The prefect turned on his heel and went towards the steps leading to the garden; but Gorgo flew after him and seized his hand, calling out to the old woman: 

“No, no, grandmother; he is in the right, I am certain he is in the right.  Stop, Constantine—­wait, stay, and forgive my folly!  If you love me, mother, say no more—­he will explain it all presently.”

The soldier heaved a sigh of relief and assented in silence, while the slave went on with her story:  “And when my lord Constantine was gone, my lord Demetrius came and he—­but what should poor Sachepris say—­ask my lord Demetrius himself to tell you.”

“That is soon done,” replied Demetrius, who had failed to understand a great deal of all that had been going forward.  My brother Marcus is over head and ears in love with the little puss—­she is a pretty creature—­and to save that simple soul from mischief I thought I would take the business on my own shoulders which are broader and stronger than his.  I went boldly to work and offered the girl—­more shame for me, I must say—­the treasures of Midas; however, offering is one thing and accepting is another, and the child snapped me up and sent me to the right about—­ by Castor and Pollux! packed me off with my tail between my legs!  My only comfort was that Constantine had just quitted the pretty little hussy.  By the side of the god of war, thought I, a country Pan makes but a poor figure; but this Ares was dismissed by Venus, and so, if only to keep up my self-respect, I was forced to conclude that the girl, with all her pertness, was of a better sort than we had supposed.  My presents, which would have tempted any other girl in Alexandria to follow a cripple to Hades, she took as an insult; she positively cried with indignation, and I really respect pretty little Dada!”

“She is my very own sister’s child,” Herse threw in, honestly angered by the cheap estimation in which every one seemed to hold her adopted child.  “My own sister’s,” she insisted, with an emphasis which seemed to imply that she had a whole family of half-sisters.  “Though we now earn our bread as singers, we have seen better days; and in these hard times Croesus to-day may be Irus to-morrow.  As for us, Karnis did not dissipate his money in riotous living.  It was foolish perhaps but it was splendid—­I believe we should do the same again; he spent all his inheritance in trying to reinstate Art.  However, what is the use of looking after money when it is gone!  If you can win it, or keep it you will be held of some account, but if you are poor the dogs will snap at you!—­The girl, Dada—­we have taken as much care of her as if she were our own, and divided our last mouthful with her before now.  Karnis used to tease her about training her voice—­and now, when she could really do something to satisfy even good judges—­now, when she might have helped us to earn a living-now. . .”

The good woman broke down and burst into tears, while Karnis tried to soothe and comfort her.