increment could bring no added enjoyment to him or his family, and yet
their increase had become his life's task. He strove for a higher sum to
figure on the annual balance sheet, as eagerly as an athlete strives
for a prize; and his mother not only inspected the account, but watched
every important undertaking with keen interest. When her son and his
colleagues doubted over some decision it was she who gave the casting
vote; but though her advice in most cases proved sound and profitable,
she herself ascribed this less to her own acumen and knowledge of the
world than to the hints she obtained from the stars and from magical
calculations. Her son did not follow her in these speculations, but
he rarely disputed the conclusions that she drew from her astrological
studies. While she was turning night into day he was glad to entertain
a few learned friends, for all the hours of leisure that he could snatch
from his pursuit of fortune, he devoted to philosophy, and the most
distinguished thinkers of Alexandria were happy to be received at
the hospitable table of so rich a patron. He was charmed to be called
"Callias,"

[The noble Athenian family of Callias was famed for its wealth and
splendor.]

and the heathen teachers at the schools of the Museum and Serapeum
regarded him as a faithful ally. It was known that he had been baptized,
but he never liked to hear the fact mentioned. He won all hearts by his
perfect modesty, but even more perhaps by a certain air of suffering
and melancholy which protected the wealthy merchant against the envy of
detractors.

In the course of her conversation with Karnis the old lady enquired
particularly as to the antecedent history of Agne, for if there had been
a stain on her character, or if she were by birth a slave, Gorgo could
not of course be seen with her in public, and in that case Karnis would
have to teach the lament of Isis to some freeborn singer. Karnis in
reply could only shrug his shoulders, and beg the ladies and Porphyrius
to judge for themselves when he should have related the young girl's
story.

Three years since, he said, he had been staying at Antioch at the time
of a violent outbreak against the levying of certain taxes. There had
been much bloodshed, and he and his family had got out of the city
as quickly as they could. It was growing dusk when they turned into a
wayside inn, where they found Agne and her little brother captives to a
soldier. During the ni