CHAPTER XXIII.

The slave Argutis was waiting for Melissa in the antechamber.  It was evident that he brought good news, for he beamed with joy as she came toward him; and before she left the house she knew that her father and Philip had returned and had regained their freedom.

The slave had not allowed these joyful tidings to reach his beloved mistress’s ear, that he might have the undivided pleasure of bringing them himself, and the delight she expressed was fully as great as he had anticipated.  Melissa even hurried back to Johanna to impart to her the joyful intelligence that she might tell it to her mistress.

When they were in the street the slave told her that, at break of day, the ship had cast anchor which brought back father and son.  The prisoners had received their freedom while they were still at sea, and had been permitted to return home at once.  All was well, only—­he added, hesitatingly and with tears in his eyes—­things were not as they used to be, and now the old were stronger than the young.  Her father had taken no harm from the heavy work at the oars, but Philip had returned from the galleys very ill, and they had carried him forthwith to the bedchamber, where Dido was now nursing him.  It was a good thing that she had not been there to hear how the master had stormed and cursed over the infamy they had had to endure; but the meeting with his birds had calmed him down quickly enough.

Melissa and her attendant were walking in the direction of the Serapeum, but now she declared that she must first see the liberated prisoners.  And she insisted upon it, although Argutis assured her of her father’s intention of seeking her at the house of the high-priest, as soon as he had removed all traces of his captivity and his shameful work at the galleys in the bath.  Philip she would, of course, find at home, he being too weak to leave the house.  The old man had some difficulty in following his young mistress, and she soon stepped lightly over the “Welcome” on the threshold of her father’s house.  Never had the red mosaic inscription seemed to shine so bright and friendly, and she heard her name called in delighted tones from the kitchen.

This joyful greeting from Dido was not to be returned from the door only.  In a moment Melissa was standing by the hearth; but the slave, speechless with happiness, could only point with fork and spoon, first to the pot in which a large piece of meat was being boiled down into a strengthening soup for Philip, then to a spit on which two young chickens were browning before the fire, and then to the pan where she was frying the little fish of which the returned wanderer was so fond.