t. Already nothing
comes so like nature to a Roman as to kill; kill something--if not a
beast, a slave--if there is no slave at hand, a Christian--if no
Christian, a citizen. One would think we sucked in from our mothers not
milk but blood--the blood too of our Parent Wolf. If the state cannot
stand secure, as our great men say, but by the destruction of this
people, in the name of the gods, let the executioners do the work, not
our sons, brothers, and fathers. So too, I say, touching the accursed
games at the Flavian and elsewhere. What is the effect but to make of us
a nation of man-butchers? as, by the gods, we already are. If the gods
send not something or somebody to mend us, we shall presently fall upon
one another and exterminate ourselves.'

'Who knows but it is this very religion of the Christians that has been
sent for that work?' said a third who had joined the two. 'The
Christians are famed for nothing more than for their gentleness, and
their care of one another--so, at least, I hear.'

'Who knows, indeed?' said the other. 'If it be so, pity it were not
found out soon. Aurelian will make short work with them.'

In the midst of such conversation, which on every side caught our ears
as we walked silently along, we came at length to the neighborhood of
the capitol; but so great was the throng of the people, who in Rome,
have naught else to do but to rush together upon every piece of news,
that we could not even come within sight of the building, much less of
the parchment.

We accordingly waited patiently to learn from some who might emerge from
the crowd what the precise amount of the edicts might be. We stood not
long, before one struggling and pushing about at all adventures, red and
puffing with his efforts, extricated himself from the mass, and
adjusting his dress which was half torn from his back, began swearing
and cursing the Emperor and his ministers for a parcel of women and
fools.

'What is it?' we asked, gathering about him. 'What have you seen? Did
you reach the pillar?'

'Reach it? I did; but my cloak, that cost yesterday ten good aurelians,
did not, and here I stand cloakless--'

'Well, but the edicts.'

'Well, but the edicts! Be not in a hurry, friend--they are worth not so
much as my cloak. Blank parchment were just as good. I wonder old
'sword-in-hand didn't hang up a strip--'twould have saved the expense of
a scrivener. If any of you hear of a cloak found hereabouts, or any
consid