in the
deep hollows sunk by age, sparkled so merrily in her wrinkled face that
Philippus shook his finger gaily at her and showed plainly how much
pleasure the jest of the old companion of his wanderings gave him.

Yet he insisted upon his purpose of not entering Alexandria again until
he had resigned his office, and to do this at present was impossible,
since he was bound just now, as if with chains, to the important
frontier fortress. Besides, there had probably been little change in the
capital since the death of his beloved old companion in arms and master,
the late King.

This assertion evoked a storm of contradiction, and even the younger
officers, who usually imposed severe restraint upon themselves in the
general's presence, raised their voices to prove that they, too, had
looked around the flourishing capital with open eyes.

Yet it was not six decades since Philippus, then a lad of seventeen, had
been present at its foundation.

His father, who had commanded as hipparch a division of cavalry in the
army of Alexander the Great, had sent for the sturdy youth just at that
time to come to Egypt, that he might enter the army. The conqueror
of the world had himself assigned him, as a young Macedonian of good
family, to the corps of the Hetairoi; and how the vigorous old man's
eyes sparkled as, with youthful enthusiasm, he spoke of the divine
vanquisher of the world who had at that time condescended to address
him, gazed at him keenly yet encouragingly with his all-discerning but
kindly blue eyes, and extended his hand to him!

"That," he cried, "made this rough right hand precious to me. Often
when, in Asia, in scorching India, and later here also, wounded or
exhausted, it was ready to refuse its service, a spirit voice within
cried, 'Do not forget that he touched it'; and then, as if I had drunk
the noble wine of Byblus, a fiery stream flowed from my heart into the
paralyzed hand, and, as though animated with new life, I used it again
and kept it worthy of his touch. To have seen a darling of the gods like
him, young men, makes us greater. It teaches us how even we human beings
are permitted to resemble the immortals. Now he is transported among the
gods, and the Olympians received him, if any one, gladly. Whoever shared
the deeds of such a hero takes a small portion of his renown with him
through life and into the grave, and whom he touched, as befell me,
feels himself consecrated, and whatever is petty and