y eloquence. Enough! We
wanted to know who thou art, and we know!"

But Vinicius was glad, for he thought that this man, like a hound, once
put on the trail, would not stop till he had found out the hiding-place.

"Well," said he, "dost thou need indications?"

"I need arms."

"Of what kind?" asked Vinicius, with astonishment.

The Greek stretched out one hand; with the other he made the gesture of
counting money.

"Such are the times, lord," said he, with a sigh.

"Thou wilt be the ass, then," said Petronius, "to win the fortress with
bags of gold?"

"I am only a poor philosopher," answered Chilo, with humility; "ye have
the gold."

Vinicius tossed him a purse, which the Greek caught in the air, though
two fingers were lacking on his right hand.

He raised his head then, and said: "I know more than thou thinkest.
I have not come empty-handed. I know that Aulus did not intercept the
maiden, for I have spoken with his slaves. I know that she is not on the
Palatine, for all are occupied with the infant Augusta; and perhaps
I may even divine why ye prefer to search for the maiden with my help
rather than that of the city guards and Caesar's soldiers. I know that
her escape was effected by a servant,--a slave coming from the same
country as she. He could not find assistance among slaves, for slaves
all stand together, and would not act against thy slaves. Only a
co-religionist would help him."

"Dost hear, Vinicius?" broke in Petronius. "Have I not said the same,
word for word, to thee?"

"That is an honor for me," said Chilo. "The maiden, lord," continued he,
turning again to Vinicius, "worships beyond a doubt the same divinity
as that most virtuous of Roman ladies, that genuine matron, Pomponia.
I have heard this, too, that Pomponia was tried in her own house for
worshipping some kind of foreign god, but I could not learn from her
slaves what god that is, or what his worshippers are called. If I could
learn that, I should go to them, become the most devoted among them, and
gain their confidence. But thou, lord, who hast passed, as I know too,
a number of days in the house of the noble Aulus, canst thou not give me
some information thereon?"

"I cannot," said Vinicius.

"Ye have asked me long about various things, noble lords, and I have
answered the questions; permit me now to give one. Hast thou not seen,
honored tribune, some statuette, some offering, some token, some amulet
on Pomponia or thy divine