“My guardian, my tutelary dæmon,” he exclaimed, “visible manifestation of Æsculapius! Then I am not forsaken by the immortal gods.”
“Take away the monster,” cried Leaena, in violent agitation, “the nasty thing! Plotinus, how can you? Oh, I shall faint! I shall die! Take it away, I say. You must choose between it and me.”
“Then, Madam,” said Plotinus, civilly but firmly, “I choose it.”
“Thank Æsculapius we are rid of her,” he added, as Leaena vanished from the apartment.
“I wish I knew that,” said Porphyry.
And indeed after no long time a note came up from Theocles, who was sure that Plotinus would not refuse him that privilege of instructing a female disciple which had been already, with such manifest advantage to philosophical research, accorded to his colleague Hermon. No objection could well be made, especially as Plotinus did not foresee how many chambermaids, and pages, and cooks, and perfumers, and tiring women and bath attendants would be required, ere Leaena could feel herself moderately comfortable. How unlike the modest Pannychis! who wanted but half a bed, which need not be stuffed with the down of hares or the feathers of partridges, without which sleep refused to visit Leaena’s eyelids.
It was natural that Plotinus should appeal to Gallienus, now returned from the Gallic expedition, but he could extract nothing save mysterious intimations that the Emperor had his eye upon the philosophers, and that they might find him among them when they least expected it. Plotinus’s spirits drooped, and Porphyry was almost glad when he again relapsed into an ecstasy.
III
When Plotinus’s eyes were at length opened, they fell not this time upon the faithful Porphyry, but upon two youthful followers of Plato who were beguiling the tedium of their vigil at his bedside by a game of dice, which prevented their observing his resuscitation. After a moment’s hesitation Plotinus resolved to lie quiet in the hopes of hearing something that might indicate what influences were in the ascendant in the philosophical republic. He had not long to wait.
“Dice is dull work for long,” said one of the young men, indolently throwing himself back, and letting his caster fall upon the floor. “To think how much better one might be employed, but for having to watch this old fool here! I’ve a great mind to call up a slave.”