Pulcheria must lead him through the viridarium into the dining-room; he enjoyed his meal, and his cross, wrinkled old face lighted up amazingly as he glanced round at his feminine associates; only Eudoxia was absent, confined to her room by some slight ailment.  He had something pleasant to say to each; he frankly compared his former circumstances with his present position, without disguising his heartfelt thankfulness; then, with a merry glance at Pulcheria, he described how delightful it would be when Philippus should come home to make the party complete—­a true and perfect star:  for every Egyptian star must have five rays.  The ancients had never painted one otherwise nor graven it in stone; nay, they had used it as the symbol for the number five.

At this Mary exclaimed:  “But then I hope—­I hope we shall make a six-rayed star; for by that time poor Paula may be with us again!”

“God grant it!” sighed Dame Joanna.  Pulcheria, however, asked the old man what was wrong with him, for his face had suddenly clouded.  His cheerfulness had vanished, his tufted eyebrows were raised, and his pinched lips seemed unwilling to part, when at length he reluctantly said: 

“Nothing—­nothing is wrong...  At the same time; once for all—­I loathe that name.”

“Paula?” cried the child in astonishment.  “Oh! but if you knew. . .”

“I know more than enough,” interrupted the old man.  “I love you all—­ all; my old heart expands as I sit in your midst; I am comfortable here, I feel kindly towards you, I am grateful to you; every little attention you show me does me good; for it comes from your hearts:  if I could repay you soon and abundantly—­I should grow young again with joy.  You may believe me, as I can see indeed that you do.  And yet,” and again his brows went up, “and yet, when I hear that name, and when you try to win me over to that woman, or if you should even go so far as to assail my ears with her praises—­then, much as it would grieve me, I would go back again to the place where I came from.”

“Why, Horapollo, what are you saying?” cried Joanna, much distressed.

“I say,” the old man went on, “I say that in her everything is concentrated which I most hate and contemn in her class.  I say that she bears in her bosom a cold and treacherous heart; that she blights my days and my nights; in short, that I would rather be condemned to live under the same roof with clammy reptiles and cold-blooded snakes than. . .”

“Than with her, with Paula?” Mary broke in.  The eager little thing sprang to her feet, her eyes flashed lightnings and her voice quivered with rage, as she exclaimed:  “And you not only say it but mean it?  Is it possible?”

“Not only possible, but positive, sweetheart,” replied the old man, putting out his hand to take hers, but she shrank back, exclaiming vehemently: 

“I will not be your sweetheart, if you speak so of her!  A man as old as you are ought to be just.  You do not know her at all, and what you say about her heart. . .”