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A few moments later he stood in the presence of the Emperor, who expressed the wish to play the part of listener while Balbilla was sitting.
"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.
"He is very much in need of your making allowances!" laughed Balbilla, while the praetor went up to, his wife and told her in a whisper what he had learnt from Mastor. Lucilla clasped her hands in astonishment, and Verus cried to the poetess: "Now you see what a satisfaction your cruel tongue has deprived you of?" "How can you be so revengeful most estimable Verus," said the lady coaxingly.
"He positively refused to let us into his retreat," replied the praetor; "but Balbilla coaxed the permission out of him, and the tall young fellow seems to have really learnt something. The fall of the drapery that covers the Muse's figure is perfectly thought out with reference to possibility rich, broadly handled, and at the same time of surprising delicacy.
"If the bust is successful I will take him with me to Rome." "I will sit to him with pleasure," said the girl. "The bright young fellow took my fancy." "And Balbilla his," added the praetor's wife; he gazed at her as a marvel, and she promised him that, with your permission, she would place her face at his disposal for three hours to-morrow." "He begins with the head," interposed Verus.
"I will not take any orders; I shall go to Lochias." "To see Antinous in the flames! such a sight is not to be seen every day, to be sure!" cried Verus, ironically, as he sprang into his chariot, and took the reins into his own hand. Balbilla stamped with rage. She went to Sabina's rooms fully resolved to go to the scene of the fire.
This was nothing less than that henceforth the world should worship a new divinity in the person of Antinous. At noonday a messenger in breathless haste came to say that the body of the Bithynian had been found. Thousands flocked to see the corpse, and among them Balbilla, who had behaved like a distracted creature when she heard to what an end her idol had come.
The gaoler knew men well, and he thought he could safely predict that at the end of his two years' imprisonment this young thief would quit his cell a harmless imbecile. Titianus, Pontius, Balbilla and even Antinous had all attempted to speak of him to the Emperor, but each was sharply repulsed and taught that Hadrian was little inclined to pardon a wound to his artist's vanity.
Balbilla accompanied Caesar on a visit to the sanctuary of Ammon, on the eastern shore of the Nile.
The architect thought he comprehended the characteristic change in her sentiments, and would not allude to the cause of the violent but transient fever under which she had suffered. "What did you discuss with Caesar to-day?" asked Balbilla of her friend. Pontius looked down at the ground and considered whether he could venture to utter the name of Antinous before the poetess.
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