the Street of theKing. If you think of your destination, the bats will seem like theswallows which announce the approach of spring."
Barine nodded gratefully to him; but she kissed the hand of Dion, whowas moving forward painfully, leaning on the arm of his friend. Thelight of the torch carried by Gorgias's faithful foreman, who led theway, had fallen on her blackened arm, and when the little party advancedshe kept behind the others. She thought it might be unpleasant forher lover to see her thus disfigured, and spared him, though she wouldgladly have remained nearer. As soon as the passage grew lower, thewounded man's friends took him in their arms, and their task was a hardone, for they were not only obliged to move onward bending low underthe heavy burden, but also to beat off the bats which, frightened by theforeman's torch, flew up in hosts.
Barine's hair was covered, it is true, but at any other time the hideouscreatures, which often brushed against her head and arms, would havefilled her with horror and loathing. Now she scarcely heeded them; hereyes were fixed on the recumbent figure in the bearers' arms, the manto whom she belonged, body and soul, and whose patient suffering piercedher inmost heart. His head rested on the breast of Gorgias, who walkeddirectly in front of her; the architect's stooping posture concealed hisface, but his feet were visible and, whenever they twitched, she fanciedhe was in pain. Then she longed to press forward to his side, wipe theperspiration from his brow in the hot, low corridor, and whisper wordsof love and encouragement.
This she was sometimes permitted to do when the friends put down theirheavy burden. True, they allowed themselves only brief intervals ofrest, but they were long enough to show her how the sufferer's strengthwas failing. When they at last reached their destination, Philotas wasforced to exert all his strength to support the exhausted man, whileGorgias cautiously opened the door. It led to a flight of sea-washedsteps close to the garden of Didymus, which as a child she had oftenused with her brother to float a little boat upon the water.
The architect opened the door only a short distance; he was expected,for Barine soon heard him whisper, and suddenly the door was flung wide.A tall man raised Dion and bore him into the open air. While she wasstill gazing after him, a second figure of equal size approached herand, hastily begging her permission, lifted her in his arms like achild, and as she inhaled the cool night air and felt the water throughwhich her bearer waded splash up and wet her feet, her eyes sought hernew-made husband--but in vain; the night was very dark, and the lightson the shore did not reach this spot so far below the walls of the quay.
Barine was frightened; but a few minutes after the outlines of a largefishing boat loomed through the darkness, dimly illumined by the harbourlights, and the next instant the giant who carried her placed her on thedeck, and a deep voice whispered: "All's well. I'll bring some wine atonce."
Then Barine saw her husband lying motionless on a couch which hadbeen prepared for him in the prow of the boat. Bending over him, sheperceived that he had fainted, and while rubbing his forehead with thewine, raising his head on her lap, cheering him, and afterwards by thelight of a small lantern carefully renewing the bandage on his shoulder,she did not notice that the vessel was moving through the water untilthe boatman set the triangular sail.
She had not been told where the boat was bearing her, and she did notask. Any spot that she could share with Dion was welcome. The morelonely the place, the more she could be to him. How her heart swelledwith gratitude and love! When she bent over him, kissed his forehead,and felt how feverishly it burned, she thought, "I will nurse you backto health," and raised her eyes and soul to her favourite god, to whomshe owed the gift of song, and who understood everything beautiful andpure, to thank Phoebus Apollo and beseech him to pour his rays the nextmorning on a convalescent man. While she was still engaged in prayer theboat touched the shore. Again strong arms bore her and Dion to the land,and when her foot touched the solid earth, her rescuer, the freedmanPyrrhus, broke the silence, saying: "Welcome, wife of Dion, to ourisland! True, you must be satisfied to take us as we are. But if youare as content with us as we are glad to serve you and your lord, who isours also, the hour of leave-taking will be far distant."
Then, leading the way to the house, he showed her as her futureapartments two large whitewashed rooms, whose sole ornament was theirexquisite neatness. On the threshold stood Pyrrhus's grey-haired wife,a young woman, and a girl scarcely beyond childhood; but the olderone modestly welcomed Barine, and also begged her to accept theirhospitality. Recovery was rapid in the pure air of the Serpent Isle. Sheherself, and--she pointed to the others--her oldest son's wife, and herown daughter, Dione, would be ready to render her any service.