The Greek merchant, as soon as he was aware of her arrival, ran forward and stood obsequiously before her, until she deigned to notice him.

‘I would speak with you.  See that we are private.’

‘Noble lady,’ he replied, ’the lord Basilius, heir of the Senator Maximus, is within.  I will straightway beg him to defer his business.’

The lady turned and gazed into the dusky shop.

‘He is not alone, I see.’

‘A kinsman is with him, noble lady.’

’Then bid the kinsman go his way, and keep apart, you, until you are summoned.  I will speak for a moment with the lord Basilius.’

The Alexandrian, masking a smile, drew near to Basil, and whispered that the lady Heliodora demanded to see him alone.  A gesture of annoyance was the first reply, but, after an instant’s reflection, Basil begged his kinsman to withdraw.  Heliodora then entered the shop, which was nothing more than an open recess, with a stone counter half across the entrance, and behind it a couple of wooden stools.  Upon one of these the lady seated herself, and Basil, who had greeted her only with a movement of the head, stood waiting.

‘So you will not sup with me?’ began Heliodora, in a voice of bantering indifference.  ’You will not come to see me?  You will not write to me?  It is well.  I care less than the clipping of a finger-nail.’

‘So I would have it,’ Basil replied coldly.

’Good.  Then we are both satisfied.  This is much better than making pretence of what we don’t feel, and playing a comedy with our two selves for spectators.  You amused me for a while; that is over; now you amuse me in another way.  Turn a little towards the light.  Let me have a look at your pretty face, Basilidion.’

She spoke with a Greek accent, mingling now and then with the Roman speech a Greek word or exclamation, and her voice, sonorous rather than melodious, one moment seemed about to strike the note of anger, at another seemed softening to tenderness.

‘With your leave,’ said Basil, ’I will be gone.  I have matters of some importance to attend to.’

‘With your leave,’ echoed Heliodora, ’I will detain you yet a little.  For you, Basilidion, there is only one matter of importance, and it may be that I can serve you better therein than any you esteem your graver friends.  There, now, I see your face.  Holy Mary I how wan and worn it is.  From my heart I pity you, Basilidion.  Come now, tell me the story.  I have heard fifty versions, some credible, some plain fable.  Confide in me; who knows but I may help you.’

‘Scoff as you will,’ was his answer.  ’It is your privilege.  But in truth, lady, I have little time to waste.’

’And in truth, lord, your courtesy has suffered since you began to peck and pine for this little Hun.’

‘Hun?’

’Oh, I cry pardon!  Goth, I should have said.  Indeed, there are degrees of barbarism—­but, as you will.  I say again, I care not the clipping of my smallest nail.’  She held her hand towards him; very white it was, and soft and shapely, but burdened with too many rings.  ’Tell me all, and I will help you.  Tell me nothing, and have nothing for your pains.’