in
Rome, but he several times interrupted his walk and gazed into the
adjoining room.

Just as the praetor had concluded his report Argus set up a howl of
delight and Antinous came into the room. Verus at once withdrew into the
window and pretended to be absorbed in looking out on the harbor.

"Where have you been?" asked the Emperor, disregarding the praetor's
presence.

"Into the city a little way," was the Bithynian's answer.

"But you know I cannot bear to miss you when I come home."

"I thought you would have been longer absent."

"For the future arrange so that I may be able to find you at whatever
time I may seek you. Tell me, you do not like to see me vexed and
worried?"

"No, my lord," said the lad and he raised a supplicating hand and looked
beseechingly at his master.

"Then let it pass. But now for something else; how did this little phial
come into the hands of the dealer Hiram?" As he spoke the Emperor took
from his table the little bottle of Vasa Murrhina which the lad had given
to Arsinoe and which she had sold to the Phoenician, and held it up
before the favorite's eyes. Antinous turned pale, and stammered in great
confusion. "It is incomprehensible--I cannot in the least recollect--"

"Then I will assist your memory," said the Emperor decidedly. "The
Phoenician appears to me to be an honester man than that rogue Gabinius.
In his collection, which I have just been to see, I found this gem, that
Plotina--do you hear me, boy--that Trajan's wife Plotina, my heart's
friend, never to be forgotten, gave me years ago. It was one of my
dearest possessions and yet I thought it not too precious to give to you
on your last birthday."

"Oh, my lord, my dear lord!" cried Antinous in a low tone and again
lifting his eyes and hands in entreaty.

"Now, I ask you," continued Hadrian, gravely, and without allowing
himself to yield to the lad's beseeching looks, "how could this object
have passed into the possession of one of the daughters of the wretched
palace-steward Keraunus from whom Hiram confessed that he had bought it?"

Antinous vainly strove for utterance; Hadrian however came to his aid by
asking him more angrily than before:

"Did the girl steal it from you? Out with the truth!"

"No, no," replied the Bithynian quickly and decidedly. "Certainly not. I
remember--wait a minute--yes, that was it.--You know it contained
excellent balsam, and when the big dog threw down Selene--the steward's
daugh