thousand eyes of the gaping multitude, she went towards the
sitting-room; but she drew back her hand she had put forth to raise the
latch, for she heard the voices of several men who must just now have
joined her father.

"Wait a little while, there are visitors," she cried to the seamstress
who had followed her, and she put her ear to the door to listen. At
first she could not make out anything that was going on, but the end
of the strange conversation that was being carried on within was so
hideously intelligible that she could never forget it so long as she
lived.

Her father had ordered two new dresses for her, beating down the price
with the promise of prompt payment, when Mastor came into the
steward's room and informed Keraunus that his master and Gabinius, the
curiosity-dealer from Nicaea, wished to speak with him.

"Your master," said Keraunus haughtily, "may come in; I think that he
regrets the injury he has done me; but Gabinius shall never cross this
threshold again, for he is a scoundrel."

"It would be as well that you should desire that man to leave you for
the present," said the slave, pointing to the tailor.

"Whoever comes to visit me," said the steward loftily, "must be
satisfied to meet any one whom I permit to enter my house."

"Nay, nay," said the slave urgently, "my master is a greater man than
you think. Beg this man to leave the room."

"I know, I know very well," said Keraunus with a smile. "Your master
is an acquaintance of Caesar's. But we shall see, after the performance
that is about to take place, which of us two Caesar will decide for.
This tailor has business here and will stay at my pleasure. Sit in the
corner there, my friend."

"A tailor!" cried Mastor, horrified. "I tell you he must go."

"He must!" asked Keraunus wrathfully. "A slave dares to give orders in
my house? We will see."

"I am going," interrupted the artisan who understood the case. "No
unpleasantness shall arise here on my account, I will return in a
quarter of an hour."

"You will stay," commanded Keraunus. "This insolent Roman seems to think
that Lochias belongs to him; but I will show him who is master here."

But Mastor paid no heed to these words spoken in a high pitch; he took
the tailor's hand and led him out, whispering to him:

"Come with me if you wish to escape an evil hour."

The two men went off and Keraunus did not detain the artisan, for it
occurred to his mind that his presence did him s