The Sisters, v1

mple of Serapis; by its side are the smaller sanctuaries of Asclepios, of Anubis and of Astarte, and a row of long, low houses, built

ends stick out from the wall in every direction, the surface is as disagreeable to touch as it is unpleasing to look at. When they were first built on the ground between the temple itself and the wall which encloses the precincts, and which, on the eastern side, divides the acacia-grove of Serapis in half, they were concealed from the votaries visiting the temple by the back wall of a colonnade on the eastern side of the great forecourt; but a portion of this colonnade has

various materials. This path leads directly to the little brick houses, and ends at a small closed wooden door so roughly joined and so ill-hung that between it and the threshold, which is only raised a few inches above the ground, a fine gray cat contrives to squeeze herself through by putting down her head and rubbing through the dust. As soon a

gold, which looks strangely out of place among such humble accessories. Quite in the background lie two mats of woven bast, each covered with a sheepskin. These are the beds of the two girls who inhabit the room, one of whom is now sitting on a low stool made of palm-branches, and she yawns as she begins to arrange her long and shining brown hair. She is not particularly skilful and even

the world in surprise, a smile parts her lips and her whole aspect is as completely changed as that of a butterfly wh

on it are a thin round cake of bread and a shallow earthen saucer containing a little olive-oil; there is no more than might perhaps be contained in half an ordinary egg- shell, but it looks fr

nd is that fo

sun and stars had been suddenly extinguished; and yet her only grief is the smallness of the loaf, which certainly is hardly large enough to stay the hunge

side the door, for the old woman who shoved in the tren

more to-d

e sparrows we should not have enough to satisfy us. You know what is due to us and I will never cease to complain

fore it reaches the king's ear. I might find a shorter way than that for you and your sister if fasting c

the girl, and her pretty features once

as often at her as at Cleopatra herself. If you had been there too he would not have had a glance for the queen, for you are a pretty thing, as I can tell yo

so that it was all blurred out by the moisture. Then she smilingly put down the jar, and opening the chest took from it a small metal mirror into which she looked again and yet again, arranging her shining hair first in one way and then in another; and she only laid it down when she remembered a certain bunch of viole

Year, she had had a glimpse into the king's tent, and there she had seen men and women feasting as they reclined on purple cushions. Now she dreamed of tables covered with costly vessels, was served in fancy by boys crowned with flowers, heard the music of flutes and harps and-for she was no m

the bright illusion vanished, and she looked with dismay into the

d she sat looking thoughtfully into her lap; only for a few minutes however, for the door opened and the slim form of her sister Klea appeared, the sister whose meagre rations she had dreamily ea

herself on the lid of the chest. Irene immediately glanced at the empty trencher, considering whether she had best confess her guilt to the wearied girl and beg for forgiveness, or divert the scolding she had des

en a whole hippopotamus, or one of the sacred snakes after it has swallowed a rabbit. Only t

platter and interrupted her sister with a l

orn out but submitting to the injury that had been done her without a word of complaint, her heart, easily touched, was filled with compunct

rompted to do I do, I can't help doing it, and it is not till it is done that I begin to know whether it was right or wrong. You

e elder, and she stroked her sist

hed the flowers and glanced at the empty saucer in which she had carefully placed them the clay before. Irene at once perceived the change in

before her, but at this question her arm dropped, and she said more positively and distinctly than she had yet s

; but keep it till it is faded, by

her sister, for to this hour what had been Klea's had been hers also. "But I a

r violets," replied Klea coloring de

you never told me till now? To be sure when you came home from the procession yesterday you only asked me how my foot was a

hem to me; but drop the subject pray! Give me the water, pl

ake up for her evil doings by performing some little service-she ran to fetch the water-jar; while Kl

so thin and tender that a little thing hurts me which you would hardly feel. At mid-day I will go with you and help fill the jars for the altar, and later in the day I can accompany you in the procession which was postponed from yesterday. If only

ast thing she took note of as Irene went out into the open air; then she was alone and she shook her head gently as she said to herself: "I give up everything to her and what I have left she takes from me. Three times have I met the Roman, yesterday he gave me th

of her hand across her forehead as if her head were aching, then, as she sat gazing down