Page:The White Stone.djvu/98

94 offering to the august Cypris, and followed the old man.

Apollodorus saw them taking the Cenchreae road with the object of reaching the cemetery of the slaves, and the place of execution conspicuous from afar by the swarms of crows which hovered over the crosses. The philosopher and the young girl knew there a clump of arbutus always deserted, and favourable to dalliance with Eros.

At the sight of this, Apollodorus, pulling Mela by the flap of his toga, remarked:

"Just look. No sooner has that cur received your alms than he decoys a child, in order to mate with her."

"Which goes to prove," answered Mela, "that I gave money to the kind of man who knows full well what to do with it."

Meanwhile, the brat Comatas, squatting on the heated flagstone and sucking his thumbs, was laughing at the sight of a pebble glistening in the sun.

"Besides," resumed Mela, "you must admit, Apollodorus, that the way in which Posocharis makes love is not a bit philosophical. The dog is assuredly wiser than our young debauchees of the Palatine, who love amid perfumes, tears, and laughter, with languor or with passion. ..."

As he spoke, a hoarse clamour arose in the