Had she achieved her wish? She could not guess. Nero, as if with shift of aim, inquired: "Thou art late arrived in Rome from Palestine; What dost thou chance to know of this man Paul, Prisoner here, like thyself Jew in blood?" "I thank thee too that thou hast asked me that," Drusilla with judicial candor said; "Aye, Paul is of one kindred with myself, I blush to say it; he is a renegade, Offscouring, outcast of his countrymen. I pray thee judge thou not our race from him." "But our sage Seneca, my schoolmaster," Smiled Nero with imperial pleasantry, "Speaks otherwise of Paul. I bade him go Visit the Jew philosopher in chains And sound him of the depth of wisdom his. He brought me back a wonderful report; 'A little transcendental,' so he said, 'Too much of Oriental mysticism, But sane at bottom, and a man of worth.' Tell us about Paul. I should be much pleased To put to blush my old oracular Smug Seneca with proof that he for once At least mistook; a fine old gentleman Is Seneca, but too infallible; In fact, intolerably infallible. I cannot stand infallibility-- Except my own and thine of course, my dear Poppæa! When they come to deify Us, we shall have to be infallible. That is, supposably: I will inquire Of Seneca; he is my arbiter, Know, madam, in these minor points, as is My superfine good friend Petronius In those more serious points of etiquette." Drusilla masked amazement, listening keen While this young portent of an emperor Let play his humor of hilarity. Eccentric and incalculable curves Of orbit, pure caprices of career, Might seem to be the movement of his speech; But always, from whatever apogee, It failed not its return to bitterness: The playful tiger gnashed his ravin fangs. Still turning toward Drusilla, he went on: "Behooves, lady, thine emperor of the world Should be well schooled in all things; I abound In tutors at my elbows to nudge me; Old Burrus there, I have not mentioned him-- No disrespect intended--what thinkest thou? Schoolmasters and schoolmistresses and all, Is there not risk they overstep the bound? So few know where, just where, the limit is. My own dear mother--to her ashes peace!-- Sacred as was her right, if she had lived Might yet have come to manage overmuch."