Before going to bed she had tried with all the fervency and eloquence of which she was mistress, to persuade, entreat, and implore the heedless girl to refuse as positively as she herself had refused to take any part in the processions; but Arsinoe had at first repulsed her crossly, and finally had defiantly declared that means might yet very likely be found, and that what her father permitted, Selene had no right to interfere in, still less to forbid.  And when afterwards she saw Arsinoe sleeping so calmly by her side, she felt as if she would like to shake her; but she was so accustomed to bear all the troubles of the family alone, and to be unkindly repelled by her sister whenever she attempted to admonish her, that she forbore.

Arsinoe had a good and tender heart, but she was young, pretty, and vain.  With affectionate persuasion she might be won over to anything, but Selene, when ever she remonstrated with her, made her feel her superiority over herself, acquired from her care of the family and her maternal character.  Thus, not a day passed without some quarrelling and tears between these two sisters who were so dissimilar, and yet, both so well disposed.  Arsinoe was always the first to offer her hand for a reconciliation, but Selene would rarely have a kinder answer ready to her affectionate advances than, “Let be,” or “Oh yes, I know!” and their outward intercourse bore an aspect of coolness, which was easily worked up to an outbreak of hostile speeches.  Hundreds of times they would go to bed without wishing each other ‘good-night,’ and still more often would they avoid any morning greeting when they first met in the day.

Arsinoe liked talking, but in Selene’s presence she was taciturn; there were few things in which Selene took pleasure, while her sister delighted in every thing which can charm youth.  It was the steward’s eldest daughter who attended to the daily needs of the children, their food and clothes; it was the second who superintended their games, and their dolls.  The eldest watched and taught them with anxious care, detecting in every little fault the germ of some evil tendency in the future, while the other enticed them into follies, it is true, but opened their minds to joyous impressions, and attained more by kisses and kind words than Selene could by fault-finding.  The children would call Selene when they wanted her, but would fly to Arsinoe as soon as they saw her.  Their hearts were hers, and Selene felt this bitterly; it seemed to her to be unjust, for she saw clearly that her sister could reap, from mere frivolous play in her idle hours, a sweeter reward than she could earn by the anxiety, trouble and exhausting toil, in which she often spent her nights.

But children are not unjust in this way.  It is true that they keep an account in their heart and not in their head.  Those who give them the warmth of affection they pay back most honestly.