“And you yourself have never loved?”

“No—­but it pained me that I could not.  In Plotina’s apartments I often saw the children of her relations, and many a time I tried to attract them to me, but while they would play confidently with other women they seemed to shun me.  Soon I even grew cross to them—­only our Verus, the little son of Celonius Commodus, would give me frank answers when I spoke to him, and would bring me his broken toys that I might mend their injuries.  And so I got to love the child.”

“He was a wonderfully sweet, attractive boy.”

“He was indeed.  One day we women were all sitting together in Caesar’s garden.  Verus came running out with a particularly fine apple that Trajan himself had given him.  The rosy-cheeked fruit was admired by every one.  Then Plotina, in fun took the apple out of the boy’s hand and asked him if he would not give his apple to her.  He looked at her with wide-open puzzled eyes, shook his curly head, ran up to me and gave me—­ yes, me, and no one else—­the fruit, throwing his arms round my neck and saying, ‘Sabina you shall have it.’”

“The judgment of Paris.”

“Nay, do not jest now.  This action of an unselfish child gave me courage to endure the troubles of life.  I knew now that there was one creature that loved me, and that one repaid all that I felt for him, all that I was never weary of doing for him with affectionate liking.  He is the only being, of whom I know, that will weep when I die.  Give him the right to call me his mother and make him our son.”

“He is our son,” said Hadrian, with dignified gravity, and held out his hand to Sabina.  She tried to lift it to her lips but he drew it away and went on: 

“Inform him that we accept him as our son.  His wife is the daughter of Nigrinus—­who had to go, as I desired to stay and stand firm.  You do not love Lucilla, but we must both admire her for I do not know another woman in Rome whose virtue a man might vouch for.  Besides, I owe her a father, and am glad to have such a daughter; thus we shall be blessed with children.  Whether I shall appoint Verus my successor and proclaim to the world who shall be its future ruler I cannot now decide; for that I need a calmer hour.  Till to-morrow, Sabina.  This day began with a misfortune; may the deed with which we have combined to end it prosper and bring us happiness.”

CHAPTER XVII.

There are often fine warm days in February, but those who fancy the spring has come find themselves deceived.  The bitter, hard Sabina could at times let soft and tender emotions get the mastery over her, but as soon as the longing of her languishing soul for maternal happiness was gratified, she closed her heart again and extinguished the fire that had warmed it.  Every one who approached her, even her husband, felt himself chilled and repelled again by her manner.