Serapis | Page 3

family of musicians--though

Dame Herse was cautious in announcing this fact--and hoped to find
employment in Alexandria, led her away to a young lady who was
closely veiled. This lady," Orpheus went on--he not only played the
flute but took the higher parts for a man's voice and could also strike
the lyre--"desired us to go to her later at her own house, where she
would speak with us. She drove off in a fine carriage and we, of course
followed her orders; Agne was with us too. A splendid house! I never
saw anything handsomer in Rome or Antioch. We were kindly received,
and with the lady there were another very old lady and a tall grave man,
a priest I should fancy or a philosopher, or something of that kind."
"Not some Christian trap?" asked Karnis suspiciously. "You do not
know this place, and since the edict. . ."
"Never fear, father! There were images of the gods in the halls and
corridors, and in the room where we were received by Gorgo, the
beautiful daughter of Porphyrius, there was an altar before an image of
Isis, quite freshly anointed.--This Porphyrius is a very rich merchant;
we learnt that afterwards, and many other things. The philosopher
asked us at once whether we were aware that Theodosius had lately
promulgated a new edict forbidding young maidens to appear in public
as singers or flute-players."
"And did Agne hear that?" said the old man in a low voice as he
pointed to the curtain.
"No, she and Dada were in the garden on to which the room opened,
and mother explained at once that though Agne was a Christian she was
a very good girl, and that so long as she remained in our service she
was bound to sing with us whenever she was required. The philosopher
exclaimed at once: 'The very thing!' and they whispered together, and
called the girls and desired them to show what they could do."
"And how did they perform?" asked the old man, who was growing
excited.
"Dada warbled like a lark, and Agne--well you know how it always is.
Her voice sounded lovely but it was just as usual. You can guess how

much there is in her and how deep her feeling is but she never quite
brings it out. What has she to complain of with us? And yet whatever
she sings has that mournful, painful ring which even you can do
nothing to alter. However, she pleased them better than Dada did, for I
noticed that Gorgo and the gentleman glanced at each other and at her,
and whispered a word now and then which certainly referred to Ague.
When they had sung two songs the young lady came towards us and
praised both the girls, and asked whether we would undertake to learn
something quite new. I told her that my father was a great musician
who could master the most difficult things at the first hearing."
"The most difficult! Hm . . . that depends," said the old man. "Did she
show it you?"
"No; it is something in the style of Linus and she sang it to us."
"The daughter of the rich Porphyrius sang for your entertainment?
Yours?" said Karnis laughing. "By Sirius! The world is turning upside
down. Now that girls are forbidden to perform to the gentlefolks, art is
being cultivated by the upper classes; it cannot be killed outright. For
the future the listeners will be paid to keep quiet and the singers pay for
the right of torturing their ears--our ears, our luckless ears will be
victimized."
Orpheus smiled and shook his head; then, again dropping his knife, he
went on eagerly:
"But if you could only hear her! You would give your last copper piece
to hear her again."
"Indeed!" muttered his father. "Well, there are very good teachers here.
Something by Linus did you say she sang?"
"Something of that kind; a lament for the dead of very great power:
'Return, oh! return my beloved, came back--come home!' that was the
burthen of it. And there was a passage which said: 'Oh that each tear
had a voice and could join with me in calling thee!' And how she sang
it, father! I do not think I ever in my life heard anything like it. Ask

mother. Even Dada's eyes were full of tears."
"Yes, it was beautiful," the mother agreed. "I could not help wishing
that you were there."
Karnis rose and paced the little room, waving his arms and muttering:
"Ah! so that is how it is! A friend of the Muses. We saved the large
lute--that is well. My chlamys has an ugly hole in it--if the girls were
not asleep . . . but the first thing to-morrow