al of Adonis was right when she
sang in the Jalemus that the gods did half the work of the artist."

"Arsinoe!" cried Pollux, for her words made him feel as if a hot spring
were seething in his heart, and he gratefully seized her hand; but she
drew it away, for her sister Selene had come out on the balcony and was
calling her.

It was for his elder playfellow and not for Arsinoe that Pollux had set
his work in this place, but, just now, her gaze fell like a disturbing
chill on his excited mood.

"There stands your mother's portrait," he called up to the balcony in an
explanatory tone, pointing to the bust.

"I see it," she replied coldly. "I will look at it presently more
closely. Come up Arsinoe, father wants to speak to you."

Again Pollux stood alone.

As Selene withdrew into the room, she gently shook her pale head, and
said to herself:

"'It was to be for me,' Pollux said; something for me, for once--and
even this pleasure is spoilt."

CHAPTER IX.

The palace-steward, to whom Selene had called up his younger daughter,
had just returned from the meeting of the citizens; and his old
black slave, who always accompanied him when he went out, took the
saffron-colored pallium from his shoulders, and from his head the golden
circlet, with which he loved to crown his curled hair when he quitted
the house. Keraunus still looked heated, his eyes seemed more prominent
than usual and large drops of sweat stood upon his brow, when his
daughter entered the room where he was. He absently responded to
Arsinoe's affectionate greeting with a few unmeaning words, and before
making the important communication he had to disclose to his daughters,
he walked up and down before them for some time, puffing out his fat
cheeks and crossing his arms. Selene was alarmed, and Arsinoe had long
been out of patience, when at last he began:

"Have you heard of the festivals which are to be held in Caesar's
honor?"

Selene nodded and her sister exclaimed:

"Of course we have! Have you secured places for us on the seats kept for
the town council?"

"Do not interrupt me," the steward crossly ordered his daughter. "There
is no question of staring at them. All the citizens are required to
allow their daughters to take part in the grand things that are to be
carried out, and we all were asked how many girls we had."

"And how are we to take part in the show?" cried Arsinoe, joyfully
clapping her hands.

"I wanted to withdraw be