hynian quickly and decidedly. "Certainly not.
I remember--wait a minute--yes, that was it.--You know it contained
excellent balsam, and when the big dog threw down Selene--the steward's
daughter is called Selene--threw her down the steps so that she lay hurt
on the stones I fetched the phial and gave her the balsam."

"With the bottle that held it?" asked the Emperor looking at Antinous.

"Yes, my lord--I had no other."

"And she kept it and sold it at once."

"You know, of course, her father--"

"A gang of thieves!" snarled Hadrian.

"Do you know what has become of the girl?"

"Yes my lord," said Antinous trembling with alarm. "I will have her
taken by the lictors," asserted the infuriated sovereign.

"No," said the lad positively. "No, you positively must not do that."

"No--? we shall see!"

"No, positively not, for at the same time you must know that Keraunus'
daughter Selene--"

"Well?"

"She flung herself into the water in despair; yes, into the water, at
night--into the sea."

"Oh!" said Hadrian more gently, "that certainly alters the case. The
lictors would find it difficult to apprehend a shade and the girl has
suffered the worst punishment of all.--But you? what shall I say to your
perfidy? You knew the value of the gem. You knew how highly I valued it,
and could part with it to such hands?"

"It contained the salve," stammered the boy. "How could I think--?"

The Emperor interrupted the boy, striking his forehead with his hand as
he spoke:

"Aye, think--we have known unfortunately too long that thinking is not
your strong point. This little bottle has cost me a pretty sum; still,
as it once belonged to you I give it back to you again; I only require
you to take better care of it this time. I shall ask for it again before
long! But in the name of all the gods, boy, what is the matter? Am I so
alarming that a simple question from me is enough to drive all the blood
out of your cheeks? Really and truly, if I had not had the thing from
Plotina I should have left it in the Phoenician's hands and not have
made all this coil about it."

Antinous went quickly up to the Emperor to kiss his hand, but Hadrian
pressed his lips to his brow with fatherly affection.

"Simpleton," he said, "if you want me to be pleased with you, you must
be again just what you were before we came to Alexandria. Leave it to
others to do things to vex me. You are created by the gods to delight
me."

During Hadrian's la