The others were led by a slender youth, the student Philotas, from
Amphissa, Didymus's assistant, whom the architect, a few days before,
had helped to liberate from the demons of wine. Even while Gorgias was
beckoning to him from the two-wheeled chariot, the thought entered his
mind that yonder handsome youth, who had so deeply wronged Barine and
Dion, would be the very person to help carry his friend through the low-
roofed passage to the sea. If Philotas was the person Gorgias believed
him to be, he would deem it a special favour to make amends for his crime
to those whom he had injured, and he was not mistaken; for, after the
youth had taken a solemn oath not to betray the secret to any one, the
architect asked him to aid in Dion's rescue. Philotas, overflowing with
joyful gratitude, protested his willingness to do so, and promised to
wait at the appointed spot in the Temple of Isis at the time mentioned.




CHAPTER XIV.

While Gorgias was examining the subterranean chambers in the Temple of
Isis, Charmian returned to Lochias earlier than she herself had expected.
She had met her brother, whom she did not find at Kanopus, at Berenike's,
and after greeting Dion on his couch of pain, she told Archibius of her
anxiety. She confided to him alone that the Queen had committed Barine's
fate to Alexas, for the news might easily have led the mother of the
endangered woman to some desperate venture; but even Archibius's
composure, so difficult to disturb, was not proof against it. He would
have sought the Queen's presence at once--if necessary, forced his way
to it; but the historian Timagenes, who had just come from Rome, was