"She went out, and she could not get back home again, she is now lying in the house of a stranger." "Where?" "That must be quite indifferent to you--" "By no means, quite the contrary. I beg you to tell me the whole truth." "Eternal gods! what can you care about the poor sick creature?" "Nothing whatever; but I must know whither you are riding." "Down by the sea. I do not know the house, but the donkey driver--" "Is it far from here?" "About half an hour yet," said the lad. "A good way then," replied Verus. "And Hadrian is particularly anxious to remain unknown." "Certainly." "And you his body-servant, who are known to numbers of others here from Rome, like myself, you propose to ride half a mile through the streets where every creature that can stand or walk is swarming, with a large nosegay in your hand which attracts every body's attention. Oh Mastor that is not wise!" The slave started, and seeing at once that Verus was right, he asked in alarm: "What then can I do?" Get off your donkey," said the praetor. "Disguise yourself and make merry to your heart's content with these gold pieces." "And the flowers?" "I will see to that." "You will? I may trust you; and never betray to Antinous what you compelled me to do?" "Positively not." "There--there are the flowers, but I cannot take the gold." "Then I shall fling it among the crowd. Buy yourself a garland, a mask and some wine, as much as you can carry. Where is the girl to be found?" "At dame Hannah's. She lives in a little house in a garden belonging to the widow of Pudeus. And whoever gives it to her is to say that it is sent by the friend at Lochias." "Good. Now go, and take care that no one recognizes you. Your secret is mine, and the friend at Lochias shall be duly mentioned." Mastor disappeared in the crowd. Verus put the nosegay into the hands of one of the garden-gods that followed in his train, sprang laughing on to the ass, and desired the driver to show him the way. At the corner of the next street, he met two litters, carried with difficulty through the crowd by their bearers. In the first sat Keraunus, whose saffron-colored cloak was conspicuous from afar, as fat as Silenus the companion of Dionysus, but looking very sullen. In the second sat Arsinoe, looking gaily about her, and so fresh and pretty that the Roman's easily-stirred pulses beat more rapidly. Without reflecting, he took the flowers from the hand of the garden-god-- the flowers intended for Selene--laid them on the girl's litter, and said: "Alexander greets Roxana, the fairest of the fair." Arsinoe colored, and Verus, after watching her for some time as she was carried onwards, desired one of his boys to follow her litter, and to join him again in the flower-market, where he would wait, to inform him whither she had gone.