She had had but a brief interview with Mary, Marcus’ mother, for she had positively opposed the Christian lady’s suggestion that Karnis and his family would do well to quit Alexandria as soon as possible, accepting an indemnification from Mary herself.  To the widow’s threats of seeking the intervention of the law, she had retorted that they were not public singers but free citizens who performed for their own enjoyment; to the anxious mother’s complaints that Dada was doing all she could to attract Marcus, she had answered promptly and to the point that her niece’s good name would certainly out-weigh anything that could be said against a young man to whom so much license was allowed in Alexandria.  She would find some means of protecting her own sister’s child.  Mary had replied that Herse would do well to remember that she—­Mary—­had means at her command of bringing justice down on those who should attempt to entrap a Christian youth, and tempt him into the path of sin.

This had closed the interview.  Herse had found her husband and son waiting for her at the door of Mary’s house and had at once returned with them to the ship.  There an unpleasant surprise awaited them; they had found no one on board but the Egyptian slave, who told them that Dada had sent her on shore to procure her some sandals; on her return the girl had vanished.  The woman at the same time declared that she had seen Agne and her brother leave the garden and make for the high-road.

So far as the Christian girl was concerned Herse declared there would be no difficulty; but Dada, her own niece, had always clung to them faithfully, and though Alexandria was full of sorcerers and Magians they could hardly succeed in making away with a fullgrown, rational, and healthy girl.  In her inexperience she had, no doubt, gone at the bidding of some perfidious wretch, and the Egyptian witch, the brown slave had, of course, had a finger in the trick.  She would accuse no one, but she knew some people who would be only too glad if Dada and that baby-faced young Christian got into trouble and disgrace together.  She delivered herself of this long story with tears of rage and regret, angrily refusing to admit any qualifying parentheses from her husband, to whose natural delicacy her rough and vociferous complaints were offensive in the presence of the high-bred ladies of the house.  Old Damia, however, had listened attentively to her indignant torrent of words, and had only shrugged her shoulders with a scornful smile at the implied accusation of herself.

Porphyrius, to whom the whole business was simply revolting, questioned Herse closely and when the facts were clearly established, and it also was plainly proved that Agne had escaped from the garden, he desired the slave-woman to tell her story of all that had occurred during the absence of Karnis, promising her half a dozen stripes from the cane on the soles of her feet for every false word she might utter.  The threat was enough to raise a howl from the Egyptian; but this Porphyries soon put a stop to, and Sachepris, with perfect veracity, told her tale of all that had happened till Herse’s return to the vessel.  The beginning of the narrative was of no special interest, but when she was pressed to go faster to the point she went on to say: