“Your purpose, then?”
“To-day the gods show mercy to Hellas, later they may show justice to me. The war is far from ended. Can you not let me serve on some ship of the allies where none can recognize me? Thus let me wait a year, and trust that in that year the sphinx will find her riddle answered.”
“To wait thus long is hard,” spoke the other, kindly.
“I have done many hard things, Themistocles.”
“And your wife?”
“Hera pity her! She bade me return when Athens knew me innocent. Better that she wait a little longer, though in sorrow, when I can return to her even as she bade me. Nevertheless, promise one thing.”
“Name it.”
“That if her parents are about to give her to Democrates or any other, you will prevent.”
Themistocles’s face lightened. He laid a friendly hand on the young man’s shoulder.
“I do not know how to answer your cry of innocency, philotate, but this I know, in all Hellas I think none is fairer in body or soul than you. Have no fear for Hermione, and in the year to come may Revealer Apollo make all of your dark things bright.”