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"Our big dog threw the poor thing down." "In the street?" "No, at Lochias. Her father is Keraunus the palace-steward." "And her name is Arsinoe?" asked Verus with undisguised concern, for he had a pleasant recollection of the beautiful child who had been selected to fill the part of Roxana. "No, her name is Selene, Arsinoe indeed is her younger sister."
"Have you eaten all that I sent down to Lochias to-day, my dear Pontius?" "Alas! we have," sighed Pontius. "But I gave orders that a supper for five should be sent." "It sufficed for six hungry artists," answered the architect, "if only I could have guessed for whom the food was intended! And now what is to be done? There are wine and bread still in the hall of the Muses, meanwhile"
Greet her from me I must go to Lochias" "We will follow you." "No, stay here; you will be in the way there." "I do not take much room and I shall go. What a magnificent spectacle." "Eternal gods! the flames are breaking out too below the palace, by the King's harbor. Where can the chariots be?" "Take me with you." "No you must wake the Empress." "And Lucilla?" "You women must stay where you are."
"Indeed," said the Empress with a pinched smile, as if she had heard some thing that pleased her. "Tell me something about your meeting. I am bored to death, for Verus, Balbilla and the others have asked for leave of absence that they may go to inspect the work doing at Lochias; I am accustomed to find that people would rather be any where than with me.
"For me," said Selene, blushing. "Yes, my child, he brought a large and beautiful nosegay of flowers, and said 'your friend at Lochias sends you his greeting." "My friend at Lochias?" murmured thoughtfully Selene to herself. Then her eyes sparkled with gladness, and she asked quickly: You said the man who brought the flowers was very tall." "He was."
Sabina had required this concession, since it could not be pleasant to any one visiting Lochias to be received on the threshold by an old Megaera of evil omen, and to be fallen upon by infuriated dogs.
The child of the Lochias was familiar with their tones, but the clashing and gurgling of the cool, moist element against the stones had never affected her before as they did now.
Antinous could no doubt easily find his way to Lochias, but recollections of the evil omens he had observed in the heavens last night flitted across his soul like bats through a festal hall, marring the pleasure on which he again tried to concentrate it, in order to enjoy his hours of liberty. Even Pollux was not so light-hearted as before.
At Lochias there were not as yet as there were in the imperial palace at Rome properly-filled baths; still his servant knew that here, as there, his master would use a due abundance of water. He had been told that if he required anything for his master he was to apply to Pontius.
A window at the side of the house, all grown round with creepers, framed in a sweet girlish head which looked down from it inquisitively on the bustle in the street. Pontius did not notice it, but Arsinoe for it was her pretty face that looked out at once recognized the architect whom she had seen at Lochias and of whom Pollux had spoken as his friend and patron.
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