“Whom do you mean?”
“By Zeus, your daughter! Was she not betrothed to Acestor, and was not the wedding to have taken place this very day?”
Xenocles made a repellent gesture.
“Do not speak of it!” he cried.
“Well then,” replied Thuphrastos, “I’ll give you a son-in-law and, by the gods, a better one than that chatterer.”
Xenocles raised his head with a questioning glance.
“The man I shall bring you is not far off,” continued Thuphrastos. “Here you see Hipyllos! He loves the maiden. We know of him—what nobody knew about that shrieker—that he is rich. He showed his courage at the battle of Antirrhium—he has archons in his family. What more can you desire?”
“Nothing, by Zeus!” answered Xenocles laughing and grasping the young man’s hand, “what objection should I have to a son-in-law who will make me a family connection of Lacrateides?”
Hipyllos pressed Xenocles’ hand in both his own.
“Father!” he cried warmly, “give me your daughter Clytie! Neither you nor she shall repent it—that I swear by all the gods.”