rels
and rich in treasure. The Emperor, who still so kindly remembered them,
could not always be angry with him; perhaps he might some day send a
messenger to seek Pollux and to make up to him by large commissions for
all he had made him suffer. That her darling was alive she was sure; in
that she could not be mistaken, often as Euphorion tried to persuade her
that he must be dead. The singer could tell many tales of luckless men
who had been murdered and never seen or heard of again; but she was not
to be convinced, she persisted in hope, and lived wholly in the purpose
of sending her younger son, Teuker, on his travels to seek his lost
brother as soon as his apprenticeship was over, which would be in a few
months.

Antinous, whose burnt hands had soon got well under the Emperor's care,
and who had never felt a liking and friendship for any other young man
but Pollux, lamented the artist's disappearance and wished much to seek
out dame Doris; but he found it harder than ever to leave his master,
and was so eager always to be at hand that Hadrian often laughingly
reproached him with making his slaves' duties too light.

When at last he really was master of an hour to himself he postponed his
intention of seeing his friend's parents; for with him there was always
a wide world between the purpose and the deed which he never could
overleap, if not urged by some strong impulse; and his most pressing
instincts prompted him, when the Emperor was disputing in the Museum
or receiving instructions from the chiefs of the different religious
communities as to the doctrines they severally professed, to visit the
suburban villa where, when February had already begun, Selene was still
living. He had often succeeded in stealing into Paulina's garden, but
he could not at first realize his hope of being observed by Selene of
obtaining speech with her. Whenever he went near Hannah's little house,
Mary, the deformed girl, would come in his way, tell him how her friend
was, and beg or desire him to go away. She was always with the sick
girl, for now her mother was nursed by her sister, and dame Hannah
had obtained permission for her to work at home in gumming the
papyrus-strips together.

The widow herself was obliged to be at her post in the factory, for her
duties as overseer made her presence indispensable in the work-room.

Thus it came to pass that it was always by Mary and never by Hannah that
Antinous was received and dismissed.