A little pleased, but disappointed more, Simon his message to his mistress brought. He wreaked his disappointment upon her, By rendering Nero's proffer of himself In terms the most offensive to her pride: "Know, O my lady--empress, by just right Of high ambition and of mettle high-- Lucius Domitius Nero Cæsar, proud Young wearer of the crown that Julius wore-- Or would not wear, but three times put it by-- Successor to the great Augustus, who Earth's jarring fragments welded to a whole, And settled order government and peace-- Conscious of his own merit, condescends To ease his aching shoulders of the weight Of empire by indulging now and then In certain little pranks of pleasantry, More lively, as might seem, than dignified. He dons him his disguise and sallying forth Goes roystering through the streets incognito, Attended by a well-becoming rout Of boon companions in hilarity-- Much to the scandal of good citizens, Specially such as happen to be out; These often get quite tumbled up and down In the wild frolic of imperial sport. They make the night--these rouses are by night-- Merry with jocund laughter, and with song That would be ribald save that it is sung By a divine Augustus in his cups. I am permitted, as ambassador From this imperial personage, to bear Thee courteous salutations, and to say The emperor deems thee worthy to be queen, Thinks thou perhaps wast widowed in good time To make thee to a nobler fortune free; Begs thou wilt name the night when he may come In person and pay imperial court to thee." "This, Simon, is impudence insufferable, Equal affront to Nero and to me," Drusilla in a flame of fury said. "Thou hast overstepped thy limit jesting so. Repair thy fault forthwith, or suffer for it! Tell me in terms, and without flourishes, What word, if any, the emperor charged thee with." Maliciously unmoved, the sorcerer said: "With some loss doubtless--most regrettable, Granted; yet scarce avoidable, confess-- From the august imperial dignity Of the first utterance, I have told thee true The message Cæsar bade me bear to thee." Drusilla, with rekindled anger, cried: "Thou hast cruelly misrepresented me, To bring upon me such indignity. In what mistaken terms of complaisance, Tell me--mistaken, or even treacherous-- Didst thou present me to his majesty?" Simon, exasperating purposely By his cool air of imperturbable, Said: "Madam, it seemed wisest policy-- Best suited to avoid that compromise I knew to be so justly hateful to thee Of dignity and modesty and shame-- So I observed a careful reticence, But drew the emperor on from point to point To be first--as he was--in mentioning thee."