ury, it offers me. The Graces
receive me here into these old walls, Aglaia, Thalia and Euphrosyne!"

"Good luck to you, Master," old Doris called out to the prefect.

"We come late," said Hadrian.

"That does not matter," said the old woman. "Here at Lochias for the
last week we have quite forgotten to distinguish day from night, and a
blessing can never come too late."

"I have brought with me to-day an illustrious guest," said Titianus.
"The great Roman architect Claudius Venator. He only disembarked a few
minutes since."

"Then a draught of wine will do him good. We have in the house some good
white Mareotic from my daughter's garden by the lake. If your friend
will do us humble folks so much honor, I beg he will step into our room;
it is clean, is it not sir? and the cup I will give him to drink it out
of would not disgrace the Emperor himself. Who knows what you will find
up in the midst of all the muddle yonder?"

"I will accept your invitation with pleasure," answered Hadrian. "I can
see by your face that you have a pleasure in entertaining us, and any
one might envy you your little house."

"When the climbing-rose and the honey-suckle are out it is much
prettier," said Doris, as she filled the cup. "Here is some water for
mixing."

The Emperor took the cup carved by Pollux, looked at it with admiration,
and before putting it to his lips said:

"A masterpiece, dame; what would Caesar find to drink out of here where
the gate-keeper uses such a treasure? Who executed this admirable work,
pray?"

"My son carved it for me in his spare time."

"He is a highly-skilled sculptor," Titianus explained.

When the Emperor had half emptied the cup with much satisfaction he set
it on the table, and said:

"A very noble drink! I thank you, mother."

"And I you, for styling me mother: there is no better title a woman can
have who has brought up good children; and I have three who need never
be ashamed to be seen."

"I wish you all luck with them, good little mother," replied the
Emperor.

"We shall meet again, for I am going to spend some days at Lochias."

"Now, in all this bustle?" asked Doris.

"This great architect," said Titianus, in explanation, "is to advise and
help our Pontius."

"He needs no help!" cried the old woman. "He is a man of the best stamp.
His foresight and energy, my son says, are incomparable. I have seen him
giving his orders myself, and I know a man when I see him!"

"And what