his large bare room. I
should not like to live there."

"Have you noticed the faint scent of lavender that comes through the
window?"

"Long since--there your sister is moving and has opened her eyes--now
she has shut them again."

"Go back into the garden and wait till I come," Arsinoe commanded him
decidedly. "I will only see how Selene is going on; I will not stop long
for my father wishes me to return soon, and no one can nurse her better
than Hannah!"

The girl drew her hand out of her lover's and knocked at the door of
the little house; it was opened and the widow herself led Arsinoe to
the bedside of her sister. Pollux at first sat a while on a bench in
the garden, but soon sprang up and paced with long steps the path he had
previously trodden with Arsinoe. A stone table across the path, brought
him to a stand-still, and he took a fancy for leaping it. The third time
he came up to it he sprang over it with a long jump. But no sooner had
he done the frolicsome deed than he paused, shook his head at himself
and muttered to himself: "Like a boy!"--He felt indeed like a happy
child. But as he waited he became calmer and graver. He acknowledged
to himself, with sincere thankfulness, that he had now found the ideal
woman, of whom he had dreamed in his hours of best inspiration, and that
she was his, wholly and alone. And after all, what was he? A poor rascal
who had many mouths to fill, and was no more than two fingers of his
master's hand. This must be altered. He would not reduce his sister's
comforts in any way but he must break with Papias, and stand henceforth
on his own feet. His courage mounted fast, and when at last, Arsinoe
returned from her sister, he had resolved that he must first finish
Balbilla's bust with all diligence in his own workshop, and that then
he would model his beloved; these two female heads he could not fail in.
Caesar must see them, they must be exhibited, and already in his mind's
eye, he saw himself refusing order after order, and accepting only the
most splendid where all were good.

Arsinoe went home comforted. Selene's sufferings were certainly less
than she had pictured them; she did not wish to be nursed by any one
besides dame Hannah. She might perhaps have a little fever, but any one
who was capable of discussing every little question of house-keeping,
and all that related to the children could not be--as Arsinoe thought
while she walked back through the garden, leaning on th