g in the roof.

"My precious one," reiterated the old woman appealingly, "tell me,
Dea--was it aught that I said which angered thee?"

Dea Flavia turned large wondering eyes to her old nurse.

"Licinia," she said slowly.

"Yes, my goddess."

"If a man saith that there is one greater, mightier than Caesar ... he is
a traitor, is he not?"

"A black and villainous traitor, Augusta," said Licinia, whose voice at
the mere suggestion had become hoarse with awe.

"And what in Rome is the punishment for such traitors, Licinia?" asked
the young girl, still speaking slowly and measuredly.

"Death, my child," replied the old woman.

"Only death?" insisted Dea, whilst the puzzled look in her eyes became
more marked, and the frown between her brows more deep.

"I do not understand thee, my precious one," said Licinia whose turn it
was now to be deeply puzzled; "what greater punishment could there be
for a traitor than that of death?"

"They torture slaves for lesser offences than that."

"Aye! and for sedition there is always the cross."

"The cross!" she murmured.

"Yes! Dost remember seven years ago in Judaea? There was a man who raised
sedition among the Jews, and called himself their king--setting himself
above Caesar and above the might of Caesar.... They crucified him. Dost
remember?"

"I have heard of him," she said curtly. "What was his name?"

"Nay! I have forgot. Methinks that he came from Galilee. They did
crucify him because of sedition, and because he set himself to be above
Caesar."

"And above the House of Caesar?"

"Aye! above the House of Caesar too."

"And they crucified him?"

"Aye! like a common thief. 'Twas right and just since he rebelled
against Caesar."

"And yet, Licinia, there are those in Rome who do him service even now."

"The gods forbid!" exclaimed Licinia in horror. "And how could that be?"
she added with a shrug of the shoulders, "seeing that he died such a
shameful death."

"I marvel on that also," said the young girl, whose wide-open blue eyes
once more assumed their strangely puzzled expression.

"Nay! I'll not believe it," rejoined the old woman hotly. "Do that man
service? A common traitor who died upon the cross. Who did stuff thine
ears, my goddess, with such foolish tales?"

"No one told me foolish tales, Licinia. But this I do know, that there
are some in Rome who set that Galilean above the majesty of Caesar, and
in his name do defy Caesar's might."

"They