nd was reading
something diligently.

"Make way for the noble Augustian!" cried the runners.

But the street was so crowded that the litter had to wait awhile. The
Augustian put down his roll of papyrus and bent his head, crying,--

"Push aside those wretches! Make haste!"

Seeing Vinicius suddenly, he drew back his head and raised the papyrus
quickly.

Vinicius drew his hand across his forehead, thinking that he was
dreaming yet.

In the litter was sitting Chilo.

Meanwhile the runners had opened the way, and the Egyptians were ready
to move, when the young tribune, who in one moment understood many
things which till then had been incomprehensible, approached the litter.

"A greeting to thee, O Chilo!" said he.

"Young man," answered the Greek, with pride and importance, endeavoring
to give his face an expression of calmness which was not in his soul,
"be greeted, but detain me not, for I am hastening to my friend, the
noble Tigellinus."

Vinicius, grasping the edge of the litter and looking him straight in
the eyes, said with a lowered voice,--

"Didst thou betray Lygia?"

"Colossus of Memnon!" cried Chilo, with fear.

But there was no threat in the eyes of Vinicius; hence the old Greek's
alarm vanished quickly. He remembered that he was under the protection
of Tigellinus and of Caesar himself,--that is, of a power before which
everything trembled,--that he was surrounded by sturdy slaves, and that
Vinicius stood before him unarmed, with an emaciated face and body bent
by suffering.

At this thought his insolence returned to him. He fixed on Vinicius his
eyes, which were surrounded by red lids, and whispered in answer,--

"But thou, when I was dying of hunger, didst give command to flog me."

For a moment both were silent; then the dull voice of Vinicius was
heard,--

"I wronged thee, Chilo."

The Greek raised his head, and, snapping his fingers which in Rome was a
mark of slight and contempt, said so loudly that all could hear him,--

"Friend, if thou hast a petition to present, come to my house on the
Esquiline in the morning hour, when I receive guests and clients after
my bath."

And he waved his hand; at that sign the Egyptians raised the litter, and
the slaves, dressed in yellow tunics, began to cry as they brandished
their staffs,--

"Make way for the litter of the noble Chilo Chilonides! Make way, make
way!"

Chapter LIV

LYGIA, in a long letter written hurriedly, took f