He had given himself up to the servitor's attentions, when it occurred to him that he had let slip a chance to deliver a telling and a much-needed warning to Eutychus. The more he considered his neglect, the more serious it seemed. At last he hurried his attendant, and, getting into fresh garments, descended again to the first floor. He despatched Stephanos in search of Eutychus and stopped by the newel to await the charioteer's coming. As he stood, the brown waiting-woman came to him, gliding like a sand column across the desert. Coming quite close to him, she dropped on her knees at his side and touched her forehead to the ground. "I am a Brahmin," she said in Hindu, "and I owe thee a debt. I shall not forget!" Rising, she flitted away. Marsyas looked after her in amazement. It was the same slave-woman whom he had helped at Peter the usurer's. Cypros, with her head drooping, a delicate forefinger on her chin, came slowly and sorrowfully into the hall. As Marsyas looked at her, she seemed to him to be half-woman, half-child. But when she saw him, her face lighted, her eyes glowed. With extended hands she came toward him. "Nay, nay," she said, seeing that thanks were on his lips. "Do not shame me with thy thanks, Marsyas, for I had a selfish use in releasing thee." "But I know, nevertheless, that I should have had freedom at thy hands though I never saw thee again." "Oh, be not so filled with confidence and sweet believing, else I fear for myself," she said earnestly. "Nay, if I were wholly unselfish, I should come to thee, this hour of thy honor, to bring thee praise. Yet I come with mine own interest, to charge thee anew!" "Command me; thou hast purchased me!" "Not so; but thou hast purchased my husband, with the extreme of thy sacrifice for his sake!" "Lady, I did that thing for myself--for mine own ends!" "Nevertheless, it was my husband who profited. Thou must learn that much hath transpired here in Alexandria. The alabarch had not the three hundred thousand drachmae to lend--" Marsyas' forehead contracted; was not his work against Saul of Tarsus progressing? "--but he gave my lord in all readiness five talents, with which we ransomed thee. It was all the good alabarch could afford, but it is not enough for me and my babes. Wherefore Agrippa goes to Rome without us. There, infallibly he will obtain money from Antonia, discharge his debt to Caesar and settle Vitellius' vengeful search after thee. There, he shall be restored to favor with Caesar and come into possession of his kingdom!" "How thou liftest my bitter heart!" Marsyas exclaimed. "Go yet further and say that, thereafter, I shall have my requital, my hunger after vengeance satisfied!" "All that shall be," she said with gravity, "on one condition!" "What?" he besought earnestly. "That he who hath Agrippa's welfare deepest in his heart shall ever be near my lord to protect him against himself!"