ceived in me. Come now, Telemachus, the
dame's birds seem to delight you very much."

These words were addressed to Antinous, who had been going from cage to
cage contemplating the feathered pets, all sleeping snugly, with much
curiosity and pleasure.

"Is that your son?" asked Doris.

"No, dame, he is only my pupil; but I feel as if he were my son."

"He is a beautiful lad!"

"Why, the old lady still looks after the young men!"

"We do not give that up till we are a hundred or till the Parcae cut the
thread of life."

"What a confession!"

"Let me finish my speech.--We never cease to take pleasure in seeing a
handsome young fellow, but so long as we are young we ask ourselves
what he may have in store for us, and as we grow old we are perfectly
satisfied to be able to show him kindness. Listen young master. You will
always find me here if you want anything in which I can serve you. I am
like a snail and very rarely leave my shell."

"Till our next meeting," cried Hadrian, and he and his companions went
out into the court.

There the difficulty was to find a footing on the disjointed pavement.
Titianus went on in front of the Emperor and Antinous, and so but few
words of friendly pleasure could be exchanged by the monarch and his
vicegerent on the occasion of their meeting again. Hadrian stepped
cautiously forward, his face wearing meanwhile a satisfied smile. The
verdict passed by the simple shrewd woman of the people had given him
far greater pleasure than the turgid verse in which Mesomedes and his
compeers were wont to sing his praises, or the flattering speeches with
which he was loaded by the sophists and rhetoricians.

The old woman had taken him for no more than an artist; she could
not know who he was, and yet she had recognized--or had Titianus been
indiscreet? Did she know or suspect whom she was talking to? Hadrian's
deeply suspicious nature was more and more roused; he began to fancy
that the gate-keeper's wife had learnt her speech by heart, and that
her welcome had been preconcerted; he suddenly paused and desired the
prefect to wait for him, and Antinous to remain behind with the clog. He
turned round, retraced his steps to the gatehouse and slipped close up
to it in a very unprincely way. He stood still by the door of the little
house which was still open, and listened to the conversation between
Doris and her husband.

"A fine tall man," said Euphorion, "he is a little like the Emperor."