ht upon his shoulders, and others on his arm.

A few steps led up to the marble portico, with its ceiling of blue
decked with little silver stars and a crescent moon. At the entrance
stood two small statues by Euphranor and Phidias.

Within all was beauty: the studio, circular in form, with alcoves lit
with light which filtered in through the thinnest sheets of coloured
marble; the furniture, simple, but choice; a kline or two of cedar-wood,
enriched with gold, to recline on when weary; a few chairs of ebony,
cypress, and rosewood were placed in the alcoves; a marble thronos for
his sitters; a few small tables, three-legged and four-legged,
beautifully carved, stood about to hold his brushes and palettes and the
choicest flowers, which a good old servant brought him every morning.

These things, with his easels, made up the contents of his studio. It
was not so famous for its furniture as for the beauty of its
construction, with domed roof and circular opening to the sky, and its
floor of marble enriched with precious stones. For Chios was wealthy,
and could lavish money as he pleased in decorating his studio.

Behind this working-room were retiring-rooms, and a small but valuable
library of choice manuscripts by Callinus, the Elegiac poet; Batalus,
the musician; Dion, Andron, Delias, and Daphnus, the philosophers; with
works by Phavorinus, Zenodotus, Menander, and many others.

* * * * *

It was a quiet afternoon; the winds were too lazy to stir and had fallen
asleep.

Varro passed that way, and said: 'I will drop in and see Chios.'

The artist was outside, painting into his picture some apple-blossoms
hanging gracefully from a tree which grew against a piece of old Greek
wall. Looking up from his work with a smile, he welcomed the noble
Roman.

'I am glad thou art come, for my hand is weary and my brain tired. It is
so sultry within that I felt quite unfitted to work there, and sought
refuge beneath those shading trees, whilst, as thou seest, a gleam of
light comes down between the foliage and strikes upon those blossoms of
the apple-tree.'

'I really hope I am not intruding too much, Chios?'

'Oh dear no; I am glad to see thee. Wilt thou sit? Make thyself at
home.'

The two men talked of Ephesus and its people until the conversation was
of the ladies, and soon the name of Nika was heard, for the Roman could
not but speak of her.

'What thinkest thou of her?' said Chios.