“A fête? A propos of what?”
“She is to liberate her most beautiful slave, Aphrodisia. There will be dancing-girls and flute-girls. I think that your two friends are engaged to be there, and, as a matter of fact, they ought not to be here now. The rehearsal is going on at Bacchis’s at this very moment.”
“Oh! it is true,” cried Rhodis, “we had forgotten about it. Get up, Myrto, we are very late.”
But Chrysis protested.
“No, not yet! how disagreeable of you to steal away my women. If I had suspected that, I would not have let you in. Why, they are actually ready!”
“Our robes are not complicated,” said the child. “And we are not beautiful enough to spend much time in dressing.”
“I shall see you at the temple, of course?”
“Yes, to-morrow morning, we are going to offer doves. I am taking a drachma out of your purse, Chrysis, otherwise we should have nothing to buy them with. Good-bye till to-morrow.”
They ran out. Naucrates considered for a short time the door that had just closed upon them; then he folded his arms and, turning round to Chrysis, said in a low voice:
“Good. Your behaviour is charming.”