make a
garden," he commanded. "Call the torch-bearers and make of them a
flaming pathway. Summon the musicians. Let there be haste!"

In a very short time the palm grove was in order and a blast of music
sounded. Claudia returned smiling, and all eyes turned to the
curtained entrance at the far end of the aisle of palms. The first
glimpse of the little Greek slave was that of a fairy dancing into the
shadowy background. Her white and shapely body sparkled as if powdered
with diamond dust and the veil that floated about her was woven of fine
and shining threads in rainbow tints. For a time she flitted up and
down between the palms and rows of torch-light bearers standing like
purple statues, while Pilate and the guests drank to her grace and
beauty and cheered her skill. At a signal from the Procurator the
dancing stopped. "Thus doth Greece show her grace," he said to his
guests. "Now wouldst thou see Rome dance?"

"Yea--but Rome is not Greece in the art."

"Bid thy eunuch to come," Pilate said, addressing Claudia.

Without asking questions, for Pilate was growing too merry with wine to
answer them, Claudia summoned her slave.

"Come hither, thou scar-ridden eunuch!" Pilate shouted as he entered
the place. "Wrap thy broad back in this wolf hide and take thou a
helmet and spear--so! Now, musicians, pipe thee a tune that will be
wild like the wrath of the gods. No music now to make a butterfly
flit, but thunder for the beast that maketh the earth tremble. Ready!
On with the dance!"

The big slave cast a glance of appeal at his mistress, but she motioned
him to obey. Then the eunuch, wrapped in the great wolf robe, danced,
heavy and without grace.

"Stay!" Pilate called. "Ye gods! Rome was not built to dance. Thy
legs are like tree trunks, thy back like a ship. To gain possession of
Greece, this is Rome's glory. Rome, pursue thou Greece. Tantalize her
as doth a cat torment a mouse. Aye, now, slave girl, take to yonder
forest of palms and elude him who follows, for the wolf of Rome is on
thy track. And thou, oh, Rome, dog thy fair prey, as the sword of
Caesar doth dog that which it would possess. Away to the woods! Fly,
Greece, fly! On with the dance!"

To weird music the girl began an elusive dance in and out among the
palms but ever under the moving glare of a flaming torch. The eunuch,
like some shaggy monster, doggedly followed her. After some minutes of
this dancing-chase, Pilate c