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"Enough!" gasped Her animation, continued: "Brief as is our acquaintance, you have probably perceived that I do not belong to the class of flatterers, and in Alexandria it has hardly reer artists nu the sterner critics Only because I desire their best good do I frankly point out their errors The multitude provides the praise It will soon flow upon you also in torrents, I can see its approach, and as this blindness, if the august Aesculapius and healing Isis aid, will pass away like a dreary winter night, it would seem to me criminal to deceive you about your own ability and success I already behold you creating other works to the delight of gods and men; but this Demeter extorts boundless, enthusiastic appreciation; both as a whole, and in detail, it is faultless and worthy of theit is, ratulate any other Alexandrian with such joyful confidence upon the nificent success! Every word--you may believe it!--which comes to you in coy is sincerely meant, and as I utter it to you I shall repeat it in the presence of the King, Archias, and the other judges"

Daphne, with hurried breath, deeply flushed cheeks, and sparkling eyes, had fairly hung upon the lips of the clever connoisseur She knew Proclus, and his dreaded, absolutely inconsiderate acuteness, and are that this praise expressed his deepest conviction Had he been dissatisfied with the statue of Demeter, or even ht have shrunk fro the unfortunate artist by censure, and rerand, consunition

She now felt it a misfortune that she and Thyone had hitherto been prevented, by anxiety for their patient, froone to the temple of Deed to beg her to have patience

As the cases were standing finished at the cabinetmaker's, the statue had been packed immediately, under his own direction, and carried on board his ship, which would convey it with hieret from Daphne and the vivacious matron, Hermon assented to it, for it would at least secure the ladies, until their arrival in Alexandria, from a painful disappointment