“Spare no efforts to make these flowers of humanity happy as birds of air,” he said. “I charge thee to give them plenty of sweets, music and games for their amusement.”
“Wilt thou not lend us thy presence?”
“Affairs of urgency prevent indulgence of personal desires, but I shall not forget to send best thoughts.”
“May Jupiter the beneficent be in the ascendant throughout thy journey.”
He made the sign of submission and bent the knee in courtly fashion.
“May his jovial and benign rays descend on all thy efforts. Success be with thee and thy wards,” was Yermah’s reply.
“The secret of happiness,” said Setos, sententiously, “is in having constant employment for both body and mind. I shall advise—”
“What wilt thou advise, Setos?” asked Yermah, as he seated himself at the council table in his private office, where Alcamayn and Orondo had been waiting for him.
“Duty compels me to suggest severe measures for women neglecting their households and allowing their children to be seen in filthy rags. Near the Temple of Neptune I complain of three houses unlawfully dirty. It surprised me that Akaza made no mention of this in conference to-day.”
“It were possible that he saw them not. He would be for mercy; and so am I.”