such endearments.

Before long Dada was alone, cooling herself with her new fan and eating
sweetmeats; but she could not cease thinking of the shameful treachery
planned by old Damia, and while she rejoiced to reflect that she had not
fallen into the net, and had seen through the plot, her wrath against
the wicked old woman and Gorgo--whom she could not help including--burnt
within her. Meanwhile she looked about her, expecting to see Marcus, or
perhaps the young officer. Finding it impossible to think any evil of
the young Christian, and having already trusted him so far, her fancy
dwelt on him with particular pleasure; but she was curious, too, about
the prefect, the early love of the proud merchant's daughter.

Time went on; the sun was high in the heavens, she was tired of staring,
wondering and thinking, and, yawning wearily, she began to consider
whether she would make herself comfortable for a nap, or go down
stairs and fill up the time by dressing herself up in her new garments.
However, before she could do either, the slave returned from her errand
to the house, and a few moments after she espied the young officer
crossing the ship-yard towards the lake; she sat up, set the crescent
straight that she wore in her hair, and waved her fan in a graceful
greeting.

The cavalry prefect, who knew that, of old, the barge was often used by
Porphyrius' guests, though he did not happen to have heard who were its
present occupants--bowed, with military politeness and precision, to the
pretty girl lounging on the deck. Dada returned the greeting; but this
seemed likely to be the end of their acquaintance, for the soldier
walked on without turning round. He looked handsomer even than he
had seemed the day before; his hair was freshly oiled and curled, his
scale-armor gleamed as brightly, and his crimson tunic was as new and
rich as if he were going at once to guard the Imperial throne. The
merchant's daughter had good taste, but her friend looked no less
haughty than herself. Dada longed to make his acquaintance and find out
whether he really had no eyes for any one but Gorgo. To discover that it
was not so, little as she cared about him personally, would have given
her infinite satisfaction, and she decided that she must put him to the
test. But there was no time to lose, so, as it would hardly do to call
after him, she obeyed a sudden impulse, flung overboard the handsome fan
which had been in her possession but one day