gers. If my feet had
not grown so heavy with constantly standing over the hearth and at
washing--really and truly I could take Euphorion by the arm and dance
through the streets with him to-day."

"Where is father?"

"Out singing."

"In the morning! where?"

"There is some sect that are celebrating their mysteries. They pay well
and he had to sing dismal hymns for them behind a curtain; the wildest
stuff, in which he does not follow a word, and that I do not understand
a half of."

"It is a pity for I wanted to speak to him."

"He will not be back till late."

"There is plenty of time."

"So much the better, otherwise I might have told him what you had to
say."

"Your advice is as good as his. I think of giving up working under
Papias and standing on my own feet."

"You are quite right; the Roman architect told me yesterday that a great
future was open to you."

"There are only my poor sister and the children to be considered. If,
during the first few months I should find myself falling short--"

"We will manage to pull through. It is high time that you yourself
should reap from what you sow."

"So it seems to me, for my own sake and Arsinoe's; if only Keraunus--"

"Aye--there will be a battle to fight with him."

"A hard one, a hard one," sighed Pollux.

"The thought of the old man troubles my happiness."

"Folly!" cried Doris. "Avoid all useless anxiety. It is almost as
injurious as remorse gnawing at your heart. Take a workshop of your own,
do some great work in a joyful spirit, something to astonish the world,
and I will wager anything that the old fool of a steward will only
be vexed to think that he destroyed the first work of the celebrated
Pollux, instead of treasuring it in his cabinet of curiosities.
Just imagine that no such person exists in the world and enjoy your
happiness."

"I will stick to that."

"One thing more my lad: take good care of Arsinoe. She is young and
inexperienced and you must not persuade her to do anything you would
advise her not to do if she were betrothed to your brother instead of to
yourself."

Doris had not done speaking when Antinous came into the gate-house and
delivered the commands of the architect Claudius Venator, to escort him
through the city. Pollux hesitated with his answer, for he had still
much to do in the palace, and he hoped to see Arsinoe again in the
course of the day. After such a morning what could noon and evening be
to him without h