orus awoke
next morning it was with feelings of intense disgust with himself and
with all the world. He felt that he had played the fool, but how far he
knew not. He remembered that he had lost all his money, yet he found a
few coins in his purse. He felt that he had forfeited the confidence of
his new patron Adauctus, of the Empress, and even was undeserving of the
gratitude or respect of the beautiful freed-woman, Callirho[e:], whose
father he had restored. He had learned that there was a plot on foot
against them all. Indeed he had an impression that he had somehow added
to their peril by his indiscreet revelations. He determined to warn them
of their danger and try to save them.

[Illustration]

[Illustration]

CHAPTER XVII.

"IN PERICULIS TUTUS."

With this purpose the young Greek assuming his most decorous and sober
attire, proceeded to what would now be called the bureau of the
Chancellor of the Exchequer. It was situated near the Forum, in the
cloister around which were grouped the shops of the _argentarii_ and
_mensarii_, or private and public bankers of Rome. It held about the
same relation to those that the Treasury Department at New York does to
the bankers' offices and Gold Board in Wall Street. On every side were
evidences of the concentrated wealth and power of the august mistress of
the world. A vast granite building, as strong and solid as a prison, was
before him. Roman sentinels paced the street, hugging the wall to share
the protection from the noontide heat offered by its grateful shade.
Convoys of specie, guarded by cohorts of soldiers with unsheathed
swords, were continually arriving or departing. Gangs of sturdy porters,
naked to the waist, were conveying the heavy iron-bound coffers to and
from the vaults. Officers were counting the tallies and checking the
vouchers, giving and accepting receipts. Publicans and tax farmers of
many hues and varied garbs were there from many distant climes--the
swart Egyptian, the olive Syrian, the graceful Greek, the pale-faced
yellow-haired German or Briton. But most prominent of all, everywhere
was seen the pushing, aggressive, keen-eyed, hook-nosed Jew, who in
every age and every land seems to have had a genius for finance,
banking, and the handling of money.

From the hundred provinces of Rome the tribute money wrung from wretched
peasants, to support Imperial luxury, to maintain the conquering
legions, to pay for the largess of corn that fed