se of Gracchus, its relations, friends, and clients exerted in his
behalf, would hardly suffice to save him. Still the revenge would be
bought dearly in the future hostility of Flavia and her friends, and
in the exposure of his own humiliating attitude. He, therefore, with a
great effort subdued all signs of anger and said:

"Lady Flavia, your wish has always been law to me, and I would rather
that anything should happen than that I should lose your favour and
patronage, therefore, I am willing to forget what has happened, the more
so as I own that I acted wrongly in striking your slave. I trust that
after this apology you will continue to be the kindly friend I have
always found you."

"Certainly, Sempronius," Flavia said graciously, "and I shall not forget
your ready acquiescence in my wishes."

It was the more easy for Sempronius to yield, inasmuch as Malchus had,
after stating that he had been first struck, quietly left the apartment.
For some little time things went on as before. Malchus was now at
home in Rome. As a slave of one of the most powerful families, as was
indicated by the badge he wore on his dress, he was able, when his
services were not required, to wander at will in the city. He made the
circuit of the walls, marked the spots which were least frequented and
where an escape would be most easily made; and, having selected a spot
most remote from the busy quarter of the town, he purchased a long rope,
and carrying it there concealed it under some stones close to one of the
flights of steps by which access was obtained to the summit of the wall.

The difficulty was not how to escape from Rome, for that, now that he
had so much freedom of movement, was easy, but how to proceed when he
had once gained the open country. For himself he had little doubt that
he should be able to make his way through the territories of the allies
of Rome, but the difficulty of travelling with Clotilde would be much
greater.

"Clotilde," he said one day, "set your wits to work and try and think of
some disguise in which you might pass with me. I have already prepared
for getting beyond the walls; but the pursuit after us will be hot, and
until we reach the Carthaginian lines every man's hand will be against
us."

"I have thought of it, Malchus; the only thing that I can see is for me
to stain my skin and dye my hair and go as a peasant boy."

"That is what I, too, have thought of, Clotilde. The disguise would be
a poor