answered Scevinus, "but he is a
practical man, whom people wish wisely to make consul. That in his soul
he is opposed to persecuting Christians, thou shouldst not take ill of
him, for it concerns thee too that this madness should cease."

"Not me, but Vinicius," answered Petronius. "Out of concern for
Vinicius, I should like to save a certain maiden; but I cannot, for I
have fallen out of favor with Ahenobarbus."

"How is that? Dost thou not notice that Caesar is approaching thee
again, and beginning to talk with thee? And I will tell thee why. He is
preparing again for Achaea, where he is to sing songs in Greek of his
own composition. He is burning for that journey; but also he trembles at
thought of the cynical genius of the Greeks. He imagines that either
the greatest triumph may meet him or the greatest failure. He needs good
counsel, and he knows that no one can give it better than thou. This is
why thou art returning to favor."

"Lucan might take my place."

"Bronzebeard hates Lucan, and in his soul has written down death for the
poet. He is merely seeking a pretext, for he seeks pretexts always."

"By Castor!" said Petronius, "that may be. But I might have still
another way for a quick return to favor."

"What?"

"To repeat to Bronzebeard what thou hast told me just now."

"I have said nothing!" cried Scevinus, with alarm.

Petronius placed his hand upon the Senator's shoulder. "Thou hast called
Caesar a madman, thou hast foreseen the heirship of Piso, and hast said,
'Lucan understands that there is need to hasten.' What wouldst thou
hasten, carissime?"

Scevinus grew pale, and for a moment each looked into the eyes of the
other.

"Thou wilt not repeat!"

"By the hips of Kypris, I will not! How well thou knowest me! No; I will
not repeat. I have heard nothing, and, moreover, I wish to hear nothing.
Dost understand? Life is too short to make any undertaking worth the
while. I beg thee only to visit Tigellinus to-day, and talk with him as
long as thou hast with me of whatever may please thee."

"Why?"

"So that should Tigellinus ever say to me, 'Scevinus was with thee,' I
might answer, 'He was with thee, too, that very day.'"

Scevinus, when he heard this, broke the ivory cane which he had in
his hand, and said,--"May the evil fall on this stick! I shall be with
Tigellinus to-day, and later at Nerva's feast. Thou, too, wilt be there?
In every case till we meet in the amphitheatre, where the last