the form of Dionysus. But Nature gathers all
her forces when she desires to announce to short-sighted mortals the
approach of events which are to shake the world.

The last words were quoted from his master who had studied in Athens.
They had escaped from his burdened soul when he heard of another
portent, of which a ship from Ostia had brought tidings. The flourishing
city Pisaura--

Here, however, he was interrupted, for several of those present had
learned, weeks before, that this place had sunk in the sea, but merely
pitied the unfortunate inhabitants.

Beryllus quietly permitted them to free themselves from the suspicion
that people in Alexandria had had tidings of so remarkable an event
later than those in Pelusium, and at first answered their query what
this had to do with the war merely by a shrug of the shoulders; but when
the overseer of the porters also put the question, he went on "The
omen made a specially deep impression upon our minds, for we know what
Pisaura is, or rather how it came into existence. The hapless city which
dark Hades ingulfed really belonged to Antony, for in the days of its
prosperity he was its founder."

He measured the group with a defiant glance, and there was no lack of
evidences of horror; nay, one of the maid-servants shrieked aloud, for
the storm had just snatched a torch from the iron rings in the wall and
hurled it on the floor close beside the listener.

Suspense seemed to have reached its height. Yet it was evident that
Beryllus had not yet drawn his last arrow from the quiver.

The maid-servant, whose scream had startled the others, had regained
her composure and seemed eager to hear some other new and terrible omen,
for, with a beseeching glance, she begged the freedman not to withhold
the knew.

He pointed to the drops of perspiration which, spite of the wind
sweeping through the hall, covered her brow: "You must use your
handkerchief. Merely listening to my tale will dampen your skin. Stone
statues are made of harder material, but a soul dwells within them too.
Their natures may be harsher or more gentle; they bring us woe or heal
heavy sorrows, according to their mood. Every one learns this who raises
his hands to them in prayer. One of these statues stands in Alba. It
represents Mark Antony, in whose honour it was erected by the city. And
it foresaw what menaced the man whose stone double it is. Ay, open your
ears! About four days ago a ship's captain came to m