"I wonder at that," said Pontius, closing the double tablets which
announced the Emperor's advent.

"Can he do anything?" asked Pollux.

"More than any one of us," replied Pontius. "He is a mighty man."

"That is splendid!" exclaimed Pollux. "I like to see great men. When
one looks me in the eye I always feel as if some of his superabundance
overflowed into me, and irresistibly I draw myself up and think how fine
it would be if one day I might reach as high as that man's chin."

"Beware of morbid ambition," said Papias to his pupil in a warning voice.
"It is not the man who stands on tiptoe, but he who does his duty
diligently, that can attain anything great."

"He honestly does his," said the architect rising, and he laid his hand
on the young sculptor's shoulder. "We all do; to-morrow by sunrise each
must be at his post again. For my colleague's sake it will be well that
you should all be there in good time."

The artists rose, expressing their thanks and regrets. "You will not
escape the continuation of this evening's entertainment," cried one of
the painters, and Papias, as he parted from Pontius, said:

"When we next meet I will show you what I understand by a drinking-
speech. It will do perhaps for your Roman guest. I am curious to hear
what he will say about our Urania. Pollux has done his share of the work
very well, and I have already devoted an hour's work to it, which has