he streets and among the ruins crowds of people were pushing along,
drunk with wine, in garlands of ivy and honeysuckle, bearing in
their hands branches of myrtle and laurel taken from Caesar's gardens.
Abundance of grain and hopes of great games filled the hearts of all
with gladness. Here and there songs were sung magnifying the "divine
night" and love; here and there they were dancing by the light of the
moon, and the slaves were forced repeatedly to demand space for the
litter "of the noble Petronius," and then the crowd pushed apart,
shouting in honor of their favorite.

He was thinking of Vinicius, and wondering why he had no news from him.
He was an Epicurean and an egotist, but passing time, now with Paul
of Tarsus, now with Vinicius, hearing daily of the Christians, he had
changed somewhat without his own knowledge. A certain breeze from them
had blown on him; this cast new seeds into his soul. Besides his own
person others began to occupy him; moreover, he had been always attached
to Vinicius, for in childhood he had loved greatly his sister, the
mother of Vinicius; at present, therefore, when he had taken part in his
affairs, he looked on them with that interest with which he would have
looked on some tragedy.

Petronius did not lose hope that Vinicius had anticipated the pretorians
and fled with Lygia, or, in the worse case, had rescued her. But he
would have preferred to be certain, since he foresaw that he might have
to answer various questions for which he would better be prepared.

Stopping before the house of Tiberius, he alighted from the litter,
and after a while entered the atrium, filled already with Augustians.
Yesterday's friends, though astonished that he was invited, still pushed
back; but he moved on among them, beautiful, free, unconcerned, as
self-confident as if he himself had the power to distribute favors.
Some, seeing him thus, were alarmed in spirit lest they had shown him
indifference too early.

Caesar, however, feigned not to see him, and did not return his
obeisance, pretending to be occupied in conversation. But Tigellinus
approached and said,

"Good evening, Arbiter Elegantiarum. Dost thou assert still that it was
not the Christians who burnt Rome?"

Petronius shrugged his shoulders, and, clapping Tigellinus on the back
as he would a freedman, answered,--

"Thou knowest as well as I what to think of that."

"I do not dare to rival thee in wisdom."

"And thou art right, f