" said the lad.

"A good way then," replied Verus. "And Hadrian is particularly anxious to
remain unknown."

"Certainly."

"And you his body-servant, who are known to numbers of others here from
Rome, like myself, you propose to ride half a mile through the streets
where every creature that can stand or walk is swarming, with a large
nosegay in your hand which attracts every body's attention. Oh Mastor
that is not wise!"

The slave started, and seeing at once that Verus was right, he asked in
alarm:

"What then can I do?"

"Get off your donkey," said the praetor. "Disguise yourself and make merry
to your heart's content with these gold pieces."

"And the flowers?"

"I will see to that."

"You will? I may trust you; and never betray to Antinous what you
compelled me to do?"

"Positively not."

"There--there are the flowers, but I cannot take the gold."

"Then I shall fling it among the crowd. Buy yourself a garland, a mask
and some wine, as much as you can carry. Where is the girl to be found?"

"At dame Hannah's. She lives in a little house in a garden belonging to
the widow of Pudeus. And whoever gives it to her is to say that it is
sent by the friend at Lochias."

"Good. Now go, and take care that no one recognizes you. Your secret is
mine, and the friend at Lochias shall be duly mentioned."

Mastor disappeared in the crowd. Verus put the nosegay into the hands of
one of the garden-gods that followed in his train, sprang laughing on to
the ass, and desired the driver to show him the way. At the corner of the
next street, he met two litters, carried with difficulty through the
crowd by their bearers. In the first sat Keraunus, whose saffron-colored
cloak was conspicuous from afar, as fat as Silenus the companion of
Dionysus, but looking very sullen. In the second sat Arsinoe, looking
gaily about her, and so fresh and pretty that the Roman's easily-stirred
pulses beat more rapidly.

Without reflecting, he took the flowers from the hand of the
garden-god--the flowers intended for Selene--laid them on the girl's
litter, and said:

"Alexander greets Roxana, the fairest of the fair." Arsinoe colored, and
Verus, after watching her for some time as she was carried onwards,
desired one of his boys to follow her litter, and to join him again in
the flower-market, where he would wait, to inform him whither she had
gone.

The messenger hurried off, and Verus, turning his ass's head soon reached
a semicir