"What is this? I have opened the record of the oracle of Apis. How did
it come among to-day's letters?"

Antinous went up to Hadrian, looked at the sack, and said:

"Mastor has made a mistake. These are the documents from Memphis. I
will bring you the right despatch-bag."

"Stay!" said Hadrian, eagerly seizing his favorite's hand. "Is this a
mere trick of chance or a decree of Fate? Why should this particular
sack have come into my hands to-day of all others? Why, out of twenty
documents it contains, should I have taken out this very one? Look
here.--I will explain these signs to you. Here stand three pairs of arms
bearing shields and spears, close by the name of the Egyptian month that
corresponds to our November. These are the three signs of misfortune.
The lutes up there are of happier omen. The masts here indicate the
usual state of affairs. Three of these hieroglyphics always occur
together. Three lutes indicate much good fortune, two lutes and one mast
good fortune and moderate prosperity, one pair of arms and two lutes
misfortune, followed by happiness, and so forth. Here, in November,
begin the arms with weapons, and here they stand in threes and threes,
and portend nothing but unqualified misfortune, never mitigated by a
single lute. Do you see, boy? Have you understood the meaning of these
signs?"

"Perfectly well; but do you interpret them rightly? The fighting arms
may perhaps lead to victory."

"No. The Egyptians use them to indicate conflict, and to them conflict