epeated to herself, was able to help him; and her desire to put the
truth of this conviction to the proof--for she could only regard it
as too amazing to be grounded in fact--was seconded by the less
disinterested hope that, while attending on the sufferer, she might find
an opportunity of effecting the release of her father and brother.

Philostratus went on to announce her arrival, and she, while waiting,
tried to pray to the manes of her mother; but, before she could
sufficiently collect her thoughts, the door opened. Philostratus
silently beckoned to her, and she stepped into the tablinum, which was
but dimly lighted by a few lamps.

Caracalla was still resting here; for every movement increased the pain
that tormented him.

How quiet it was! She thought she could hear her own heart beating.

Philostratus remained standing by the door, but she went on tiptoe
toward the couch, fearing her light footsteps might disturb the emperor.
Yet before she had reached the divan she stopped still, and then she
heard the plaintive rattle in the sufferer's throat, and from the
background of the room the easy breathing of the burly physician and
of old Adventus, both of whom had fallen asleep; and then a peculiar
tapping. The lion beat the floor with his tail with pleasure at
recognizing her.

This noise attracted the invalid's attention, and when he opened
his closed eyes and saw Melissa, who was anxiously watching all his
movements, he called to her lightly with his hand on his brow:

"The animal has a good memory, and greets you in my name. You were sure
to come--, I knew it!"

The young girl stepped nearer to him, and answered, kindly, "Since you
needed me, I gladly followed Philostratus."

"Because I needed you?" asked the emperor.

"Yes," she replied, "because you require nursing."

"Then, to keep you, I shall wish to be ill often," he answered, quickly;
but he added, sadly, "only not so dreadfully ill as I have been to-day."

One could hear how laborious talking was to him, and the few words he
had sought and found, in order to say something kind to Melissa, had so
hurt his shattered nerves and head that he sank back, gasping, on the
cushions.

Then for some time all was quiet, until Caracalla took his hand from his
forehead and continued, as if in excuse:

"No one seems to know what it is. And if I talk ever so softly, every
word vibrates through my brain."

"Then you must not speak," interrupted Melissa, e