Arsinoe was embarrassed and anxious and would far rather have yielded her
part to another; still, she was curious about the new dresses. The
tailor begged her to allow her maid to dress her; his assistant would
help her because the dresses which were only slightly stitched together
for trying on, were cut, not in the Greek but in the Oriental fashion.

"Your waiting woman," he added turning to Arsinoe, "will be able to learn
to-day the way to dress you on the great occasion."

"My daughter's maid," said Keraunus, winking slily at Arsinoe, "is not in
the house."

"Oh, I require no help," cried the tailor's girl. "I am handy too at
dressing hair, and I am most glad to help such a fair Roxana."

"And it is a real pleasure to work for her," added Sophilus. "Other
young ladies are beautified by what they wear, but your daughter adds
beauty to all she wears."

"You are most polite," said Keraunus, as Arsinoe and her handmaid left
the room.

"We learn a great deal by our intercourse with people of rank," replied
the tailor. "The illustrious ladies who honor me with their custom like
not only to see but to hear what is pleasing. Unfortunately there are
among them some whom the gods have graced with but few charms, and they,
strangely enough, crave the most flattering speeches. But the poor
always value it more than the rich when benevolence is shown them."