Balbilla fetched for
him he exclaimed, drawing a deep breath:

"That was a drink--I never tasted a better in the whole course of my
life."

"Muddy water out of a nasty earthen pitcher!" answered the girl.

"And it tasted better than wine from Byblos out of a golden goblet."

"You had honestly earned the refreshment, and thirst gives flavor to the
humblest liquor."

"You forget the hand that gave it me," replied the architect warmly.

Balbilla colored and looked at the floor in confusion, but presently
raised her face and said, as gayly and carelessly as ever:

"So that you have been deliciously refreshed; and now that is done you
will go home and the poor thirsty soul will once more become the great
architect. But before that happens, pray inform us what god it was that
brought you hither from Pelusium in the very nick of time when the fire
broke out, and how matters look now in the palace at Lochias?"

"My time is short," replied Pontius, and he then rapidly told her that,
after he had finished his work at Pelusium, he had returned to Alexandria
with the imperial post. As he got out of the chariot at the post-house he
observed the reflection of fire over the sea and was immediately after
told by a slave that it was the palace that was burning. There were
horses in plenty at the post-house; he had chosen a strong one and had
got to the spot before the crowd had collected. How the fire had
originated, so far remained undiscovered. "Caesar," he said, "was in the
act of observing the heavens when a flame broke out in a store-shed close
to the tower. Antinous was the first to detect it, cried 'Fire,' and
warned his master. I found Hadrian in the greatest agitation; he charged
me to superintend the work of rescuing all that could be saved. At
Lochias. Verus helped me greatly and indeed with so much boldness and
judgment that I owe very much to him. Caesar himself kept his favorite
within the palace, for the poor fellow burned both his hands."

"Oh!" cried Balbilla with eager regret. "How did that happen?"

"When Hadrian and Antinous first came down from the tower they brought
with them as many of the instruments and manuscripts as they could carry.
When they were at the bottom Caesar observed that a tablet with important
calculations had been left lying up above and expressed his regret.
Meanwhile the fire had already caught the slightly-built turret and it
seemed impossible to get into it again. But the dreamy Bi