"That is what comes of treating slaves as our equals! They begin to
think for themselves. A stupid blunder can spoil the best day! The
captain of the night-watch, I would have you to know, is a very great
man, and very likely a friend of Seleukus's, whose daughter Alexander
has just painted. The picture is attracting some attention.--Attention?
What am I saying? Every one who has been allowed to see it is quite
crazy about it. Everything else that was on show in the embalmers' hall
was mere trash by comparison. Often enough have I grumbled at the boy,
who would rather be anywhere than here; but, this time, I had some ground
for being proud to be his father! And now the captain of the watch sends
his secretary, or something of the kind, no doubt, in order to have his
portrait, or his wife's or daughter's--if he has one--painted by the
artist who did Korinna's; and his own father's slave--it drives me mad
to think of it--makes a face at the messenger and sends him all astray.
I will give Argutis a lesson! But by this time, perhaps--Just go and
fetch him in." With these words Heron again dropped his spoon, wiped his
beard, and then, seeing that Dido was still standing before him as though
spellbound, twitching her slave's gray gown, he repeated his order in
such angry tones--though before he had spoken to her as gently as if she
were one of his own children--that the old woman started violently and
made for the door, crouching low and whimpering bitterly.

The soft-hearted tyrant was really sorry for the faithful old servant he
had bought a generation since for the home to which he had brought his
fair young wife, and he began to speak kindly to her, as he had
previously done to the birds.

This comforted the old woman so much that again she could not help
crying; but, notwithstanding the sincerity of her tears, being accustomed
of old to take advantage of her master's moods, she felt that now was the