Little Alexander, without even casting a glance at all this, drew Charmian forward.  He did not pause until he reached the shore of the lotus pond; then, putting his fingers on his lips, he said:  “There, now, I’ll show you.  Look here!”

Rising cautiously upon tip-toe as he spoke, he pointed to the hollow in the trunk of a tree.  A pair of finches had built their nest in it, and five young ones with big yellow beaks stretched their ugly little heads hungrily upward.

“That’s so pretty!” cried the prince.  “And you must see the old ones come to feed them.”  The beautiful boy’s sweet face fairly beamed with delight, and Charmian kissed him tenderly.  Yet, even as she did so, she thought of the young swallows hacked to death in his mother’s galley, and a chill ran through her veins.

Just at that moment voices were heard calling Alexander from a neglected spot behind the dainty little house built for the children, and the boy exclaimed peevishly: 

“There, now, I showed you the little nest, so I forgot.  Agatha fell asleep and Smerdis went away, so we were alone.  Then they sent me to Horus, the gate-keeper, to get some of his spelt bread.  He never says no to anything, and it does taste so good.  We’re peasants, and have been using the axe and the hoe, so we want something to eat.  Have you seen our house?  We built it ourselves.  Selene, Helios, Jotape, my future wife, and I—­yes, I!  They let me help, and we finished it alone, all alone!  Everything is here.  We shall build the shed for the cow to-morrow.  The others mustn’t see it, but I may show it to you.”

While speaking, he drew her forward again, and Charmian obediently followed.  The twins and little Jotape, who had been chosen for the future bride of the six-year-old Prince Alexandera pretty, delicate, fair-haired child of his own age, the daughter of the Median king, who had been betrothed to the boy after the Parthian war, and now remained as a hostage at Cleopatra’s court—­welcomed her with joyous shouts.  With the exception of the little Median princess, Charmian had witnessed their birth, and they all loved her dearly.

The little royal labourers showed their work with proud delight, and it really was well done.

They had toiled at it for weeks, paying no heed to the garden and all its costly rarities.  They pointed with special pride to the two planks which Helios, aided by Alexander, had fished out of the sea after the last storm, when they were left alone, and to the lock on the door which they had secretly managed to wrench from an old gate.  Selene herself had woven the curtain in front of the door.  Now they were going to build a hearth too.

Charmian praised their skill, while they—­all talking merrily together—­told her how they had conquered the greatest difficulties.  Their bright eyes sparkled with pleasure while describing the work of their own hands, and they were so absorbed in eager delight that they did not notice the approach of a man until startled by his words:  “Enough of this idle sport now, your Highnesses.  Too much time has already been wasted on it.”