rs?"

"Yes, divinity," answered the prefect.

But Petronius shrugged his shoulders, and said,--

"On their loyalty, yes, but not on their numbers. Remain meanwhile
where thou art, for here it is safest; but there is need to pacify the
people."

Seneca was of this opinion also, as was Licinus the consul. Meanwhile
the excitement below was increasing. The people were arming with stones,
tent-poles, sticks from the wagons, planks, and various pieces of iron.
After a while some of the pretorian leaders came, declaring that the
cohorts, pressed by the multitude, kept the line of battle with extreme
difficulty, and, being without orders to attack, they knew not what to
do.

"O gods," said Nero, "what a night!" On one side a fire, on the other
a raging sea of people. And he fell to seeking expressions the most
splendid to describe the danger of the moment, but, seeing around him
alarmed looks and pale faces, he was frightened, with the others.

"Give me my dark mantle with a hood!" cried he; "must it come really to
battle?"

"Lord," said Tigellinus, in an uncertain voice, "I have done what I
could, but danger is threatening. Speak, O lord, to the people, and make
them promises."

"Shall Caesar speak to the rabble? Let another do that in my name. Who
will undertake it?"

"I!" answered Petronius, calmly.

"Go, my friend; thou art most faithful to me in every necessity. Go, and
spare no promises."

Petronius turned to the retinue with a careless, sarcastic expression,--

"Senators here present, also Piso, Nerva, and Senecio, follow me."

Then he descended the aqueduct slowly. Those whom he had summoned
followed, not without hesitation, but with a certain confidence which
his calmness had given them. Petronius, halting at the foot of the
arches, gave command to bring him a white horse, and, mounting, rode on,
at the head of the cavalcade, between the deep ranks of pretorians,
to the black, howling multitude; he was unarmed, having only a slender
ivory cane which he carried habitually.

When he had ridden up, he pushed his horse into the throng. All around,
visible in the light of the burning, were upraised hands, armed with
every manner of weapon, inflamed eyes, sweating faces, bellowing and
foaming lips. A mad sea of people surrounded him and his attendants;
round about was a sea of heads, moving, roaring, dreadful.

The outbursts increased and became an unearthly roar; poles, forks,
and even swords were brand