ere subject to me, and never was I known to
render a reason for a single office I put them to. That was being nearer
an Emperor than I fear I shall ever be again.'

'I hope so, Milo,' I said. 'But what reason have you to think,--if you
will render a reason,--that Aurelian has changed his mind?'

'I have given proof,' answered Milo, 'have I not, that if anything is
known in Rome, it is known by Curio?'

'I think you have shown that he knows some things.'

'He was clearly right about the sacrifices,' responded Milo, 'as events
afterwards declared. Just as many suffered as he related to me. What now
he told me this morning was this, "that certain persons would find
themselves mistaken--that some knew more than others--that the ox led to
the slaughter knew less than the butcher--that great persons trusted not
their secrets to every one--Emperors had their confidants--and Fronto
had his."'

'Was that all?' I patiently asked.

'I thought, noble sir,' he replied, 'that it was--for upon that he only
sagaciously shook his head and was silent. However, as I said nothing,
knowing well that some folks would die if they retained a secret, though
they never would part with it for the asking, Curio began again, soon
as he despaired of any question from me, and said "he could tell me what
was known but to three persons in Rome." His wish was that I should ask
him who they were, and what it was that was known but to so few; but I
did not, but began a new bargain with a man for his poultry--for, you
must know, we were in the market. He then began himself and said, "Who
think you they were?" But I answered not. "Who," he then whispered in my
ear, "but Aurelian, Fronto, and myself!" Then I gratified him by asking
what the secret was, for if it had anything to do with the Christians I
should like to know it. "I will tell it to thee," he said, "but to no
other in Rome, and to thee only on the promise that it goes in at thy
ear but not out at thy mouth." I said that I trusted that I, who had
kept, I dared hardly say how many years, and kept them still, the
secrets of Gallienus, should know how to keep and how to reveal anything
he had to say. Whereupon, without any more reserve, he assured me that
Fronto had persuaded the Emperor to publish new and more severe edicts
before the sixth hour, telling him as a reason for it, that the
Christians were flying from Rome in vast numbers; that every night--they
having first passed the gates in th