"Our poor Selene needs us far snore than he does. Come father. The old
woman can stay with him."

"I want Selene to come," whimpered the child. "Pray, pray, do not leave
me alone again."

"Your old father will stay with you my pet," said Keraunus tenderly, for
it cut him to the soul to see this child suffer. "You none of you know
what this boy is to us all."

"He will soon go to sleep," Arsinoe asserted. "Do let us go, or it will
be too late."

"And leave the old woman to commit some other stupid blunder?" cried
Keraunus. "It is my duty to stay with the poor little boy. You can
go to your sister and take the old woman with you."

"Very good, and to-morrow early I will come back."

"To-morrow morning?" said Keraunus surprised. "No, no, that will not
do. Doris said just now that Selene will be well nursed by the
Christians. Only see how she is, give her my love, and then come back."

"But father--"

"Besides you must remember that the prefect's wife expects you to-morrow
at noon to choose the stuff for your dress, and you must not look as if
you had been sitting up all night."

"I will rest a little while in the morning."