eet wife."
"And she has the whole of mine so far as it is not full of Balbilla.
Good-night, saucy Muse; sleep well."
"Sleep ill, you incorrigible tormentor!" cried the girl, drawing the
curtain across her window.
CHAPTER VIII.
The sleepless wretch on whom some trouble has fallen, so long as night
surrounds him, sees his future life as a boundless sea in which he is
sailing round and round like a shipwrecked man, but when the darkness
yields, the new and helpful day shows him a boat for escape close at
hand, and friendly shores in the distance.
The unfortunate Pollux also awoke towards morning with sighs many and
deep; for it seemed to him that last evening he had ruined his whole
future prospects. The workshop of his former master was henceforth
closed to him, and he no longer possessed even all the tools requisite
for the exercise of his art.
Only yesterday he had hoped with happy confidence to establish himself
on a footing of his own, to-day this seemed impossible, for the
most indispensable means were lacking to him. As he felt his little
money-bag, which he was wont to place under his pillow, he could not
forbear smiling in spite of all his troubles, for his fingers sank into
the flaccid leather, and found only two coins, one of which he knew
alas! was of copper, and the dried merry-thought bone of a fowl, which
he had saved to give to his little nieces.
Where was he to find the money he was accustomed to give his sister on
the first day of every month? Papias was on friendly terms with all the
sculptors of the city, and it was only to be expected that he would warn
them against him, and do his best to make it difficult to him to find
a new place as assistant. His old master had also been witness of
Hadrian's anger against him, and was quite the man to take every
advantage of what he had overheard. It is never a recommendation for any
one that he is an object of dislike to the powerful, and least of all
does it help him with those who look for the favor and gifts of the
great men of the world. When Hadrian should think proper to throw
off his disguise, it might easily occur to him to let Pollux feel the
effects of his power. Would it not be wise in him to quit Alexandria and
seek work or daily bread in some other Greek city?
But for Arsinoe's sake he could not turn his back on his native place.
He loved her with all the passion of his artist's soul, and his youthful
courage would certainly n
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