n a common worship. They devoted themselves to the worship of
Apis in Osiris at the shrines, of Greek architecture, and containing
stone images of bulls, that stood outside the Egyptian sanctuary, and
they were very ready to be initiated into the higher significance of
his essence; indeed, all religious mysteries in their Greek home bore
reference to the immortality of the soul and its fate in the other
world.

Just as two neighboring cities may be joined by a bridge, so the Greek
temple of Serapis--to which the water-bearers belonged--was connected
with the Egyptian sanctuary of Osiris-Apis by the fine paved road for
processions along which Klea now rapidly proceeded. There was a shorter
way to Memphis, but she chose this one, because the mounds of sand on
each side of the road bordered by Sphinxes--which every day had to
be cleared of the desert-drift--concealed her from the sight of her
companions in the temple; besides the best and safest way into the
city was by a road leading from a crescent, decorated with busts of
the philosophers, that lay near the principal entrance to the new Apis
tombs.

She looked neither at the lion-bodies with men's heads that guarded the
way, nor at the images of beasts on the wall that shut it in; nor did
she heed the dusky-hued temple-slaves of Osiris-Apis who were sweeping
the sand from the paved way with large brooms, for she thought of
nothing but Irene and the difficult task that lay before her, and she
walked swiftly onwards with her eyes fixed on the ground.

But she had taken no more than a few steps when she heard her name
called quite close to her, and looking up in alarm she found herself
standing opposite Krates, the little smith, who came close up to her,
took hold of her veil, threw it back a little before she could prevent
him, and asked:

"Where are you off to, child?"

"Do not detain me," entreated Klea. "You know that Irene, whom you are
always so fond of, has been carried off; perhaps I may be able to save
her, but if you betray me, and if they follow me--"

"I will not hinder you," interrupted the old man. "Nay, if it were not
for these swollen feet I would go with you, for I can think of nothing
else but the poor dear little thing; but as it is I shall be glad enough
when I am sitting still again in my workshop; it is exactly as if a
workman of my own trade lived in each of my great toes, and was dancing
round in them with hammer and file and chisel and nails