at a present of eight matched litter-
bearers was too extravagant not to mask ulterior designs. She watched
him much more artfully than he watched her. Her secret knowledge that
he knew her secret was more dangerous to him than anything that he had
found out could be dangerous to her.

The eight matched litter-bearers waited with the gilded litter near a
flight of marble steps that descended from the door of Marcia's
apartments in the palace to a sunlit garden with a fountain in the
midst. There was a crowd of servants and four Syrian eunuchs, sleek
offensive menials in yellow robes; two lictors besides, with fasces and
the Roman civic uniform--a scandalous abuse of ancient ceremony--ready
to conduct a progress through the city. But they all yawned. Marcia
and her usual companion did not come; there was delay--and gossip,
naturally.

A yawning eunuch rearranged the bowknot of his girdle.

"What does she want with Livius? He usually gets sent for when somebody
needs punishing. Who do you suppose has fallen foul of her?"

"Himself! He sent her messenger back with word he was engaged on palace
business. I heard her tell the slave to go again and not return without
him! Bacchus! But it wouldn't worry me if Livius should lose his head!
For an aristocrat he has more than his share of undignified curiosity--
forever poking his sharp nose into other people's business. Marcia may
have found him out. Let's hope!"

At the foot of the marble stairway, in the hall below Marcia's
apartment, Livius stood remonstrating, growing nervous. Marcia, dressed
in the dignified robes of a Roman matron, that concealed even her ankles
and suggested the demure, self-conscious rectitude of olden times, kept
touching his breast with her ivory fan, he flinching from the touch,
subduing irritation.

"If the question is, what I want with you, Livius, the answer is, that I
invite you. Order your litter brought."

"But Marcia, I am subprefect. I am responsible to--"

"Did you hear?"

"But if you will tell where we are going, I might feel justified in
neglecting the palace business. I assure you I have important work to
do."

"There are plenty who can attend to it," said Marcia. "The most
important thing in your life, Livius, is my good-will. You are delaying
me."

Livius glared at Caia Poppeia, the lady-in-waiting, who was smiling,
standing a little behind Marcia. He hoped she would take the hint and
withdraw out of ea