dinner, and by-----a mortal!'

'Your Majesty must not be surprised,' said the good-natured Mercury,
with whom Ixion was no favourite. 'Your Majesty must not be very much
surprised at the conduct of this creature. Considering what he is, and
where he is, I am only astonished that his head is not more turned than
it appears to be. A man, a thing made of mud, and in Heaven! Only think,
sire! Is it not enough to inflame the brain of any child of clay? To be
sure, keeping your Majesty from dinner is little short of celestial high
treason. I hardly expected that, indeed. To order me about, to treat
Ganymede as his own lacquey, and, in short, to command the whole
household; all this might be expected from such a person in such a
situation, but I confess I did think he had some little respect left for
your Majesty.'

'And he does order you about, eh?' inquired Jove. 'I have the spades.'

'Oh! 'tis quite ludicrous,' responded the son of Maia. 'Your Majesty
would not expect from me the offices that this upstart daily requires.'

'Eternal destiny! is't possible? That is my trick. And Ganymede, too?'

'Oh! quite shocking, I assure you, sire,' said the beautiful cupbearer,
leaning over the chair of Jove with all the easy insolence of a
privileged favourite. 'Really, sire, if Ixion is to go on in the way he
does, either he or I must quit.'

'Is it possible?' exclaimed Jupiter. 'But I can believe anything of a
man who keeps me waiting for dinner. Two and three make five.'

'It is Juno that encourages him so,' said Ganymede.

'Does she encourage him?' inquired Jove.

'Everybody notices it,' protested Ganymede.

'It is indeed a little noticed,' observed Mercury.

'What business has such a fellow to speak to Juno?' exclaimed Jove. 'A
mere mortal, a mere miserable mortal! You have the point. How I have
been deceived in this fellow! Who ever could have supposed that,
after all my generosity to him, he would ever have kept me waiting for
dinner?'

'He was walking with Juno,' said Ganymede. 'It was all a sham about
their having met by accident. Cupid saw them.'

'Ha!' said Jupiter, turning pale; 'you don't say so! Repiqued, as I am a
God. That is mine. Where is the Queen?'

'Talking to Ixion, sire,' said Mercury. 'Oh, I beg your pardon, sire; I
did not know you meant the queen of diamonds.'

'Never mind. I am repiqued, and I have been kept waiting for dinner.
Accursed be this day! Is Ixion really talking to Juno? We will not