himself out of other folks' wallets and dishes. Caesar knew his man and
warned him off. Then the creature had his hair dyed that he might not be
recognized, and tried his luck a second time with the Emperor. But
Hadrian has good eyes; he pointed to the door, saying, with the gravest
face: 'I have just lately refused to give your father anything.' And a
hundred such jokes pass from mouth to mouth in Rome, and if you like I
can give you a dozen of the best."

"Tell us, go on, out with your stories. They are all old friends!"
stammered Florus. "But while Favorinus chatters we can drink."

The Gaul cast a contemptuous glance at the Roman, and answered promptly:

"My stories are too good for a drunken man."

Florus paused to think of an answer, but before he could find one, the
praetor's body-slave rushed into the hall crying out: "The palace at
Lochias is on fire."

Verus kicked the mat of lilies off his feet on to the floor, tore down
the net that screened him in, and shouted to the breathless runner.

"My chariot-quick, my chariot! To our next merry meeting another evening
my friends, with many thanks for the honor you have done me. I must be
off to Lochias."

Verus flew out of the hall, without throwing on his cloak and hot as he
was, into the cold night, and at the same time most of his guests had
started up to hurry into the open air, to see the fire and to hear the
latest news; but only very few went to the scene of the conflagration to