the lion? hast thou looked at his teeth and fangs, and
wilt thou call that a chance? Why, sword and buckler would be mere reed
and papyrus against the rush of the mighty beast! No, I think the true
mercy has been, not to leave him long in suspense; and it was therefore
fortunate for him that our benign laws are slow to pronounce, but swift
to execute; and that the games of the amphitheatre had been, by a sort
of providence, so long since fixed for to-morrow. He who awaits death,
dies twice.'

'As for the Atheist, said Clodius, 'he is to cope the grim tiger
naked-handed. Well, these combats are past betting on. Who will take
the odds?' A peal of laughter announced the ridicule of the question.

'Poor Clodius!' said the host; I to lose a friend is something; but to
find no one to bet on the chance of his escape is a worse misfortune to
thee.'

'Why, it is provoking; it would have been some consolation to him and to
me to think he was useful to the last.'

'The people,' said the grave Pansa, 'are all delighted with the result.
They were so much afraid the sports at the amphitheatre would go off
without a criminal for the beasts; and now, to get two such criminals is
indeed a joy for the poor fellows! They work hard; they ought to have
some amusement.'

'There speaks the popular Pansa, who never moves without a string of
clients as long as an Indian triumph. He is always prating about the
people. Gods! he will end by being a Gracchus!'

'Certainly I am no insolent patrician,' said Pansa, with a generous air.

'Well,' observed Lepidus, it would have been assuredly dangerous to have
been merciful at the eve of a beast-fight. If ever I, though a Roman
bred and born, come to be tried, pray Jupiter there may be either no
beasts in the vivaria, or plenty of criminals in the gaol.'

'And pray,' said one of the party, 'what has become of the poor girl
whom Glaucus was to have married? A widow without being a bride--that
is hard!'

'Oh,' returned Clodius, 'she is safe under the protection of her
guardian, Arbaces. It was natural she should go to him when she had
lost both lover and brother.'

'By sweet Venus, Glaucus was fortunate among the women. They say the
rich Julia was in love with him.'

'A mere fable, my friend,' said Clodius, coxcombically; 'I was with her
to-day. If any feeling of the sort she ever conceived, I flatter myself
that I have consoled her.'

'Hush, gentlemen!' said Pansa; 'do you not