The Emperor, Complete

isk step that he returned to his work-people. The foreman came to meet him with looks of enquiry as he said. "The steward w

outside the screen, behind which

ten to me, it is high

lied Pollux, "else i

an hour and help me and the palace-steward

if Keraunus is there. Food melts

ve him from an ov

owl full of cabbage and sausages. My mother had cooked that food

its tone betrayed that his hungry stomach would fain

. The cabbage has experienced the process which is

t try to make this palace enjoyable again, burns too hotly and must be too vigor

were now to call it cabbage with sausages. I have worked it like a mine, and now that the vein of sausages is nearly exhausted, little remains but the native soil in whi

, but you ar

repl

ce our meal with y

he first place, I am in a happy vein, and on the right track

tomor

r me

el

ur other guest an ill-

ow the ste

, I am the son of the g

etty little lodge with the ivy and

her kills she will concoct for you and me a d

leasing p

mus-on closer inspectio

ou his

n we sup together don't ask me about it if you care to have a jolly comp

and here are o

waving his hand to the architect in farewell he vanished b

ime to refresh himself by a short sleep, for the exertions of the morrow, but between this intention and its fulfilment an obstacle was interposed, the preposterous dimensions namely of his guest. He had invited the steward on purpose to give him his fill of meat, and Keraunus had shown himself amenab

nd, while he emptied cup after cup of wine, tried to lay down the reasons which had made him and his friends decide on staking everything in order to deprive the members of the extensive community of Jews in the city of their rights as citizens, a

ded should not be thus abridged, he rose from table and briefly excusing himself he retired to the room in which the couch had been prepared for him. After h

unting and snuffing as far as this. I pushed a cushion under his head, for

more and more as it grew later and later, at her father's long absence. About a week before the strong man had suddenly lost consciousness; only, it is true, for a few minutes, and the physician had told her that though he appeared to be in superabundant health, the attack indicated that he must follow his prescriptions strictly and avoid all kinds of excess. A single indiscretion, he had declared, might swiftly and suddenly cut the thread of his existence. After her father had gone out in obedience to the architect's invitation, Selene had brought out he

few drachmae she could dispose of. As it got later she grew wearier and wearier, but still she sat at the work, though her pretty head often sank upon her brea

and threw them on her hands with which she had clutched the brambles and roots that grew out of the rift of the rocks. She entreated him to cease, implored him, shrieked to him to spare her, but not a muscle moved in the face above her; it seemed set in a vacant smile, and even his heart was dead too, for he ruthlessly flung down now a pebble, now a clod, one after the other, till her hands were losing their last feeble hold and she was on the point of falling into the fatal gulf below. Her own cry of terror aroused her, but during the brief process of returning from her dream to actuality, she saw throug

nce more thoroughly awake, she rubbed her eyes,

ing to waste. She hastily put it out with a pair of tongs that hung by a chain, and then after pourin

of his senses? Had he on his way back to his rooms been seized with a fresh attack of giddiness?

, pick him up, give him help or-if he still were feasting-endeavor to tempt him back by any excuse she could fi

nt portion of the palace, she had to screen the flickering light of the little lamp with her left hand, carrying it in her right; the flame blown about by the draught and her own figure were mirrored here and there in the polished surface of the dark marble. The thick sandals she had tied on to her feet roused loud echoes in the empty rooms as

f the hall of the Muses and fell in a broken reflection on the floor and the wall of the last room through which she had to pass. She now entered the large hall which was dimly lighted by the lamps behind the sculp

d soon recognized in the alarming tones a sound that was only too familiar. Without a moment's hesitation she started to run, and hastened to the sleeper, shook him, pushed him, called him, sprinkled his forehead with water, and appealed to him by the tenderest names with which her sister Arsinoe was wont to coa

The body of the Muse had already taken a definite form and he could begin to work out the head with the earliest dawn of day. He now dropped his arms wearily, for as soon as he ceased to create with his whole heart and mi

saw the tall draped figure in whose hand a lamp was trembling, when he watched her cross the spacious hall, and then suddenly stand still, he was not a little startled, but this did not hinder him from noting every st

rly he hastily pushed apart two of the laths of the screen, went up and called her name, at first softly not to frighten her, and then more loudly. When she turned her head he begged her warmly not to be alarmed fa

asked the gir

. But you-can

"He does not stir, he is immovabl

dead," said the sculptor.

illow under his neck, as comfortably as a child. When he began just now to trumpet a little too loud I whistled as loud as

could get

have four ho

bad as you

d again to my way of speaking. This time I only mean that

I do, then? Th

know well. It will be gone to-morrow, perhaps by sundown, and the only pain

is so co

k and cover h

u will b

ong has Keraunus had de

and how justified were her fears. The sculptor listened

I will change the wet cloth every quarter of an hour. Here is a jar and a handkerchief-good, they might have

disgraceful!"

