former desired
a lictor to call the steward of the palace, and then he and his companion
inspected first the door which led into it. It looked fine enough with
its double columns which supported a lofty pediment, but, all the same,
it did not present a particularly pleasing aspect, for the stucco had, in
several places, fallen from the walls, the capitals of the marble columns
were lamentably injured and the tall doors, overlaid with metal, hung
askew on their hinges. Pontius inspected every portion of the door-way
with a keen eye and then, with the prefect, went into the first court of
the palace, in which, in the time of the Ptolemies, the tents had stood
for ambassadors, secretaries, and the officers in waiting on the king.
There they met with an unexpected hindrance, for across the paved
court-yard, where the grass grew in tufts, and tall thistles were in
bloom, a number of ropes were stretched aslant from the little house in
which dwelt the gate-keeper; and on these ropes were hung newly-washed
garments of every size and shape.

"A pretty residence for an Emperor," sighed Titianus, shrugging his
shoulders, but stopping the lictor, who had raised his fasces to cut the
ropes.

"It is not so bad as it looks," said the architect positively.
"Gate-keeper! hi, gate-keeper! Where is the lazy fellow hiding himself?"

While he called out and the lictor hurried forward into the interior of
the palace, Pontius went towards the gate-keeper's lodge, and having made
his way in a stooping attitude through the damp clothes, there he stood
still. Ever since he had come in at the gate annoyance and vexation had
been stamped on his countenance, but now his large mouth spread into a
smile, and he called to the prefect in an undertone:

"Titianus, just take the trouble to come here."

The elderly dignitary, whose tall figure exceeded that of the architect
in height by a full head, did not find it quite so easy to pass under the
ropes with his head bent down; but he did it with good humor, and while
carefully avoiding pulling down the wet linen, he called out:

"I am beginning to feel some respect for children's shirts; one can at
any rate get through them without breaking one's spine. Oh! this is
delicious--quite delicious!"

This exclamation was caused by the sight which the architect had invited
the prefect to come and enjoy, and which was certainly droll enough. The
front of the gate-keeper's house was quite grown over with