f. And it seemed as if, instead
of the satyr-play of which old Julius Paulinus had spoken, that fatal
whistle had given the signal for another act in Caracalla's terrible
life-tragedy.

The "friends" of the emperor looked at him anxiously as, with furrowed
brow, he asked, impatiently: "Macrinus not here yet?"

Theocritus and others who had looked with envy upon Melissa and her
relatives, and with distrust upon her union with the emperor, now
heartily wished the girl back again.

But the prefect Macrinus came not; and while the emperor, having sent
messengers to fetch Melissa, turned with darkly boding brow to his
station overlooking the brightly lighted race-course, still hoping
the augury would prove false, and the sunny day turn yet in his favor,
Macrinus was in the full belief that the gate of greatness and power was
opening to him. Superstitious as the emperor himself and every one
else of his time, he was to-day more firmly persuaded than ever of the
existence of men whose mysterious wisdom gave them powers to which even
he must bend--the hard-headed man who had raised himself from the lowest
to the highest station, next to the Caesar himself.

In past nights the Magian Serapion had caused him to see and hear much
that was incomprehensible. He believed in the powers exerted by that
remarkable man over spirits, and his ability to work miracles, for he
had proved in the most startling manner that he had perfect control even
over such a determined mind as that of the prefect. The evening before,
the magician had bidden Macrinus come to him at the third hour after
sunrise of the next day, which he had unhesitatingly promised to do.
But the emperor had risen later than usual this morning, and the prefect
might expect to be called to his master at any moment. In spite of
this, and although his absence threatened to rouse Caesar to fury,
and everything pointed to the necessity of his remaining within call,
Macrinus, drawn by an irresistible craving, had followed the invitation,
which sounded more like a command. This, indeed, had seemed to him
decisive; for, as the seer ruled over his stern spirit, albeit he was
alive, even so must the spirits of the departed do his bidding. His
every interest urged him now to believe in the prophecy made to him
by Serapion, to-day for the third time, which foretold that he, the
prefect, should mount the throne of the Caesars, clad in the purple of
Caracalla. But it was not alone to r