to visit them
at once to speak of matters of importance. They came last night, the
messenger tells me, and now--what joy! Think of all the hospitality
you enjoyed in their house. Can we leave them in an inn? So long as
hospitality endures, it would be a crime!"

"Impossible, quite impossible!" cried Orion, who had cast aside the
lute, and was now reading the letter himself. "It is true indeed! his
own handwriting. And that immovable pair are in Egypt--in Memphis! By
Zeus!"--for this was still the favorite oath of the golden youth of
Alexandria and Constantinople, even in these Christian times.--"By Zeus,
I ought to receive them here like princes!--Wait!--of course you
must tell the messenger that I am coming at once--have the four new
Pannonians harnessed to the silver-plated chariot. I must go to my
mother; but there is time enough for that. Desire Sebek to have the
guest-chambers prepared for distinguished guests--those sick people are
out of them, thank God! Take my present room for them too; I will go
back to the old one. Of course they have a numerous suite. Set twenty
or thirty slaves to work. Everything must be ready in two hours at
furthest. The two sitting-rooms are particularly handsome, but
where anything is lacking, place everything in the house at Sebek's
command.--Justinus in Egypt!--But make haste, man! Nay, stay! One thing
more. Carry these maps and scrolls--no; they are too heavy for you.
Desire a slave to fetch them, and take them to Rufinus; he must keep
them till I come. Tell him I meant to use them on the way--he knows."

The secretary rushed off; Orion performed a rapid toilet and had his
mourning dress rearranged in fresh folds; then he went to his mother.
She had often heard of the cordial reception that her son, and her
husband, too, in former days, had met with in the senator's house, and
she took it quite as a matter of course that the strangers' rooms,
and among them that which had been Paula's, should be prepared for the
travellers; all she asked was that it should be explained that she was
suffering, so that she might not have to trouble herself to entertain
them.

She advised Orion to put off his journey and to devote himself to his
friends; but he explained that even their arrival must not delay him.
He had entire confidence in Sebek and the upper housekeeper, and the
emperor himself would remit the duties of hostess to a sick woman. Once,
at any rate, she would surely allow the illus