them out in this opinion. But their diagnosis, though well meant, had
the contrary effect to that they had intended. The prosecution and
punishment of a murderer would have given occupation to his revengeful
spirit and have diverted his thoughts, and the capture of the criminal
would have pacified him; as it was, he could only regard the death of the
lion as a fresh stroke of fate directed against himself. He sat absorbed
in sullen gloom, muttering frantic curses, and haughtily desired the
high-priest to restore the offering he had wasted on a god who was so
malignant, and as hostile to him as all else in this city of abomination.

He then rose, desired every one to stand back from where the lion lay,
and gazed down at the beast for many minutes. And as he looked, his
excited imagination showed him Melissa stroking the noble brute, and the
lion lashing the ground with his tail when he heard the light step of her
little feet. He could hear the music of her voice when she spoke
coaxingly to the lion; and then again he started off to search the rooms
once more, shouting her name, heedless of the bystanders, till Macrinus
made so bold as to assure him that the slaughterer's report must have
been false. He must have mistaken some one else for Melissa, for it was
proved beyond a doubt that Melissa had been burned in her father's house.

At this Caesar looked the prefect in the face with glazed and wandering
eyes, and Macrinus started in horror as he suddenly shrieked, "The deed,
the deed!" and struck his brow with his fist.

From that hour Caracalla had lost forever the power of distinguishing the
illusions which pursued him from reality.