The Egyptian raised his eyes to Glaucus with a sudden and piercing glance.
'I do not understand you,' said he, coldly; 'but it is the custom to consider that wit lies in obscurity.' He turned from Glaucus as he spoke, with a scarcely perceptible sneer of contempt, and after a moment's pause addressed himself to Ione.
'I have not, beautiful Ione,' said he, 'been fortunate enough to find you within doors the last two or three times that I have visited your vestibule.'
'The smoothness of the sea has tempted me much from home,' replied Ione, with a little embarrassment.
The embarrassment did not escape Arbaces; but without seeming to heed it, he replied with a smile: 'You know the old poet says, that "Women should keep within doors, and there converse."'
'The poet was a cynic,' said Glaucus, 'and hated women.'
'He spoke according to the customs of his country, and that country is your boasted Greece.'
'To different periods different customs. Had our forefathers known Ione, they had made a different law.'
'Did you learn these pretty gallantries at Rome?' said Arbaces, with ill-suppressed emotion.
'One certainly would not go for gallantries to Egypt,' retorted Glaucus, playing carelessly with his chain.