This eBook was produced by David Widger <widger@cecomet.net>
[NOTE: There is a short list of bookmarks, or pointers, at the end of thefile for those who may wish to sample the author's ideas before making anentire meal of them. D.W.]
THE EMPEROR, Part 1.
By Georg Ebers
While anxiety and trouble were brooding over the steward's dwelling,while dismay and disappointment were clouding the souls of itsinhabitants, the hall of the Muses was merry with feasting and laughter.
Julia, the prefect's wife, had supplied the architect at Lochias with acarefully-prepared meal,—sufficient to fill six hungry maws, andPontius' slave—who had received it on its arrival and had unpacked itdish after dish, and set them out on the humblest possible table had thenhastened to fetch his master to inspect all these marvels of the cook'sart. The architect shook his head as he contemplated the superabundantblessing, and muttered to himself:
"Titianus must take me for a crocodile, or rather for two crocodiles,"and he went to the sculptor's little tabernacle, where Papias the masterwas also, to invite the two men to share his supper.
Besides them he asked two painters, and the chief mosaic worker of thecity, who all day long had been busied in restoring the old and fadedpictures on the ceilings and pavements, and under the influence of goodwine and cheerful chat they soon emptied the dishes and bowls andtrenchers. A man who for several hours has been using his hands or hismind, or both together, waxes hungry, and all the artists whom Pontiushad brought together at Lochias had now been working for several daysalmost to the verge of exhaustion. Each had done his best, in the firstplace, no doubt, to give satisfaction to Pontius, whom all esteemed, andto himself; but also in the hope of giving proof of his powers to theEmperor and of showing him how things could be done in Alexandria. Whenthe dishes had been removed and the replete feasters had washed and driedtheir hands, they filled their cups out of a jar of mixed wine, of whichthe dimensions answered worthily to the meal they had eaten. One of thepainters then proposed that they should hold a regular drinking-bout, andelect Papias, who was as well known as a good table orator as he was asan artist, to be the leader of the feast. However, the master declaredthat he could not accept the honor, for that it was due to the worthiestof their company; to the man namely, who, only a few days since, hadentered this empty palace and like a second Deucalion had raised upillustrious artists, such as he then saw around him in great numbers, andskilled workmen by hundreds, not out of plastic stone but out of nothing.And then—while declaring that he understood the use of the hammer andchisel better than that of the tongue, and that he had never studied theart of making speeches—he expressed his wish that Pontius would lead therevel, in the most approved form.
But he was not allowed to get to the end of this evidence of his skill,for Euphorion the door-keeper of the palace, Euphorion the father ofPollux, ran hastily into the hall of the Muses with a letter in his handwhich he gave to the architect.
"To be read without an instant's delay," he added, bowing with theatricaldignity to the assembled artists. "One of the prefect's lictors broughtthis letter, which, if my wishes be granted, brings nothing that isunwelcome. Hold your noise you little blackguards or I will be the deathof you."
These words, which so far as the tone was concerned, fo