on
very well for a year; but at last they began to smell a rat, and grew
importunate. I entreated Dia to interfere; but she was a paragon of
daughters, and always took the side of her father. If she had only been
dutiful to her husband, she would have been a perfect woman. At last
I invited Deioneus to the Larissa races, with the intention of
conciliating him. The unprincipled old man bought the horse that I
had backed, and by which I intended to have redeemed my fortunes, and
withdrew it. My book was ruined. I dissembled my rage. I dug a pit in
our garden, and filled it with burning coals. As my father-in-law and
myself were taking a stroll after dinner, the worthy Deioneus fell in,
merely by accident. Dia proclaimed me the murderer of her father, and,
as a satisfaction to her wounded feelings, earnestly requested her
subjects to decapitate her husband. She certainly was the best of
daughters. There was no withstanding public opinion, an infuriated
rabble, and a magnanimous wife at the same time. They surrounded my
palace: I cut my way through the greasy-capped multitude, sword in hand,
and gained a neighbouring Court, where I solicited my brother princes
to purify me from the supposed murder. If I had only murdered a subject,
they would have supported me against the people; but Deioneus being a
crowned head, like themselves, they declared they would not countenance
so immoral a being as his son-in-law. And so, at length, after much
wandering, and shunned by all my species, I am here, Jove, in much
higher society than I ever expected to mingle.'

'Well, thou art a frank dog, and in a sufficiently severe scrape. The
Gods must have pity on those for whom men have none. It is evident that
Earth is too hot for thee at present, so I think thou hadst better come
and stay a few weeks with us in Heaven.' 'Take my thanks for hecatombs,
great Jove. Thou art, indeed, a God!'

'I hardly know whether our life will suit you. We dine at sunset; for
Apollo is so much engaged that he cannot join us sooner, and no dinner
goes off well without him. In the morning you are your own master, and
must find amusement where you can. Diana will show you some tolerable
sport. Do you shoot?'

'No arrow surer. Fear not for me, AEgiochus: I am always at home. But
how am I to get to you?' 'I will send Mercury; he is the best travelling
companion in the world. What ho! my Eagle!'

The clouds joined, and darkness again fell over the earth.

'So!