The Nemesis: A Tale Of The Days Of Trajan.

have had your choice of Rome's beauties . I must p ique myself on my conquest , poor thing as I am . " Balbus crimsoned to the temples ivith delight , for in spite of his tale of indifference to Murtius ,

he loved , aye blindly and madly Lais . Her coldness , her ah of supreme command , her stern beauty had subjugated him , even in spite of what he kneiv of her secret history . " Heed not of the past , dear Lais , be mine , the hand to make the future happy . Say ivhen shall we be married ?" .

" Murtius has told me of your scheme relative ¦ to Caius Fabius ancl Phryne . It is a hazardous step , and I think we should first have that settled before we think of ourselves . The chit is made about it . "

" Ah Lais , you know not the passion that rages in my bosom , or you would not dream of Avaiting , ctill your sternest commands will always be obeyed by me with the heartiest pleasure . Can I say more ?"

" No , and I thank you for it , but how are we to succeed in drawing Caius hither ?" " Leave him to me , I can Avind him round my little finger . Armed with an invitation from Murtius , I will fetch him . Fix the day , and by

Styx he will recline on the same couch with Phryne . " " Say the fourth day hence . " " Agreed . I am surprised at his vast wealth , . and I hear that his uncle returns from the

province ivith still more . Caius is his heir . His fortune ivill be enormous even [ in Rome . I am tolerably wealthy , but my ivealth is as a drop in the bucket to his . ' '

Lais' eyes sparkled at these tidings , but she speedily quelled all outward symptoms of her ¦ satisfaction . " Aye , " continued Balbus , " he is wealthy , and I should not ivonder but that he will succeed his

cousin Adrian , too . These bookworms never marry . I wonder could we not bring about a marriage with him and Myra ?" "You have become all at once a terrible matchmaker . "

"What would you have . The fox ivho lost his tail in the trap , Avished all the others to lose their ' s . But seriously tivo such marriages would be of the utmost consequence to us , they would establish our position , and bring us at once into the court circle . "

The Nemesis: A Tale Of The Days Of Trajan.

" What , ivould you freeze me in the company of that cold prude Plotina Pompeia the empress , ancl that greater prude the Emperor's sister Marciana . " " Lais , we have done with the follies and hot

blood of youth . Higher aspirations than ' passions and the revel should move us . I am ambitious . I have exhausted pleasure , and so must you -have done by this time . Let us start on a neiv course , poiver and state yield more pleasure than even love

ancl the ivine cup . " "I am convinced . Do Avith me Avhat you please . "

After some further and fonder conversation , Balbus left , and Lais looking after him , as sivelling with pride , he crossed the court , burst out into a shrill laugh of mockery at his credulity . " I turn prude , and marry thee , thou foul living

cur ! " she muttered , " and marry Myra to Adrian . I have other schemes in my head . Murtius , Phryne , Cains , Balbus , oh ye puppets . I pull the strings , and you must dance to my bidding ! Jove , that I were a man to have my will of the earth .

As a woman I must fight these fools , with woman ' s Avit !" ( To be Continued . )

Masonic Notes And Queries.

MASONIC NOTES AND QUERIES .

EKANCE—PHIIOSOPHICAI , SYSTEMS NOAV MOST PREVALENT TIIEIIE . A brother asks which are the philosophical systems now most prevalent in France . My answer is—Positivism and the worst kind of Hegelianism . As to the firstsee my communication " The Positivists "

, , FREEMASONS' MAGAZINE , vol . xiv ., p . 467 , and as to the second , see my communication " Hegelianism and Ereemasonry , " Ibid . vol . xi ., p . 324 . —CHARLES PURTON COOPEE . THE CLERGY OE ENGLAND .

With the Clergy of England , since the year 1810 , when I first went to Oxford , my good fortune has ever made me largely acquainted . At no period of tho world's history , has there , in my belief , existed a body of Ecclesiastics , who , as regards pure morals , charitytoleranceand fit learningcan sustain a

com-, , , parison ivith the Clergy of England , during my youth , later years , and old age . Would that all our Ecclesiastics were Freemasons ! and all would be , could all know what true Ereemasonry is . The foregoing lines will , I trust , satisfy my Bro . * * * whose doubtsconsidering the statement that he has read

, all my communications to the FREEMASONS' MAGA - ZINE , surprise me very much ; but is my brother quite sure that the statement is correct ?—0 . P . COOPEE ^