Part 5 (1/2)
”Then why do you mention him?”
”Because others consider him to be eminent.”
”And what does he say?”
”He says everything with a smile, and that enables him to pa.s.s off his errors as international and common-places as subtile. He has all the advantage. People have allowed themselves to be duped.”
”All this is beyond me, and I don't quite understand. Besides, the face of this Phrasilas is marked by hypocrisy.”
”This is Philodemos.”
”The strategist?”
”No. A Latin poet who writes in Greek.”
”My dear, he is an enemy. I am sorry to have seen him.”
At this point a flutter of excitement ran through the crowd and a murmur of voices p.r.o.nounced the same name:
”Demetrios . . . Demetrios . . .”
Tryphera mounted upon a street post, and she too said to the merchant:
”Demetrios . . . That is Demetrios. You were anxious to see celebrated men.”
[Ill.u.s.tration: Tryphera mounted upon a street post.]
”Demetrios? the Queen's lover? Is it possible?”
”Yes, you are in luck. He never leaves his house. This is the first time I have seen him on the quay since I have been at Alexandria.”
”Where is he?”
”That's he, bending over to look at the harbour.”
”There are two men leaning over.”
”It is the one in blue.”
”I cannot see him very well. His back is turned to me.”
”Know you not? he is the sculptor to whom the queen offered herself for a model when he carved the Aphrodite in the temple.”
”They say he is the royal lover. They say he is the master of Egypt.”
”And he is as beautiful as Apollo.”
”Ah! he has turned round. I am very glad that I came. I shall say that I have seen him. I have heard so much about him. It seems that no woman has ever resisted him. He has had many love adventures, has he not? How is it that the queen has not heard of them?”