of Serapis even is sometimes

if he sees you. He is so an

ods forgive the sins of the wise, and a man will not forgive t

ocked

of the fat Silenus near the gate, that had lost its

d it to vex

I was delighted with the

new how to

ghtning, and the air would have been clear again. But, as it was, he cut the face off the work with a knife, and deliberately trod the pieces under foot as they lay on the ground.

ems to eat him inwardly, and I have rarel

and my mother added her share, and from that time there has been utter hostility between our little house and y

many pleasant h

o dress up in my father's t

made us dolls

rformed the Ol

n we played at school with ou

ave you mo

fun when we

fishes and mother gave us me

donis, and how I stopped the runaw

sinoe, and when we got home mo

promised to become? It is two years since I last saw her; at our place we never have time to leave work till it is d

d we are not allowed to go into

he pr

ce of ribbon she plaits it in her hair, and the men in t

noe! Why, how long then is

s and eigh

. She was a good woman and a kinder I never met. I know, too, that she tried to mo

d the gods decree it! They are often m

ttle brothers

od for some time with his eyes fixed on the

g for you that w

pleases me now

ld not forget the good soul, and once in my idle moments I mo

er large heavy eyes brigh

it true, you

my father learns that it is you

ble of dest

that you made it." Pollux took the handkerchief from the steward's head, moistene

the house of Ptolemy stand on the rotunda, which you can see from your balcony, and which you can pass whenever you please; some of them are badly mutilated and m

x; you are

ove. But time-time! if I am to undertake to rep

; I know how to apply a w

hands free for use, and stood with her slender figure, her pale face, and the fine b

x to the astonished girl, so loudly

ls in his mouth, and then fetched his wax model which he placed on the outer side of the table, behind which the steward was sleeping. The tapers were put out, the lamps pushed aside, and raised or lowered, and when at last a tolerably suitable light was procured Pollux threw himself on a stool, straddled his legs, craned his head forward as far as his neck would allow, looking, with his hooked nose, like a vulture

and speechless inspiration. Selene had said not a word that permitted his using her as a model; but, as if his enthusiasm was infectious, she rema

ing low to look first at Selene and then at his statuette with keen examination from head t

et your father's handkerchief and then we ca

eded carefully to replace some folds of her drapery which had fallen out of place, she moved her

ing tools more calmly; his gaze was le

sure the lamp-light and a sleepless

same by daylight,

me and, in both, the line of the nose runs almost straight to the forehead; you have her eyes and the same bend of the brow, but your mouth i

ore hair, and perhaps she may have b

that your hair, without being curly,

y to keep

u taller th

stouter she looked shorter

ting tired o

t v

r early years; I should be glad to see Arsinoe once more. I feel at this mo

shook h

re not

N

u have very heavy duties

go as th

gs go haphazard. You take care of you

ted Selene, and she sm

self, but your father and the little ones h

, and Helios who is blind, b

ur voice, and you used formerly to be as merry and

rme

t you are handsome, you are yo

hat a

hands from his work he looked ardently at the f

full of happiness and

head in negation

hare of happiness once for all in my childhood, now I am content if only we are spared the worst misfortunes. Otherwise I take what each day brings, because

ening to you? I do not understand half of what you

ged Selene. "If my fath

you confide to me no one

th Arsinoe for two hours to the manufactory

our fathe

t; but we could not get on without it, for Arsinoe thinks of nothing but herself, plays draughts with my fa

least of all. Only lately my mother was telling me about you, and I thought

d n

now it fo

y be mi

are as gentle as the kindly moonlight;

ever even seen the light is cal

nd checked the effervescence of his feelings. Finding he did not answer he

it. I do not want to make myself out worse than I am; it grieves me too to see them drooping. But nothing that I do brings me happiness-at most it moderates my fears. You ask what I am afraid of?-of everything, everything that can happen to me, for I have no reason to look forward to anything good. When there is a knock, it may be a creditor; when people look at Arsinoe in the street, I seem to see dishonor lurking round her; when my father acts against the advice of the physician I feel as if we were standing alre

umpet intended to awake them. Selene started, drew her mantle more closely round her, begged Pollux to take care of her father, and to hide the wine-jar which was standing near him from the work-people and then, forgetting her lamp, she went hastily toward the door by wh

to think of the pale girl with her benumbed soul. At last sleep overcame him too, and a sweet dream showed him pretty little Arsinoe, who but for him must infallibly have been killed by th