But since she had been under the roof of Glaucus, he had ordered a slave to accompany her always; and the poor devil thus appointed, who was somewhat of the fattest, and who, after having twice performed the journey to Ione’s house, now saw himself condemned to a third excursion (whither the gods only knew), hastened after her, deploring his fate, and solemnly assuring Castor and Pollux that he believed the blind girl had the talaria of Mercury as well as the infirmity of Cupid.

Nydia, however, required but little of his assistance to find her way to the popular temple of Isis:  the space before it was now deserted, and she won without obstacle to the sacred rail.

‘There is no one here,’ said the fat slave.  ’What dost thou want, or whom Knowest thou not that the priests do not live in the temple?’

‘Call out,’ said she, impatiently; ’night and day there is always one flamen, at least, watching in the shrine of Isis.’

The slave called—­no one appeared.

‘Seest thou no one?’

‘No one.’

‘Thou mistakest; I hear a sigh:  look again.’

The slave, wondering and grumbling, cast round his heavy eyes, and before one of the altars, whose remains still crowd the narrow space, he beheld a form bending as in meditation.

’I see a figure, said he; ‘and by the white garments, it is a priest.’

‘O flamen of Isis!’ cried Nydia; ‘servant of the Most Ancient, hear me!’

‘Who calls?’ said a low and melancholy voice.

’One who has no common tidings to impart to a member of your body:  I come to declare and not to ask oracles.’

’With whom wouldst thou confer?  This is no hour for thy conference; depart, disturb me not; the night is sacred to the gods, the day to men.’

’Methinks I know thy voice? thou art he whom I seek; yet I have heard thee speak but once before.  Art thou not the priest Apaecides?’

‘I am that man,’ replied the priest, emerging from the altar, and approaching the rail.

‘Thou art! the gods be praised!’ Waving her hand to the slave, she bade him withdraw to a distance; and he, who naturally imagined some superstition connected, perhaps, with the safety of Ione, could alone lead her to the temple, obeyed, and seated himself on the ground, at a little distance.  ‘Hush!’ said she, speaking quick and low; ’art thou indeed Apaecides?’

‘If thou knowest me, canst thou not recall my features?’

‘I am blind,’ answered Nydia; ’my eyes are in my ear, and that recognizes thee:  yet swear that thou art he.’

‘By the gods I swear it, by my right hand, and by the moon!’

’Hush! speak low—­bend near—­give me thy hand; knowest thou Arbaces?  Hast thou laid flowers at the feet of the dead?  Ah! thy hand is cold—­hark yet!—­hast thou taken the awful vow?’

‘Who art thou, whence comest thou, pale maiden?’ said Apaecides, fearfully:  ’I know thee not; thine is not the breast on which this head hath lain; I have never seen thee before.’