"Muddy water out of a nasty earthen pitcher!" answered the girl.

"And it tasted better than wine from Byblos out of a golden goblet."

"You had honestly earned the refreshment, and thirst gives flavor to the
humblest liquor."

"You forget the hand that gave it me," replied the architect warmly.

Balbilla colored and looked at the floor in confusion, but presently
raised her face and said, as gayly and carelessly as ever:

"So that you have been deliciously refreshed; and now that is done you
will go home and the poor thirsty soul will once more become the great
architect. But before that happens, pray inform us what god it was that
brought you hither from Pelusium in the very nick of time when the fire
broke out, and how matters look now in the palace at Lochias?"

"My time is short," replied Pontius, and he then rapidly told her that,
after he had finished his work at Pelusium, he had returned to Alexandria
with the imperial post. As he got out of the chariot at the post-house
he observed the reflection of fire over the sea and was immediately after
told by a slave that it was the palace that was burning. There were
horses in plenty at the post-house; he had chosen a strong one and had
got to the spot before the crowd had collected. How the fire had
originated, so far remained undiscovered. "Caesar," he said, "was in the
act of observing the heavens when a flame broke out in a store-shed close
to the tower. Antinous was the first to detect it, cried 'Fire,' and
warned his master. I found Hadrian in the greatest agitation; he charged