l shan't stand before the emperor
himself.'

'By all means, my dear friends. The Amal and I will act as the two
Caesars, with divided empire. I presume we shall have little difference
of opinion as to the hanging of this worthy.'

'Hanging's too quick for him.'

'Just what I was about to remark--there are certain judicial
formalities, considered generally to be conducive to the stability, if
not necessary to the existence, of the Roman empire--'

'I say, don't talk so much,' shouted a Goth, 'If you want to have the
hanging of him yourself, do. We thought we would save you trouble.'

'Ah, my excellent friend, would you rob me of the delicate pleasure of
revenge? I intend to spend at least four hours to-morrow in killing this
pious martyr. He will have a good time to think, between the beginning
and the end of the rack.'

'Do you hear that, master monk?' said Smid, chucking him under the
chin, while the rest of the party seemed to think the whole business
an excellent joke, and divided their ridicule openly enough between the
Prefect and his victim.

'The man of blood has said it. I am a martyr,' answered the monk in a
dogged voice.

'You will take a good deal of time in becoming one.'

'Death may be long, but glory is everlasting.'

'True. I forgot that, and will save you the said glory, if I can help
it, for a year or two. Who was it struck me with the stone?'

No answer.

'Tell me, and the moment he is in my lictors' hands I pardon you
freely.'

The monk laughed. 'Pardon? Pardon me eternal bliss, and the things
unspeakable, which God has prepared for those who love Him? Tyrant and
butcher! I struck thee, thou second Dioclesian--I hurled the stone--I,
Ammonius. Would to heaven that it had smitten thee through, thou Sisera,
like the nail of Jael the Kenite!'

'Thanks, my friend. Heroes, you have a cellar for monks as well as for
wine? I will trouble you with this hero's psalm-singing tonight, and
send my apparitors for him in the morning.'

'If he begins howling when we are in bed, your men won't find much of
him left in the morning,' said the Amal. 'But here come the slaves,
announcing dinner.'

'Stay,' said Orestes; 'there is one more with whom I have an account to
settle--that young philosopher there.'

'Oh, he is coming in, too. He never was drunk in his life, I'll warrant,
poor fellow, and it's high time for him to begin.' And the Amal laid
a good-natured bear's paw on Philammon's shoulder, wh