She ceased, incapable of further resistance, threw herself weeping on the
divan, and buried her face in the cushions.

Confounded and bewildered by such audacity, the emperor had heard her
out. The soul of a hero dwelt in the frail body of this maiden!
Majestic as all-conquering Venus she had resisted him for the second
tune, and now how touching did she appear in her tears and weakness! He
loved her, and his heart yearned to raise her in his arms, to beg her
forgiveness, and fulfill her every wish. But he was a man and a monarch,
and his desire to show Melissa to the people in the Circus as his chosen
bride had become a fixed resolve during the past sleepless night. And
indeed he was incapable of renouncing any wish or a plan, even if he felt
inclined to do so. Yet he heartily regretted having stormed at the
gentle Greek girl like some wild barbarian, and thus himself thrown
obstacles in the way of attaining his desire. His hot blood had carried
him away again. Surely some demon led him so often into excesses which
he afterward repented of. This time the fiend had been strong in him,
and he must use every gentle persuasion he knew of to bend the deeply
offended maiden to his will.

He was relieved not to meet her intense gaze as he advanced toward her
and took Philostratus's place, who whispered to her to control herself
and not bring death and ruin upon them all.

"I Truly I meant well toward you, dearest," he began, in altered tones.
"But we are both like overfull vessels--one drop will make them overflow.
You--confess now that you forgot yourself. And I--On the throne we grow
unaccustomed to opposition. It is fortunate that the flame of my
anger dies out so quickly. But it lies with you to prevent it from ever