ng at the doors," replied
Doris, "and before you can look round you Time will call out, 'come in.'
Now show the men how they are to treat the statue of Apollo, and be my
own happy, bright boy once more."

Pollux did as she desired, thinking as he went: "She speaks wisely--she
is not leaving Arsinoe behind. If only I had been able to arrange with
Antinous at least, where I should find him again; but at Caesar's orders
the young fellow was like one stunned, and he tottered as he went, as if
he were going to execution."

Dame Doris had not been betrayed by her happy confidence, for Phlegon
the secretary came to inform her of the Emperor's purpose to give her
husband half a talent, and to continue to pay him in the future his
little salary.

"You see," cried the old woman, "the sun of better days is already
rising. Half a talent! Why poverty has nothing to do with such rich
folks as we are! What do you think--would it not be right to pour out
half a cup of wine to the gods, and allow ourselves the other half?"

Doris was as gay as if she were going to a wedding, and her cheerfulness
communicated itself to her son, who saw himself relieved of part of the
anxiety that weighed upon him with regard to his parents and sister. His
drooping courage, and spirit for life, only needed a few drops of kindly
dew to revive it, and he once more began to think of his art. Before
anything else he would try to complete his successfully-sketched bust of
Antinous.

While he was gone back into the house to preserve his work from
injury and was giving the slaves, whom he had desired to follow him,
instructions as to how it should be carried so as not to damage it, his
master Papias came into the palace-court. He had come to put the last
touches to the works he had begun, and proposed to make a fresh attempt
to win the favor of the man whom he now knew to be the Emperor. Papias
was somewhat uneasy for he was alarmed at the thought that Pollux might
now betray how small a share his master had in his last works--which had
brought him higher praise than all he had done previously. It might even
have been wise on his part to pocket his pride and to induce his former
scholar, by lavish promises, to return to his workshop; but the evening
before he had been betrayed into speaking before the Emperor with so
much indignation at the young artist's evil disposition, of his delight
at being rid of him, that, on Hadrian's account, he must give up that