Barine started, but neither inquired the cause of the noise nor perceived the wealth of objects here presented to the senses; for the man who, leaning on another’s arm, approached the altar, was Dion, the lover who had perilled his life for her sake.  Her eyes rested intently on his figure, her whole heart yearned towards him and, unable to control herself,—­she called his name aloud.

Charmian gazed anxiously around the group, but soon uttered a sigh of relief; for the tall man whose arm supported Dion was Gorgias, the worthy architect, his best friend, and the other, still taller and stronger, her own brother Archibius.  Yonder figure, emerging from the disguise of wraps, was Berenike, Barine’s mother.  All trustworthy confidants!  The only person whom she did not know was the handsome young man standing at her brother’s side.

Barine, whose arm she still held, had struggled to escape to rush to her mother and lover; but Archibius had approached, and in a whisper warned her to be patient and to refrain from any greeting or question, “supposing,” he added, “that you are willing to be married at this altar to Dion, the son of Eumenes.”

Charmian felt Barine’s arm tremble in hers at this suggestion, but the young beauty obeyed her friend’s directions.  She did not know what had befallen her, or whether, in the excess of happiness which overwhelmed her, to shout aloud in her exultant joy, or melt into silent tears of gratitude 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 he returned to Dion the marriage contract, whose contents he knew and approved, and informed those present that, in the marriage about to be solemnized, they must consider him the paranymphos, or best man, and Berenike as the bridesmaid, and they instantly lighted a torch at the fires burning on one of the altars.  Archibius, as kyrios, joined the lovers’ hands in the Egyptian—­Barine’s mother, as bridesmaid, in the Greek-manner, and Dion gave his bride a plain iron ring.  It was the same one which his father had bestowed at his own wedding, and he whispered:  “My mother valued it; now it is your turn to honour the ancient treasure.”

After stating that the necessary sacrifices had been offered to Isis and Serapis, Zeus, Hera, and Artemis, and that the marriage between Dion, son of Eumenes, and Barine, daughter of Leonax, was concluded, Archibius shook hands with both.

Haste seemed necessary, for he permitted Berenike and his sister only time for a brief embrace, and Gorgias to clasp her hand and Dion’s.  Then he beckoned, and the newly made bride’s mother followed him in tears, Charmian bewildered and almost stupefied.  She did not fully realize the meaning of the event she had just witnessed until an old neokori had guided her and the others into the open air.