ewd Lysimachus come in Roman dress, unostentatiously and hidden by the dusk. The slave who conducted the visitor to the master's presence was suspicious, but he did not lapse fro

dmitted only dusk. The shadowy shape of the proconsul, relaxed in his curule, alone and immovable, thus surround

f the Roman had let them roll off his table or drop from his hand unconsciously. His elbow rested on the ivory arm of his curule, his

ed and drew himse

he said. "There is a

dropped into the seat th

k torch at the proconsul's side, "would lea

etry demand the same exciting

, but h

. Thus it is that he hath been able to borr

and virtuous; a Herod and married-a conjunction of circumstances in these days so rare as to be out of nature-therefore,

l except she loves her love. A just procession in the order of the Furies'

de thee morbid, Avillus. You Roma

rain the world's purse, methinks she is

red thousan

Let all her possessions be g

it was thy command tha

ovely woman, and a Herod at that, besought thee for the cont

ghed and frowned

is one thing apparent, which should make me serious. The Herod is absolutely penniless, an

hou and I can spare her sesterces

was silent

she never had afterward a crust of bread. It seems that they permitted a free-bo

d!" the procon

ing placed himself in jeopardy to save Agrippa from Herrenius C

ce it is not so much because she loves her husband as because the

laccus; I am ashamed of it. Wh

r three

t what then? She would still be here

a moment in abeyance," the proconsul said slyly. "S

irst, because I have it not; next, becaus

use thou shouldst

t and looked away. The attitude was confessio

end by pinching thyself?

but not to a Herod. I could lo

n; give it-do not slander a

o a Herod? They would

but they a

nd Flaccus looked out at the

ostage, here, for five tale

oman extremes, a trifle too brutal for

ng and poverty. Thou canst say to her that the five talents are all thou canst afford. Tell her that it will do no more t

words, but perplexity cam

hy?" h

at Agrippa will in honor have to redeem her

erod to love his wife so well? It would be a bad mortgage for me

play Dido. But try my plan, Alexande

rum. "It-it is-" he hesitated. "But then, I shoul

re steps, and pa

he said finally

l to the proconsul, he p

nto gloomy meditation. The night fell and obscured him.

riensis bowe

ys she was sum

lampadary light the torch, y

burning reed set fire to the wick in one of the brass

side me, Junia," Fl

arch had occupied, and Junia, dropping o

for the fact I owe my meat and wine to thy favor, tho

thy beck, Junia! It we

a feast to-night, and my young gallant

and his better. Methinks thou hast r

e answered. "In the old days it was muscl

lation. Why wilt thou marry this obsc

to cast off the hand thou h

that he might l

med. "Does it c

one man above another's? Young Obscurity's authority over me, his

and run his palm ove

shall not be happy

eave a sigh over the days of my freedom. Alas! the mind grows old young, that learns the fullness of l

-boy? Beshrew him, l

the usurer that lends

ou love, at a

mage of a consul, less portly, less p

like that?"

. To one who does not remember the sprigh

ix years at most! Thou hast not ch

there is no appreciable change. But mark the difference an hour makes at

go and his arrow sticketh

row during all those da

ent at once in a heart. But of myself we may speak later; at present, I am moved to labor with thee for t

ack, Flaccus; love's ashes can not be refired th

y-year-old wound which I confessed just now? I am th

n mind," she said. "Methinks it is that

it; I am weighted with the business of the great. What dost

cause of my father's unfortunate preference of

? Behold,"-stretching out his muscu

better in comeliness? Percha

en love of grace still lives in thee, there shall

wo

Flaccus' stonier days, who upset Caligula's domestic peace, put gray hairs in Macro's forelock-all these in their

it is as firm as cocoanut flesh-if thine impurpled countenance does not suit my Epicurean

with a comely bankrupt on th

o much duplication and

fore," he declared. "

nd leaned bac

comely one,"

ry slowly and faced him. Amusement made small lines about her eyes, a

tone, "for the twenty-year-ol

the half-humor which had enliven

barb," she opined;

, that though it is twenty years since I stood and saw her bound

lest tendance, would have burnt out and resolved into cold ashes in half that time. That it should endure years, suffer discouragement, bridge distances and surmount obstacles, al

the Jewess dropped madness from a philter in thy wine. And f

ess ferocity, that she shrank away from him, remembering former e

r a moment then ve

win him from her,

ws!" With a sudden accession of emotion, he laid his short,

s esteem of me is great. I have only to ask and the decree of banishment, or the sentence against thy father, shall be lifted. Thou shalt return in honor to Rome; thy father shall be one of C?sar's ministers, and thou shalt take thy place among the first of the patricians. And Tiberius lays no bond of

ed to her the realization of the highest ambitions of her kind. But enough of the creature impulse toward perversity, admitting that his gain would be a

rchance thou dost only make place for this mysteriou

mise of this penetrative woman. Could such a thing be possible? He sprang to his

said between his te

her hand lo

ething happen. And if I am pleased to follow thy plans, I may; but be assured

mantle, while he stood wa

said presently, "

impatience and with

r a long time; then he

he chief appar

saluted. Flaccus, in the meantime, had searched through the

cribed. Seek him in Ptolemais, wherever a Nazarene warren hides, in Jerusalem, in Alexandria-meet

d unflinching into the pr

r," he

d his hand and the