The Sisters | Page 8

a violent gust of
wind had caught it, and flung it back against the wall.--And no less
suddenly a man's head-of ferocious aspect and surrounded by a shock
of gray hair like a lion's mane--looked out of the window and shouted
to him who had knocked, in a deep and somewhat overloud voice.
"If my shutter had been your back, you impudent rascal, your stick
would have hit the right thing. Or if I had a cudgel between my teeth
instead of a tongue, I would exercise it on you till it was as tired as that
of a preacher who has threshed his empty straw to his congregation for

three mortal hours. Scarcely is the sun risen when we are plagued by
the parasitical and inquisitive mob. Why! they will rouse us at midnight
next, and throw stones at our rotten old shutters. The effects of my last
greeting lasted you for three weeks--to-day's I hope may act a little
longer. You, gentlemen there, listen to me. Just as the raven follows an
army to batten on the dead, so that fellow there stalks on in front of
strangers in order to empty their pockets--and you, who call yourself an
interpreter, and in learning Greek have forgotten the little Egyptian you
ever knew, mark this: When you have to guide strangers take them to
see the Sphinx, or to consult the Apis in the temple of Ptah, or lead
them to the king's beast-garden at Alexandria, or the taverns at
Hanopus, but don't bring them here, for we are neither pheasants, nor
flute-playing women, nor miraculous beasts, who take a pleasure in
being stared at. You, gentlemen, ought to choose a better guide than
this chatter-mag that keeps up its perpetual rattle when once you set it
going. As to yourselves I will tell you one thing: Inquisitive eyes are
intrusive company, and every prudent house holder guards himself
against them by keeping his door shut."
Irene shrank back and flattened herself against the pilaster which
concealed her, for the shutter closed again with a slam, the recluse
pulling it to with a rope attached to its outer edge, and he was hidden
from the gaze of the strangers; but only for an instant, for the rusty
hinges on which the shutter was hanging were not strong enough to
bear such violent treatment, and slowly giving way it was about to fall.
The blustering hermit stretched out an arm to support it and save it; but
it was heavy, and his efforts would not have succeeded had not the
young man in Roman dress given his assistance and lifted up the
shutter with his hand and shoulder, without any effort, as if it were
made of willow laths instead of strong planks.
"A little higher still," shouted the recluse to his assistant. "Let us set the
thing on its edge! so, push away, a little more. There, I have propped up
the wretched thing and there it may lie. If the bats pay me a visit
to-night I will think of you and give them your best wishes."
"You may save yourself that trouble," replied the young man with cool

dignity. "I will send you a carpenter who shall refix the shutter, and we
offer you our apologies for having been the occasion of the mischief
that has happened."
The old man did not interrupt the speaker, but, when he had stared at
him from head to foot, he said: "You are strong and you speak fairly,
and I might like you well enough if you were in other company. I don't
want your carpenter; only send me down a hammer, a wedge, and a few
strong nails. Now, you can do nothing more for me, so pack off"
"We are going at once," said the more handsomely dressed visitor in a
thin and effeminate voice. "What can a man do when the boys pelt him
with dirt from a safe hiding-place, but take himself off"
"Be off, be off," said the person thus described, with a laugh. "As far
off as Samothrace if you like, fat Eulaeus; you can scarcely have
forgotten the way there since you advised the king to escape thither
with all his treasure. But if you cannot trust yourself to find it alone, I
recommend you your interpreter and guide there to show you the road."
The Eunuch Eulaeus, the favorite councillor of King Ptolemy--called
Philometor (the lover of his mother)--turned pale at these words, cast a
sinister glance at the old man and beckoned to the young Roman; he
however was not inclined to follow, for the scolding old oddity had
taken his fancy--perhaps because he was conscious that the old man,
who generally showed no reserve in his dislikes, had a liking for him.