to have the tenements burned. Besides, it
profited the city--new streets; and there was twice the amount of tax
on the new tenements they raised. I, personally, made a handsome profit
on the purchase of a few burned houses."

"And as the governor who broke the famine," Galen continued.

"That was simple enough, but you may as well thank Cornificia. She found
out through the women who the men were who were holding corn for
speculation. All I did was to hand their names to Commodus; he
confiscated all the corn and sold it--at a handsome profit to himself,
since it had cost him nothing!"

"While we sit here and cackle like Asian birds, Commodus renames Rome
the City of Commodus and still lives!" Sextus grumbled.

"Nor can he be easily got rid of," remarked Daedalus the tribune. "He
goes to and fro from the palace through underground tunnels. Men sleep
in his room who are all involved with him in cruelties and infamy, so
they guard him carefully. Besides, whoever tried to murder him would
probably kill Paulus by mistake! The praetorian guard is contented,
being well paid and permitted all sorts of privileges. Who can get past
the praetorian guard?"

"Any one!" said Pertinax. "The point is not, who shall kill Commodus?
But who shall be raised in his place? There are thirty thousand ways to
kill a man. Ask Galen!"

Old Galen laughed at that.

"As many ways as there are stars in heaven; but the stars have their
say in the matter! None can kill a man until his destiny says yes to
it. Not even a doctor," he added, chuckling. "Otherwise the doctors
would have killed me long ago with jealousy! A man dies when his inner
man grows sick and weary of him. Then a pin-prick does it, or a sudden
terror. Until that time comes you may break his skull, and do not more
than spoil his temper! As a philosopher I have learned two things:
respect many, but trust few. But as a doctor I have learned only one
thing for certain: that no man actually dies until his soul is tired of
him."

"Whose soul should grow sick sooner than that of Commodus?" asked
Sextus.

"Not if his soul is evil and delights in evil--as his does!" Galen
retorted. "If he should turn virtuous, then perhaps, yes. But in that
case we should wish him to live, although his soul would prefer the
contrary and leave him to die by the first form of death that should
appear--in spite of all the doctors and the guards and tasters of the
royal food."

"S