he sculptor. "I will go at once and order what is
requisite. A quantity of dresses for the Dionysiac processions are lying
in our workshop and in half an hour I will be back with the things."

"But pray make haste," Antinous begged him. "My master cannot bear to be
kept waiting, and besides--one thing--"

At these words Antinous had grown embarrassed and had gone quite close up
to the artist. He laid his hand on his shoulder and said in a low voice
but impressively:

"Venator stands very near to Caesar. Beware of saying anything before him
that is not in Hadrian's favor."

"Is your master Caesar's spy?" asked Pollux, looking suspiciously at
Antinous. "Pontius has already, given me a similar warning, and if that
is the case--"

"No, no," interrupted the lad hastily.

"Anything but that; but the two have no secrets from each other and
Venator talks a good deal--cannot hold his tongue--"

"I thank you and will be on my guard."

"Aye do so--I mean it honestly." The Bithynian held out his hand to the
artist with an expression of warm regard on his handsome features and
with an indescribably graceful gesture. Pollux took it heartily, but dame
Doris, whose old eyes had been fixed as if spellbound on Antinous, seized
her son's arm and quite excited by the sight of his beauty cried out:

"Oh! what a splendid creature! moulded by the gods! sacred to the gods!
Pollux, boy! you might almost think one of the immortals had come down to
earth."

"Look at my old woman!" exclaimed Pollux laughing, "but in truth friend,
she has good reasons for her ecstasies, I could follow her example."

"Hold him fast, hold him fast!" cried Doris. "If he only will let you
take his likeness you can show the world a thing worth seeing."

"Will you?" interrupted Pollux turning to Hadrian's favorite.

"I have never yet been able to keep still for any artist," said Antinous.
"But I will do any thing you wish to please you. It only vexes me that
you too should join in the chorus with the rest of the world. Farewell
for the present, I must go back to my master."

As soon as the youth had left the house Doris exclaimed:

"Whether a work of art is good for any thing or not I can only guess at,
but as to what is beautiful that I know as well as any other woman in
Alexandria. If that boy will stand as your model you will produce
something that will delight men and turn the heads of the women, and you
will be sought after even in a workshop of you