“Oh! I know nothing at all about her--very little indeed. She has been twice to see me, and you can imagine that I did not ask her questions about her relations. I was too pleased to see her to waste time in idle conversation.” “What is she like?” “She is like a pretty girl; what do you want me to say? Must I name all the parts of her body and say that they are all beautiful? Ah! she is a real woman.” “You know nothing about her, then?” Demetrios asked. “I know she comes from Galilee; that she is nearly twenty, and lives in the Jews’ quarter, on the east of the city, near the gardens. That is all.” “Can you tell me nothing of her life or tastes?” “The first night she came here she came with her lover. Then she came by herself, and she has promised to come and see me again.” “Do you know any other friend of hers in the gardens?” “Yes; a woman from her country----Chimairis, a poor woman.” “Where does she live? I want to see her.” “She sleeps in the wood. She has done so for a year. She sold her house. But I know where her nest is, and I can take you there if you wish. Put on my sandals for me, please.” Demetrios rapidly fastened the leather thongs of the sandals upon Melitta’s little feet, and they went out together. They walked for some distance. The park was immense. Here and there a girl beneath a tree called out her name as they passed. Melitta knew a few, whom she embraced without stopping. As she passed a worn altar she gathered three large flowers from the grass and placed them on the stone. It was not yet quite dark. The intense light of the summer days has something durable about it which vaguely lingers in the dusk. The sprinkling of small stars, hardly brighter than the sky itself, twinkled gently, and the shadows of the branches remained vague and indefinite. “Ah!” said Melitta, “here is mother.” A woman clad in blue-striped muslin was coming slowly towards them. As soon as she saw the child she ran to her, picked her up in her arms, and kissed her fondly on the cheeks. “My little girl! my little love, where are you going?” “I am taking some one to see Chimairis. Are you taking a walk too?” “Corinna has been confined. Have been to her, and I dined at her bedside.” “Is it a boy?” “Twins, my dear; as rosy as wax dolls. You can go and see her to-night; she will show them to you.” “Oh, how nice! Two little courtesans. What are they to be called?” “Pannychis--both of them, because they were born on the eve of the festival of Aphrodite. It is a divine omen. They will be beautiful!” She put down the child, and, turning to Demetrios, said-- “What do you think of my daughter? Have I not good cause to be proud of her?” “You can be satisfied with one another,” he calmly replied. “Kiss mother,” Melitta said. He did so, and Pythias kissed him on the mouth as they separated.