it fastened upon his mind with singular vividness--singular, for he
had paused fifty times upon that spot before, without experiencing such
feelings--that he was on the very pavement, which had so often been
bespattered with the blood of despairing traitors. The noble Manlius,
tumbled from the very rock, which his single arm had but a little while
before defended, seemed to lie there, even at his feet, mortally maimed
and in the agony of death, yet even so too proud to mix one groan with the
curses he poured forth against Rome's democratic rabble. Then, by a not
inapt transition, the scene changed, and Caius Marcius was at hand, with
the sword drawn in his right, that won him the proud name of Coriolanus,
and the same rabble that had hurled Caius Manlius down, yelling and
hooting "to the rock with him! to the rock!" but at a safe and respectful
distance; their factious tribunes goading them to outrage and new riot.

It was strange that these thoughts should have occurred so clearly at this
moment to the excited mind of the young noble; and he felt that it was
strange himself; and would have banished the ideas, but they would not
away; and he continued musing on the inconstant turbulence of the
plebeians, and the unerring doom which had overtaken every one of their
idols, from the hands of their own partizans, until his companions at
length rode slowly up the street to join him.

There was some coldness in the manner of Aristius Fuscus, as they met
again, and even Aurelius seemed surprised and not well pleased; for they
had in truth been conversing earnestly about the perturbation of their
friend at the remarks of the artizan, and the singularity of his conduct
in wearing arms at all; and he heard Victor say just before they joined
company--

"No! that is not so odd, Fuscus, in these times. It was but two nights
since, as I was coming home something later than my wont from Terentia's,
that I fell in with Clodius reeling along, frantically drunk and furious,
with half a dozen torch-bearers before, and half a score wolfish looking
gladiators all armed with blade and buckler, and all half-drunk, behind
him. I do assure you that I almost swore I would go out no more without
weapons."

"They would have done you no good, man," said Aristius, "if some nineteen
or twenty had set upon you. But an they would, I care not; it is against
the law, and no good citizen should carry them at all."

"Carry arms, I suppose you mean, Ar