The Nemesis: A Tale Of The Days Of Trajan.

giving a shudder as he noticed the Avine on Ins robe . " I do not believe in omens of that kind . When I hear the thunder I may pretty safely augur that some oak will be struck by lightning , AA'hen I see

a hurricane chafe the sea I may reasonably prognosticate that some vessel will be lost , and when I notice a drunken man , it does not require much divination to tell how he came into that state . " "I love not such omens at the table , " said

Murtius ; " the gods warn us by them of a coming blow . " " Faith then , I am in with you , " said Adrian , carelessly tossing some salt on the table , and spilling a feAV drops of wine on his dress . " I cannot

understand such absurdities . " " I read long ago , Avhere , I forget , " said Balbus , " something to this effect— In thoughts , upon

my bed , from the visions of the night , when the sleep falleth upon man , fear came upou me , ancl trembling Avhich did make to quake all my bones . Then a spirit passed before my face , the hair upon my flesh stood up ; it stood still , but I could not

discern the form thereof ; an image was before mine eyes , there was silence , and I heard a voice saying—Shall mortal man be more just than God ? shall a man be ' more pure than his Creator ? Behold he puts no trust in his servants , ancl his

messengers he changed . with , folly . How much less in them that chvelt in houses of clay , Avhose foundation is in the dust , which are crushed before the moth ? They are destroyed from morning to evening , they perish for ever Avithout any

regarding it . Doth not their excellency Avhich is in them go away ? They die even Avithout wisdom / "

" The idea is very fine , some eastern work , I daresay , " said Adrian , " they are before us in their grand conceptions . Still that passage cannot prove the truth of omens . It is true Ave die Avithout wisdom ; Ave are in the ivorld , and ive cannot be wise . But Avhen Ave die , then Ate shall have Avisdom . "

You do not believe in presentiments , those secret feelings Avhich forerun disaster ?" " That is a different thing , for the Avincl , ever active ancl insatiable , may have such sympathies that warn us of approaching clanger . Take for

example that vision you spoke of—the man AA'as asleep , the animal passive , and no longer curbing the action of the soul . Then he mi ght have seen visions , why not ? We cannot tell what becomes

of the soul Avhen Ave sleep , where it flies—no more than Ave can tell what becomes of it after death . " " You believe then that the body acts upon the soul , and not the soul upon the body ?" " Nay , that is a different matter . I may

confine a potent spirit within a cask , ivhieh will eat away the AVOOC ! till it finds escape , or remove the stopper ancl it will evaporate . On the other hand the Avood may be stronger than the spirit , and resist its action . We are all barrels of finer or coarser

construction , filled ivith purer or impurer essence . The pure spirit , in a pure form , may reach heaven in sleep , while the impure spirit in the impure body will only revel in the doings of the clay . Still as the body is susceptible of heat ancl cold , so is the

soul susceptible of spiritual influences . I doubt omens , but I believe in the existence of oracles . A man may prophecy from the action of the spirit ,, not by the conjunction of planets , the flight or singing of birds , or the spilling of salt ancl wine . "

" Yet circumstances arise Avhere misfortune hasfolloAved on such omens . " " HOAV often , once in a million ? It is the exception , not the rule . You might as Avell forswear Avar because men are killed in them , your bed ,

because men have died in theirs , the sea because men have beed droivned , food because men have died , after eating . Absurd . All such omens are childish ,, uuAVorthy of thought . " " Let us change the subject , ancl Myra will singto us , " said Murtius , Avhose spirits hacl not recovered . Myra sang in a IOAV tone , the following ;

verses : — " I ask not , friend , for lordly tomb , For epitaph , nor lying scroll ; My rest , the grave's congenial gloom , My dirge , the autumn winds' sad roll . I only ask from thee a tear ,

One dropfc upon my cliarnal ' s lid ; A moment on thy cheek it wear , Then in my grave let it be hid . 'Twill spring from earth a lovely flower , . AA'hen comes the vernal time of year ;

- 'Thou'lt kiioiv it by its shivering cower Before the blast thy buried tear . " " Worse and Averse , " said Lais , Avith a laugh ,, "from omens Ave are UOAV at the grave . The death's-head gains over the banquet , ancl Ave are

as merry as lictors before the funeral feast . You have made us as dull as burnt out-torches , Balbus ; re-light our mirth with a song . " " I am in no singing humour , I have a weight at the heart Avhich I cannot get rid of . But let us hear yon sing . "