dly
worked in purple stripes, the insignia of his high patrician state.

He passed a languid eye over the bundle of humanity spread out for sale
at his feet and gave courteous greeting to the praefect.

"Thou art early abroad, Hortensius Martius," quoth Taurus Antinor in
response; "'tis not often thou dost grace the Forum with thy presence at
this hour."

"They told me it would be amusing," replied young Hortensius lazily,
"but methinks that they lied."

He yawned, and with a tiny golden tool he began picking his teeth.

"What did they tell thee?" queried the other, "and who were they that
told?"

"There was Caius Nepos and young Escanes, and several others at the
bath. They were all talking about the sale."

"Are they coming hither?"

"They will be here anon; but some declared that much rubbish would have
to be sold ere the choice bargains be put up. Escanes wants a cook who
can fry a capon in a special way they wot of in Gaul. Stuffed with
ortolans and covered with the juice of three melons--Escanes says it is
mightily pleasing to the palate."

"There is no cook from Gaul on the list," interposed the praefect
curtly.

"And Caius Nepos wants some well-favoured girls to wait on his guests at
supper to-morrow. He gives a banquet, as thou knowest. Wilt be there,
Taurus Antinor?"

He had spoken these last words in a curious manner which suggested that
some significance other than mere conviviality would be attached to the
banquet given by Caius Nepos on the morrow. And now he drew nearer to
the praefect and cast a quick glance around him as if to assure himself
that the business of the sale was engrossing everyone's attention.

"Caius Nepos," he said, trying to speak with outward indifference,
"asked me to tell thee that if thou wilt come to his banquet to-morrow
thou wilt find it to thine advantage. Many of us are of one mind with
regard to certain matters and could talk these over undisturbed. Wilt
join us, Taurus Antinor?" he added eagerly.

"Join you," retorted the other with a grim smile, "join you in what? in
this senseless folly of talking in whispers in public places? The Forum
this day is swarming with spies, Hortensius Martius. Hast a wish to make
a spectacle for the plebs on the morrow by being thrown to a pack of
tigers for their midday meal?"

And with a nod of his head he pointed up to the rostrum where the dusky
auctioneer had momentarily left off shouting and had thrown himself flat
down