The Nemesis: A Tale Of The Days Of Trajan.

disturb his repose . He grew absent and gloomy , and Adrian in vain questioned him , but he would not tell the secret of his disquiet . One night his anguish kept him awake , and gradually through -fche mist of sighs arose the resolve to end his

doubts and learn his fate from Phryne . Kneeling before a statue of Apollo , as the sun burst right gloriously through the gloom , he breathed a prayer to the god for assistance , "Thou shinestbrightly , 0 Sol ! dost thou smile

upon my suit , and herald my path to successful love ? God of Poesy , hear thy votary's prayer , and beg of Venus to smile upon , to assist me in my soul . Great God , who to me hast given the power to touch the rugged hearts of men , yea ,

even the hearts of grey beards who will weep , and scorn to hide the tear that trickles down the wrinkles of their cheeks like rivers through their beds , one other boon grant me . Set thy celestial fire upon my lips , that I may tell my love , and win

the heart of Phryne , and to thy shrine will I dedicate many a goodly offering . " As he was preparing to go to Phryne , Adrian entered . The cousins embraced warmly , and Adrian

said" I am glad to have found you in . Licenius wishes us both to go with him to Tivoli , to spend some days there . Say will you go with me today ?" " To-day I cannot , I am otherwise engaged . "

" The Emperor will give you a- week ' s holiday . " " Certainly , but it is not with Trajan . I intend to visit a friend in Rome . "

"What friend can it be of such conse quence ?" "Murtius the philosopher . " " Who ? " asked Adrian with a start . "Murtius . "

"Not the Athenian ?" " The same . Do you know him ?" "Yes , by report , " said Adrian , gloomily . " But tell me how you became acquainted with him ?" " Balbus took me there one day . " "Balbus , " cried Adrian , angrily , " what hast thou to do with Balbus . This is worse aud worse .

Know you , coz , who this Balbus is ? Know you not that it is he who lends heirs' money at ruinous interest , who dabbles in men ' s blood by sheepskin bonds , who courts the rich , who truckles to the great , and sets his heel upon the poor man ' s neck ! He , your guide , your intz * oducer ! the parasite , the

panderei * , who buys the midnight toil of the poor authors , if he goes even that length , and gives to the world as his own works , those which have sunk into an early grave many a noble young mind . "

"Nay , surely Adrian you do him an injustice . " " I do him no injustice for I know the man . ' Marcus the Bibliopole tells me that he is about to publish a work upon the Cloaca Maxima ; now that was the pet subject of the unfortunate Cenna —would that I had been in Rome when his death

occurred—how has Balbus obtained the necessary information ? I believe that he has robbed the dead of his papers . And he introduced you to Marcus . What guerdon had he for his pains ?" "'Guerdon , what guerdon would I give

him ?" "A song , or some such like trifle to pass off for his own . " "Ah , " answered Caius laughing , "thou art a prophet . Truly he had some foolish verses from

me for a lady . " " Exactly so , and in that you xvere guilty of a breach of honour , I tell you so , Caius . You have no business to assist in passing off the creations of your muse , as his . "

"It was but a trifle , Adrian . " " It was not a trifle . He is bringing out poems just now . Marcus showed me some of them , and I recoo-uisednot a few which Julius Mamma read to me . This man is a most audacious literary swindler . Murtius , doubtless receives you kindly does he not ?"

" Yes , ever at my step his door flies hospitably open , and his tables groan like Jove's great altar in harvest time . " " He has daughters , has he not ?" "Yes , " replied Cains , two , Phryne and

Myra . " "They will , doubtless , emulate their father ' s courtesy to their father ' s guest . " He paused for a moment , and then said seriously , " Caius , never forget that thou art a noble in Rome , noble by

descent , by talent , valour , Avealth , and personal rank . I charge thee look carefully to thy step in this Greek ' s den , for popular rumour speaks much evil of him . I heard his name in Athens mentioned with scorn . "

" Adrian , Adrian , " replied Caius warmly , " can popular clamour sway thy calm judgment ? Dost thou judge a man by other ' s statements , and