cheons.

At last, he finds himself in the lower part of a hall with hyacinth
curtains at its extreme end. They divide, and reveal the Emperor seated
upon a throne, attired in a violet tunic and red buskins with black
bands.

A diadem of pearls is wreathed around his hair, which is arranged in
symmetrical rolls. He has drooping eyelids, a straight nose, and a
heavy and cunning expression of countenance. At the corners of the dais,
extended above his head, are placed four golden doves, and, at the foot
of the throne, two enamelled lions are squatted. The doves begin to coo,
the lions to roar. The Emperor rolls his eyes; Antony steps forward; and
directly, without preamble, they proceed with a narrative of events.

[Illustration]

"In the cities of Antioch, Ephesus, and Alexandria, the temples have
been pillaged, and the statues of the gods converted into pots and
porridge-pans."

The Emperor laughs heartily at this. Antony reproaches him for his
tolerance towards the Novatians. But the Emperor flies into a passion.
"Novatians, Arians, Meletians--he is sick of them all!" However, he
admires the episcopacy, for the Christians create bishops, who depend on
five or six personages, and it is his interest to gain over the latter
in order to have the rest on his side. Moreover, he has not failed to
furnish them with considerable sums. But he detests the fathers of the
Council of Nicaea. "Come, let us have a look at them."

Antony follows him. And they are found on the same floor under a terrace
which commands a view of a hippodrome full of people, and surmounted by
porticoes wherein the rest of the crowd are walking to and fro. In the
centre of the course there is a narrow platform on which stands a
miniature temple of Mercury, a statue of Constantine, and three bronze
serpents intertwined with each other; while at one end there are three
huge wooden eggs, and at the other seven dolphins with their tails in
the air.

Behind the Imperial pavilion, the prefects of the chambers, the lords of
the household, and the Patricians are placed at intervals as far as the
first story of a church, all whose windows are lined with women. At the
right is the gallery of the Blue faction, at the left that of the Green,
while below there is a picket of soldiers, and, on a level with the
arena, a row of Corinthian pillars, forming the entrance to the stalls.

The races are about to begin; the horses fall into line. Tall plumes
fixed betwe