Mars.

'And mine, and mine, and mine,' said Mercury and Ganymede, and the Muses
and the Graces.

'All the candles are out!' said Cupid; 'a regular fog. I cannot even see
the pavilion: it must be hereabouts, though,' said the God to himself.
'So, so; I should be at home in my own pavilion, and am tolerably
accustomed to stealing about in the dark. There is a step; and here,
surely, is the lock. The door opens, but the cloud enters before me.
Juno, Juno,' whispered the God of Love, 'we are all here. Be contented
to escape, like many other innocent dames, with your reputation only
under a cloud: it will soon disperse; and lo! the heaven is clearing.'

'It must have been the heat of our flambeaux,' said Venus; 'for see, the
mist is vanished; here is the pavilion.'

Ganymede ran forward, and dashed open the door. Ixion was alone.

'Seize him!' said Jove.

'Juno is not here,' said Mercury, with an air of blended congratulation
and disappointment.

'Never mind,' said Jove; 'seize him! He kept me waiting for dinner.'

'Is this your hospitality, AEgiochus?' exclaimed Ixion, in a tone of
bullying innocence. 'I shall defend myself.'

'Seize him, seize him!' exclaimed Jupiter. 'What! do you all falter? Are
you afraid of a mortal?'

'And a Thessalian?' added Ganymede.

No one advanced.

'Send for Hercules,' said Jove.

'I will fetch him in an instant,' said Ganymede.

'I protest,' said the King of Thessaly, 'against this violation of the
most sacred rights.'

'The marriage tie?' said Mercury.

'The dinner-hour?' said Jove.

'It is no use talking sentiment to Ixion,' said Venus; 'all mortals are
callous.'

'Adventures are to the adventurous,' said Minerva.

'Here is Hercules! here is Hercules!'

'Seize him!' said Jove; 'seize that man.'

In vain the mortal struggled with the irresistible demigod.

'Shall I fetch your thunderbolt, Jove?' inquired Ganymede.

'Anything short of eternal punishment is unworthy of a God,' answered
Jupiter, with great dignity. 'Apollo, bring me a wheel of your
chariot.'

'What shall I do to-morrow morning?' inquired the God of Light.

'Order an eclipse,' replied Jove. 'Bind the insolent wretch to the
wheel; hurl him to Hades; its motion shall be perpetual.'

'What am I to bind him with?' inquired Hercules.

'The girdle of Venus,' replied the Thunderer.

'What is all this?' inquired Juno, advancing, pale and agitated.

'Come along; you shall see,' answered Jupiter. 'Foll