"Let my lord and his guest be given food and drink; set wine and such meats as we have, and let the children come and greet their father." The prince thrust the curtains aside and, motioning to Marsyas', waited until his princess and the young man had passed within. The apartment was a second recess larger than the first, shut in by hangings of sackcloth and furnished with rough seats and tables of unoiled cedar. It was a cheerless room, fit for the humblest man in Ptolemais, but the unconquered Herod and his lovely princess ennobled it. There was a scarf of damask thrown over one of the tables and two or three pieces of magnificent plate sat upon it. "That," said Agrippa, pointing to the silver, "hath been my moneyer for years. I have lived a month on a flagon." Cypros sighed, but three pretty children, a boy and two girls, rushed in from the rear of the house and engaged the prince's attention. Meanwhile, the attractive servant entered with plates for the table and Eutychus followed with a platter of food. As she passed the young Essene she tripped on an unevenness in the floor and would have fallen, but Marsyas, with a quick movement, more instinctive than gallant, threw out a hand and stayed her. She thanked him composedly and went about her work, but Marsyas, chancing to raise his eyes to Eutychus' face, caught a look from the servitor that was livid with hate. Shocked and astonished, Marsyas turned his back and wondered how he had crossed the creature. Agrippa sat at the table, and, with Cypros at his left, bade Marsyas sit beside him. The children were carried protesting away. The prince filled a goblet of silver with a pale wine, slightly effervescent and exhaling a bouquet peculiarly subtle and penetrating. He raised the frosty cup between his fingers--drink, drinker and cup of a type--and looked at the strip of sky visible through the lattice. "This to the gods," he said, "or whatever power hath fortune to give, and a heart to be won of libation. I yield you my soul for a laurel!" The princess leaned her forehead against his arm and whispered: "It is wicked--forbidden!" "I poured but one glass: I make the prayer; I have not asked thee or our young friend to pray it with me. But my devices are exhausted. I make appeal now, haphazard, for I grope!" "And didst thou fail in Jerusalem?" "As I have failed from Rome to Idumea." She drew in a little sobbing breath and hid her eyes against his sleeve. Marsyas sat silent. This first evidence of despair on the prince's part was most unwelcome. His own fortunes were too much entangled with Agrippa's for him to contemplate their fall. He felt the prince's eyes upon him. The silver cup had been refilled and was extended to him. Marsyas took it. "This to success," he said, "not fortune!" Cypros stirred. "Success is so deliberate!" she sighed. Marsyas made no answer; would it be long before he should have his bitter wish?