The Nemesis: A Tale Of The Days Of Trajan.

and then died away sloAvly in the sombre West ; silence had crept over Memphis , and the winds had sank to sleep among the sands of the desert . The serpent had crept into his hole , the ibis stood , like- a watcher of the night , upon , the

banks of the Nile , immoveable iu sleep , the "ich neumon and the jerboa too had closed the watchful eye , the crocodile reposed , an inert log upon the waters of the great river ; the jackall and . the hyena alone prouled about quarrelling over the

garbage , or giving utterance to half plaintive , half mocking laughter . One by one the stars appeared above in the blue green sky , till the Avhole dark vault of heaven was spangled with these bright Avorlds .

U ] 3 on a tower of the Iseum , the most magnificent temple in Memphis , dedicated to the worship of Isis , two figures are seen , the one standing upright and proudly gazing upon the stars , as gifted with authority to reach at , and read their secrets ;

the other kneeling , Avith his face buried in his hands , as if too unworthy to gaze U ] DOU that wonderful scroll . He who stands thus so proudly , is Leino , the High Priest of Isis , the hont api , or High Prophet . He had from his earliest years

been dedicated to the priesthood ; at the early age of sixteen , had held a high civil appointment , but eschewing political life , he returned to the service of the gods , where he speedily rose to the highest rank of the priesthood . He is now an old man ,

over Avhose head has rolled the SUOAVS of a century , his hair , Avhite as washed wool , hangs in luxuriance down upon his shoulders , while his beard like a foaming cataract , rolls down his chest to his girdle . He is garbed in a purple robe , besprinkled with

golden stars , and holds in his hand the sacred sistrum or rattle , the symbol of the goddess Isis , But there is no sign of decay , in that tall nervous frame , and his eye bright as a young man's , flashed proudly underneath its snoAA'y eyebrow .

He that crouches so lowly at the feet of Lemo , is Adrian , a young Roman philosopher , a graduate in the the Egyptian mysteries . His dress is scrupulous , neat and clean . lie is clad in white linen with a border of silver stars on a rich purple

ground , and his feet are shod with sandals of papyrus . From his shoulders depends a magnificent panther ' s skin , gathered about the loins Avith a broad belt of linked silver . Ibis head , contrary to the usuage of neophytes is unshown , for Adrian is onl y a candidate for the mysteries of Isis , not for the priesthood , On his head he wears a linen

cap Avith a silver star in the centre , and belted round Avith a cincture of purple . Aarian belonged to the noble family of the . Decii , and from his cradle days , renowned and honourable places lay open before him in Rome ,

His father , Lucius , Avas the favourite of the iknperor Nerva , and likewise of his successor , the great Trajan . His cousin Cains Fa-bins—for Adrian and Caius Avere sons of two sisters , daughters of the valiant Marcus Julius , a scion of

the family to which the first Caasar belonged—as Ave have already shown , Avas the bravest officer , and most trusted confidant of the Roman Emneroi *

Cams had Avon for himself the flattering distinction of being the most promising poet of his time , an honour which , in the ladies estimation , Avas even greater than that of his civic croAvn . Wealth , too , Avas Adrian ' s , and gifted with a robust and

handsome carriage , the Roman dames smiled graciously upon him , and pleasure wooed him with its blandest fascinations , to indulgence ; but in vain . From his earliest clays study had been his delight s the writings of the great thinkers his company ,

and the most eminent philosophers his friends . The Greek Antilochus had been his tutor , and to his teachings Adrian oAved much of that indifference Avhich kept him free from the gross indulgences that then degraded and debased the youths of both sexes . Vvnile a child this studious

inclination had pleased his father , who ivas proud of the fame of his boy , and listened Avith delight to the praises of his masters , Avho predicted for him a great and glorious career . But Antilochus had bestowed , upon him the highest praise , aud one

of more consequence than the hirelings sycophancy , which would have painted the future in glowing colours , even to a dullard if the fa their Avas rich , noble and powerful . " Let his career be great and glorious , " said Antilochus " as doubtless it will be , Adrian has that within him which will make him live ir . the

memories of future ages as the good . " lie may meet the fate of the Gracchi , but never tlic . t or the Cffisar . " But when Adrian reached manhood , and was robed in the pure white toga , the symbol of his

emancipation from boyhood , and of his advancement to the position and privileges of a citizen , the studious bent of his mind , could not but vex his father . Adrian being an only son , many were the attempts that Lucius made , but over unsuccessfully , to win him from , a philosophic life , and inaka