As Zopyrus finished speaking a light step was heard in the adjoining room, and a moment later Ladice entered. Upon observing another person, she turned and would have withdrawn had not Zopyrus stepped forward with the words: “Ladice have you so soon forgotten your rescuer?”
The girl hesitated a moment, then her features lit up with a pleasant smile of recognition. “I had forgotten your name but I have told Themistocles many times of your bravery.”
Both men gazed with masculine approval into the smiling gray eyes of the girl that looked out from beneath a halo of sunshine and copper colored hair.
“So Zopyrus is your deliverer!” ejaculated Themistocles, “and he is a Persian!”
“You should use the past tense there, my friend,” said Zopyrus with emotion, “for I have been an Athenian loyal and staunch ever since the death of my friend Masistius.”
At the mention of the Persian’s name, Ladice turned her head away to hide the tears which filled her eyes. She sat silently while Zopyrus related the story of his transformation. When he had finished Themistocles placed his hands upon the youth’s shoulders.
“You are worthy of your Athenian ancestry. If you can rescue me from a fate as bad in its way as Ladice’s threatened to be, you will be in my opinion, second only to Zeus himself.”
“I will do all that I can,” said the young man heartily, “and will begin with my friend Cimon who has proved too talkative of late.”
After Zopyrus’ departure Themistocles turned to his young ward and placing a hand upon her bright hair said, “It would greatly please me did you find favor in the eyes of this young Zopyrus.”
Ladice blushed in painful confusion as she replied, “For some time I feel that no one can fill the place that my brave Persian, Masistius held, besides I have heard it rumored that Zopyrus is to wed the daughter of Pasicles.”