gements to make.

"Did they send you to me?" inquired Caracalla, with irritation, and the
freedman answering in the affirmative, he cried: "The princes who wait in
my antechamber do not stir until their turn comes. These tradesmen's
senses are confused by the dazzle of their gold! Tell them they shall be
called when we find time to attend to them."

"The head of the night-watch too is waiting," said the freedman; and to
the emperor's question whether he had seen him, and if he had anything of
consequence to report, the other replied that the man was much
disquieted, but seemed to be exercising proper severity. He ventured to
remind his master of the saying that the Alexandrians must have 'Panem et
circenses'; they did not trouble themselves much about anything else. In
these days, when there had been neither games, nor pageants, nor
distribution of corn, the Romans and Caesar had been their sole subjects
of conversation. However, there was to be something quite unusually grand
in the Circus to-night. That would distract the attention of the impudent
slanderers. The night-watchman greatly desired to speak to the emperor
himself, to prepare him for the fact that excitement ran higher in the
Circus here than even in Rome. In spite of every precaution, he would not
be able to keep the rabble in the upper rows quiet.

"Nor need they be," broke in the emperor; "the louder they shout the
better; and I fancy they will see things which will be worth shouting
for. I have no time to see the man. Let him thoroughly realize that he is
answerable for any real breach of order."

He signed to Epagathos to retire, but Melissa went nearer to Caesar and
begged him gently not to let the worthy citizens wait any longer on her
account.

At this Caracalla frowned ominously, and cried: "For the second time, let
me ask you not to interfere in matters that do not concern you! If any
one dares to order me--" Here he stopped short, for, as Melissa drew back
from him frightened, he was conscious of having betrayed that even love
was not strong enough to make him control himself. He was angry with
himself, and with a great effort he went on, more quietly:

"When I give an order, my child, there often lies much behind it of which
I alone know. Those who force themselves upon Caesar, as these citizens
do, must learn to have patience. And you--if you would fill the position
to which I intend to raise you--must first take care to leave all paltry