, saying, feebly and in a gentle voice: "The pain still keeps away. I
should be better if I could moderate my impatience. An early bath often
does me good after a bad night. Only go. The sleep that you know so well
how to give to others, you scarcely allow to visit you. I only beg that
you will be at hand. We shall both, I think, feel strengthened when next
I call you."

Melissa then bade him a grateful farewell; but as she was approaching the
doorway he called again after her, and asked her with an altered voice,
shortly and sternly:

"You will agree with your father if he abuses me?"

"What an idea!" she answered, energetically. "He knows who robbed him of
his liberty, and from me shall he learn who has restored it to him."

"Good!" murmured the emperor. "Yet remember this also: I need your
assistance and that of your brother's, the painter. If your father
attempts to alienate you--"

Here he suddenly let fall his arm, which he had raised threateningly, and
continued in a confidential whisper: "But how can I ever show you
anything but kindness? Is it not so? You already feel the secret tie--You
know? Am I mistaken when I fancy that it grieves you to be separated from
me?"

"Certainly not," she replied, gently, and bowed her head.

"Then go," he continued, kindly. "The day will come yet when you will
feel that I am as necessary to your soul as you are to mine. But you do
not yet know how impatient I can be. I must be able to think of you with
pleasure--always with pleasure--always."

Thereupon he nodded to her, and his eyelids remained for some time in
spasmodic movement. Philostratus was prepared to accompany the young
girl, but Caracalla prevented him by calling:

"Lead me to my bath. If it does me good, as I trust it will, I have many
things to talk over with you."

Melissa did not hear the last words. Gladly and quickly she hurried
through the empty, dimly lighted rooms, and found Alexander in a sitting
position, half asleep and half awake, with closed eyes. Then she drew
near to him on tiptoe, and, as his nodding head fell on his breast, she
laughed and woke him with a kiss.

The lamps were not yet burned out, and, as he looked into her face with
surprise, his also brightened, and jumping up quickly he exclaimed:

"All's well; we have you back again, and you have succeeded! Our father-I
see it in your face--and Philip also, are at liberty!"

"Yes, yes, yes," she answered, gladly; "and now we will go