ur rage is too much for you?" wailed Melissa, raising her
hands in entreaty; but the despot replied, sternly:

"There is no passion which can betray Caesar into perjury."

At this moment Philostratus came in again, with Epagathos, who announced
the praetorian prefect. Melissa, encouraged by the presence of her kind
protector, went on:

"But, great Caesar, you will release my father and my other brother?"

"Perhaps," replied Caracalla. "First we will see how this one carries
out his task."

"You will be satisfied, my lord," said the young man, looking quite
happy again, for he was delighted at the prospect of saying audacious
things to the face of the tyrant whom all were bent on flattering, and
holding up the mirror to him without, as he firmly believed, bringing
any danger on himself or others.

He bowed to go. Melissa did the same, saying, as airily as though she
were free to come and go here:

"Accept my thanks, great Caesar. Oh, how fervently will I pray for you
all my life, if only you show mercy to my father and brothers!"

"That means that you are leaving me?" asked Caracalla.

"How can it be otherwise?" said Melissa, timidly. "I am but a girl, and
the men whom you expect--"

"But when they are gone?" Caesar insisted.

"Even then you can not want me," she murmured.

"You mean," said Caracalla, bitterly, "that you are afraid to come back.
You mean that you would rather keep out of the way of the man you prayed
for, so long as he is well. And if the pain which first aroused your
sympathy attacks him again, even then will you leave the irascible
sovereign to himself or the care of the gods?"

"Not so, not so," said Melissa, humbly, looking into his eyes with an
expression that pierced him to the heart, so that he added, with gentle
entreaty:

"Then show that you are she whom I believe you to be. I do not compel
you. Go whither you will, stay away even if I send for you; but"--and
here his brow clouded again--"why should I try to be merciful to her
from whom I looked for sympathy and kindliness, when she flees from me
like the rest?"

"O my lord!" Melissa sighed distressfully. "Go!" Caesar went on. "I do
not need you."

"No, no," the girl cried, in great trouble. "Call me, and I will come.
Only shelter me from the others, and from their looks of scorn; only--O
immortal gods!--If you need me, I will serve you, and willingly, with
all my heart. But if you really care for me, if you desire my presenc