Dada pulled off her veil and waved it in the air, but the signal met with no response.
They were at the house, no doubt, for some men were in the very act of drawing up the wooden gangway which connected the vessel with the land.
Medius hurried forward and was so fortunate as to overtake the steward, who had been superintending the operation, before he reached the garden-gate.
The old man was rejoiced to see them, and told them at once that his old mistress had promised Herse to give Dada shelter if she should return to them.

But Dada was proud.

She had no liking for Gorgo or her grandmother; and when she had caught up to Medius, quite out of breath, she positively refused the old lady's hospitality.
The barge was deserted.

Karnis--so the steward informed her--had withdrawn to the temple of Serapis with his son, intending to assist in its defence; and Herse had accompanied them, for Olympius had said that women would be found useful in the beleaguered sanctuary, in preparing food for the combatants and in nursing the wounded.
Dada stood looking at their floating home, utterly disappointed and discouraged.

She longed to follow her aunt and to gain admission to the Serapeutn; but how could she do this now, and of what use could she hope to be?
There was nothing heroic in her composition, and from her infancy she had always sickened at the sight of blood.