Page:Afterglow; pastels of Greek Egypt, 69 B.C. (IA afterglowpastels00buck).pdf/50

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The Courtesan

like two children. The Greek had spilled gold like water . . . Then, still smiling, he had bestowed a parting caress—and gone away. She had never been able to find him again.

For three days after that, she had remained alone, refusing admittance to all, although her beauty, her naïve charm, had already been rumored among the wealthy young Greeks, and her threshold was continually buried under innumerable fruits, flowers and passionate letters . . . Outstretched and motionless upon her couch, her eyes unseeing, her heart throbbing in remembrance, she had felt her little soul unfolding to a new world.

Then, at last, with a trembling sigh, she had opened her door and had caused her name to be written there in Greek and in Egyptian. And lovers had come, curious at first, then supplicating, demanding, intoxicated with her lithe freshness, the wist-