Simon came hating with a perilous hate, Hate perilous to himself, the emperor For all the scorning poured before on him; Now, at such words of scorn more bitter yet, His fierce resentment almost overbore His fear; it threatened to burst out in flame. But he was prudent and afraid enough To smother it--as yet; the deeper burned It in his bosom, forced to smoulder there. His hatred and his fear together made His wit clear, swift, and ready to command. He dared not fence, and so he answered fair-- At some cost to his mistress, more than he Foreshadowed in obtaining her consent: "My lady agrees, but does not fix the time." "Agrees, of course agrees," grossly replied Nero; "but when, thou paltering rascal, when?-- That is the point thou knowest, and she knows." "Lady Drusilla begs the emperor Will," wily Simon said, "do her the grace To choose his own time; his choice will be hers." "Beyond just expectation complaisant!" With a placated grin, the emperor said. Simon made thrifty haste not to let slip His favorable chance precarious; He spoke: "Aye, when thy gracious majesty Shalt have appointed death deserved for Paul And for the pestilent crew his company, And shalt have signified to her thy leave To see the sentence visited on them-- The very night which follows that bright day Of vengeance on the emperor's enemies Shall brighter than that day to her be made If she may welcome then as visitant Him who shall so have pledged her his regard." "Ah, so she makes conditions after all," Clouding his brow, but lightly, Nero said. "A woman is a woman," Simon replied, "And queen Drusilla is high-spirited Doubtless beyond the common; humor her, I pray thee, in this trifle; thou wilt note How that, in seeming so to save her pride Somewhat, her dignity, her modesty, She really seeks to serve a public end Of justice and of good imperial fame." "Thou makest her worthy of a throne indeed," The emperor with indulgent sarcasm said, "With her wise forecast and expansive views." "Faith toward the person of the emperor-- Faith, and perhaps some nearer sentiment-- Inspires her to be large in statesmanship," Said Simon--eased a moment in his mind To be diplomatist in honeyed lies. "Tell her I will consult my oracle," Nero maliciously replied; "and say My oracle is a lady, hence will know Better than I should dare pretend I can What would be fit in such peculiar case. As fountain prime of justice to my realm, I own I have some scruples in this thing-- Whether it were ideal right and good To barter sentences of life and death Simply that I may please a lady fair, And be a favored suitor at her court.