At last the goldsmith who was leading him asked him to move aside, for all who had flocked to the white house when it was seized by the flames had joined in the effort to save the statue of Demeter, which they had found unharmed in his studio.
Seventeen men, by the exertion of all their strength, were dragging the heavy statue from the house, which was almost on the point of falling in, into the square. Several others were bearing corpses into the open air-the old porter Snuphis and Myrtilus’s body servant. Some motionless forms they were obliged to leave behind. Both the bodies had deep wounds. There was no trace of Myrtilus and Bias.
Outside the storm had subsided, and a cool breeze blew refreshingly into Hermon’s face. As he walked arm in arm with the notary Melampus, who had invited him to his house, and heard some one at his side exclaim, “How lavishly Eos is scattering her roses to-day!” he involuntarily lifted the cloth with which he had covered his smarting face to enjoy the beautiful flush of dawn, but again beheld nothing save a black and violet-blue surface.
Then drawing his hand from his guide’s arm, he pressed it upon his poor, sightless, burning eyes, and in helpless rage, like a beast of prey which feels the teeth of the hunter’s iron trap rend his flesh, groaned fiercely, “Blind! blind!” and again, and yet again, “Blind!”
While the morning star was still paling, the lad who after Hermon’s landing had raced along the shore with the burning torch glided into the little pronaos of the Temple of Nemesis.
Ledscha was still standing by the doorpost of the cella with uplifted hand, so deeply absorbed in fervent prayer that she did not perceive the approach of the messenger until he called her.
“Succeeded?” she asked in a muffled tone, interrupting his hasty greeting.
“You must give the goddess what you vowed,” was the reply. “Hanno sends you the message. And also, ‘You must come with me in the boat quickly-at once!’”
“Where?” the girl demanded.
“Not on board the Hydra yet,” replied the boy hurriedly. “First only to the old man on the Megara. The dowry is ready for your father. But there is not a moment to lose.”