no light in Arsinoe's room but that which could creep in
through a narrow opening just below the ceiling; the slanting rays fell
directly on the bed up to which Keraunus went. There lay his daughter n
sound sleep; her pretty head rested on her uplifted right arm, her
unbound brown hair flowed like a stream over her soft round shoulders and
over the edge of the little bed. He had never seen the child look so
pretty, and the sight of her really touched his heart, for Arsinoe
reminded him of his lost wife, and it was not vain pride merely, but a
movement of true paternal love, which involuntarily transformed his
earnest wish that the gods night leave him this child and let her be
happy, into an unspoken but fervent prayer.

He was not accustomed to waking his daughter who was always up and busy
before he was, and he could hardly bear to disturb his darling's sweet
sleep; but it had to be done, so he called Arsinoe by her name, shook her
arm and said, as at last she sat up and looked at him enquiringly:

"It is I, get up, remember what has to be done today."

"Yes--yes," she said yawning, "but it is so early yet!"

"Early," said Keraunus, smiling. "My stomach says the contrary. The sun
is already high, and I have not yet had my porridge."

"Make the old woman cook it."

"No, no, my child--you must get up. Have you forgotten whom you are to
represent? And my hair is to be curled, and the prefect's wife, and then
your dress."

"Very well--go; I do not care the least bit about Roxana and all the
dressing-up."

"Because you are not yet quite awake," laughed the steward. "How did this
ivy-leaf get into your hair?" Arsinoe colored, put her hand to the spot
indicated by her father, and said reluctantly:

"Out of some bough or another, but now go that I may get up."

"In a minute--tell me how did you find Selene?"

"Not so very bad--but I will tell you all about that afterwards. Now I
want to be alone."

When, half an hour later, Arsinoe brought her father his porridge he
gazed at the child in astonishment. Some extraordinary change seemed to
have come over his daughter. Something shone in her eyes that he had
never observed before, and that gave her childlike features an importance
and significance that almost startled him. While she was making the
porridge, Keraunus, with the slave's help, had taken the children up and
dressed them; now they were all sitting at breakfast; Helios among them
fresh and blooming. Now,