s that it was useless for them to irritate themselves over
trifles, and that matters would mend themselves in time.

But as the days went on, so far from mending things became worse;
groups of people frequently assembled round the house, and shouts of
anger and hatred were raised when any of the occupants entered or
left. Even when Ameres was passing through the streets in procession
with the sacred emblems hoots and cries were raised among the crowd.
Chebron took this state of things greatly to heart, and more than once
he implored his father to allow him to declare the truth openly and
bear the consequences.

"I am not afraid of death, father. Have you not trained me to regard
life as of no account? Do we not in our feasts always see the image of
a dead man carried past to remind us that death is always among us?
You have Mysa and my mother. I fear death far less than this constant
anxiety that is hanging over us."

But Ameres would not hear of the sacrifice. "I do not pretend that
there is no danger, Chebron. I thought at first that the matter would
soon pass over, but I own that I was wrong. The unfortunate fact that
the creature was chosen as sacred cat for the temple at Bubastes has
given its loss a prominence far beyond that which there would have
been had it been an ordinary animal of its class, and the affair has
made an extraordinary sensation in the city. Still I cannot but think
that an enemy must be at work stirring up the people against me. I
suspect, although I may be wrong, that Ptylus is concerned in the
matter. Since he reappeared after his sudden absence following the
night when you overheard that conversation, he has affected a feeling
of warmth and friendship which I believe has been entirely feigned.

"Whether he was one of those you overheard I am unable to say, but his
sudden disappearance certainly favors that idea. At any rate, he can
have no real reason for any extra cordiality toward me at present, but
would more naturally still feel aggrieved at my rejection of his son
as a husband for Mysa. I thought at first when you told me what you
had overheard that possibly it was a plot against my life. Now I feel
sure of it.

"No doubt they believe, as no measures were taken, that their
conversation was not overheard or that only a few words reached the
listeners, and his manner to me is designed to allay any suspicion I
might have conceived had as much of the conversation as was overheard
been