'Thanks; but that shall not be. I might cause thee perturbation;' and she smiled rather cynically, or Chios thought so.
Chios was thoughtful, and his gaze was through the open window away over the city towards the grove of Hecate, where the great trees peeped from behind the mountain of Pion.
A dead silence fell on all, which was broken by Nika saying:
'I should so much like thee to paint a picture of myself. Say, wilt thou? And when may I give thee first sitting?'
'When thou comest,' replied Chios, 'I will do my best.'
'Good!' said Venusta; 'thou shalt do it. I am sure it will do thee no harm to look intently on a face like hers. It might perhaps soften thy too sage-like brow; and then—who knows?—thou mightst captivate some lovely girl—eh?—as lovely as Nika. What sayest thou, noble lord of Rome?'
'True,' said he, 'it may be so; but I fear it is a hopeless case. He is a confirmed bachelor.'
'Perhaps not,' said Nika's mother. 'Who can tell? He may now be madly in love. Chios does such strange things. During his absence from us he may have taken a wife, and at any moment herald her forth as the fairest of Ionia. May it be so, noble Greek?'
'No; Samos may be levelled to the ocean bed, but thou wilt never—never see me wed.'
'Thou art dark again, Chios. Move aside, girl,' said Venusta; 'let the sun shine upon him;' but the face of Nika became clouded. She knew her mother's wit was wounding the heart of the only man she really loved.