"How cruel, how horrible it is! You--you will stay here till the others come home and then you will go home to the old woman.

I thank the gods, I have two hands and need no maid to wait upon me! But look there--what is the meaning of that?
That pretty litter has stopped and there is an old man signing to you." "It is the widow Mary's house steward," whined the woman, while Dada turned pale, wondering what a messenger from Marcus' mother could want here.
Herse, who had kept a watchful eye on the landing-plank, on Dada's account, had also seen the approach of the widow's messenger and suspected a love-message from Marcus; but she was utterly astounded when the old man politely but imperiously desired her--Herse to get into the litter which would convey her to his mistress's house.

Was this a trap?
Did he merely want to tempt her from the vessel so as to clear the way for his young master?
No--for he handed her a tablet on which there was a written message, and she, an Alexandrian, had been well educated and could read: "Mary, the widow of Apelles, to the wife of Karnis, the singer." And then followed the same urgent request as she had already received by word of mouth.

To reassure herself entirely she called the slave-woman aside, and asked her whether Phabis was indeed a trust worthy servant of the widow's.

Evidently there was no treason to be apprehended and she must obey the invitation, though it disturbed her greatly; but she was a cautious woman, with not only her heart but her brains and tongue in the right place, and she at once made up her mind what must be done under the circumstances.