w.
The weal or woe of her whole future depended on the answer she should
give to Philostratus. The thought struck terror to her heart, but only
for a moment. Then she drew herself up proudly, and, as she approached
her friend, felt with joy that she had chosen the better part; yea, that
it would cost her but little to lay down her life for it.

Though apparently absorbed in his conversation with the Thracian,
Philostratus had not ceased to observe the girl, and his knowledge of
human nature showed him quickly to what decision she had come. Firmly
persuaded that he had won her over to Caracalla's side, he had left her
to her own reflections. He was certain that the seed he had sown in
her mind would take root; she could now clearly picture to herself what
pleasures she would enjoy as empress, and from what she could preserve
others. For she was shrewd and capable of reasoning, and above all--and
from this he hoped the most--she was but a woman. But just because she
was a woman he could not be surprised at her disappointing him in his
expectations. For the sake of Caracalla and those who surrounded him he
would have wished it to be otherwise; but he had become too fond of her,
and had too good a heart, not to be distressed at the thought of seeing
her fettered to the unbridled young tyrant.

Before she could address him, he took his leave of the Thracian. Then,
as he led her back to the divan, he whispered: "Well, I have gained one
more experience. The next time I leave a woman to come to a decision,
I shall anticipate from the first that she will come to an opposite
conclusion to that which, as a philosopher and logical thinker, I should
expect of her. You are determined to keep faith with your betrothed and
stab the heart of this highest of all wooers--after death he will be
ranked among the gods--for such will be the effect of your flight."

Melissa nodded gayly, and rejoined, "The blunt weapon that I carry would
surely not cost Caesar his life, even if he were no future immortal."

"Scarcely," answered Philostratus; "but what he may suffer through
you will drive him to turn his own all-too-sharp sword against others.
Caracalla being a man, my calculations regarding him have generally
proved right. You will see how firmly I believe in them in this case,
when I tell you that I have already taken advantage of a letter brought
by the messengers of the empress-mother to take my leave of the emperor.
For, I reasoned, if