This answer, however, by no means appeased Hermon's impatience.
He commanded that a special messenger should be sent to summon the
goldsmith, and the Bithynian received the order with a slight shake of
his round head.

What new trouble had befallen the usually alert young artist that he
received this unexpected change in his situation as apathetically as
a horse which is led from one stall to another, and, instead of
questioning him, thought only of hastening his interview with the
goldsmith? If his mistress, who had left him full of anxiety from the
fear that her departure would deeply agitate the blind man, should learn
how indifferently he had received it! He, Gras, certainly would not
betray it. Eternal gods--these artists! He knew them. Their work was
dearer to their hearts than their own lives, love, or friendship.

During breakfast, of which the steward was obliged to remind him, Hermon
pondered over his fate; but how could he attain any degree of clearness
of vision until he secured accurate information concerning the statue
of Demeter? Like a dark cloud, which sweeps over the starry sky and
prevents the astronomer from seeing the planets which he desires to
observe, the fear that Proclus's praise had been bestowed upon the work
of Myrtilus stood between him and every goal of his thought.

Only the fact that he still remained blind, and not even the faintest
glimmer of light pierced the surrounding darkness, while the sun
continued its course with glowing radiance, and that, blinded and
beggared, he must despise himself if he sought to win Daphne, was
certain. No reflection could alter it.

Again the peace of mind which he thought he had regained during
slumber was destroyed. Fear of the artisan's statement even rendered it
impossible to pray to his mother with the affectionate devotion he had
felt the day before.

The goldsmith had directed the rescue of the Demeter, yet he would
scarcely have been able to distinguish it from the statue by Myrtilus;
for though, like his friend, he had often employed his skilful hands in
the arrangement of the gold plates at the commencement of the work, the
Egyptian had been summoned to Tennis before the statues had attained
recognisable form. He had not entered the studios for several months,
unless Bias had granted him admittance without informing his master.
This was quite possible, for the slave's keen eyes certainly had not
failed to notice how little he and Myrti