to find something
to say without dissembling.

Caracalla examined the stone in the gold ring more closely, and
exclaimed in admiration: "How delicate the little heads are! At the
first glance one recognizes the hand of the happily gifted artist. Your
father's is one of the noblest and most refined of the arts. If I can
raise a statue to a lute-player, I can do so to a gem-cutter."

Here the deputation for the arrangement of the festival was announced,
but the emperor, calling out once more, "Let them wait," continued:

"You are a handsome race--the men powerful, the women as lovely as
Aphrodite. That is as it should be! My father before me took the wisest
and fairest woman to wife. You are the fairest--the wisest?--well, that
too, perhaps. Time will show. But Aphrodite never has a high forehead,
and, according to Philostratus, beauty and wisdom are hostile sisters
with you women."

"Exceptions," interposed the philosopher, as he pointed to Melissa,
"prove the rule."

"Describe her in that manner to my mother," said Caracalla. "I would not
let you go from me, were you not the only person who knows Melissa. I
may trust in your eloquence to represent her as she deserves. And now,"
he continued, hurriedly, "one thing more. As soon as the deputation
is dismissed and I have received a few other persons, the feast is
to begin. You would perhaps be entertained at it. However, it will be
better to introduce you to my 'friends' after the marriage ceremony.
After dark, to make up for it, there is the Circus, to which you will,
of course, accompany me."

"Oh, my lord!" exclaimed the maiden, frightened and unwilling. But
Caracalla cried, decisively: "No refusal, I must beg! I imagine that I
have proved sufficiently that I know how to shield you from what is not
fitting for a maiden. What I ask of you now is but the first step on the
new path of honor that awaits you as future empress."

Melissa raised both voice and hands in entreaty, but in vain. Caracalla
cut her short, saying in authoritative tones:

"I have arranged everything. You will go to the Circus. Not alone with
me-that would give welcome work to scandalous tongues. Your father shall
accompany you--your brothers, too, if you wish it. I shall not join you
till after the performance has begun. Your fellow-citizens will divine
the meaning of this visit. Besides, Theocritus and the rest have orders
to acquaint the people with the distinction that awaits you and the