Melissa then bade him a grateful farewell; but as she was approaching the doorway he called again after her, and asked her with an altered voice, shortly and sternly: 

“You will agree with your father if he abuses me?”

“What an idea!” she answered, energetically.  “He knows who robbed him of his liberty, and from me shall he learn who has restored it to him.”

“Good!” murmured the emperor.  “Yet remember this also:  I need your assistance and that of your brother’s, the painter.  If your father attempts to alienate you—­”

Here he suddenly let fall his arm, which he had raised threateningly, and continued in a confidential whisper:  “But how can I ever show you anything but kindness?  Is it not so?  You already feel the secret tie—­ You know?  Am I mistaken when I fancy that it grieves you to be separated from me?”

“Certainly not,” she replied, gently, and bowed her head.

“Then go,” he continued, kindly.  “The day will come yet when you will feel that I am as necessary to your soul as you are to mine.  But you do not yet know how impatient I can be.  I must be able to think of you with pleasure—­always with pleasure—­always.”

Thereupon he nodded to her, and his eyelids remained for some time in spasmodic movement.  Philostratus was prepared to accompany the young girl, but Caracalla prevented him by calling: 

“Lead me to my bath.  If it does me good, as I trust it will, I have many things to talk over with you.”

Melissa did not hear the last words.  Gladly and quickly she hurried through the empty, dimly lighted rooms, and found Alexander in a sitting position, half asleep and half awake, with closed eyes.  Then she drew near to him on tiptoe, and, as his nodding head fell on his breast, she laughed and woke him with a kiss.

The lamps were not yet burned out, and, as he looked into her face with surprise, his also brightened, and jumping up quickly he exclaimed: 

“All’s well; we have you back again, and you have succeeded!  Our father-I see it in your face—­and Philip also, are at liberty!”

“Yes, yes, yes,” she answered, gladly; “and now we will go together and fetch them ourselves from the harbor.”

Alexander raised his eyes and arms to heaven in rapture, and Melissa imitated him; and thus, without words, though with fervent devotion, they with one accord thanked the gods for their merciful ruling.

They then set out together, and Alexander said:  “I feel as if nothing but gratitude flowed through all my veins.  At any rate, I have learned for the first time what fear is.  That evil guest certainly haunts this place.  Let us go now.  On the way you shall tell me everything.”

“Only one moment’s patience,” she begged, cheerfully, and hurried into the chief priest’s rooms.  The lady Euryale was still expecting her, and as she kissed her she looked with sincere pleasure into her bright but tearful eyes.