oe to the
man who has the fools against him--he is lost. No, no! we must not
rouse the Church against us."

"I need him yet, the sneak!" grated Leo through his teeth, with an
angry look at his companion; and he impatiently pushed aside his short,
broad sword in the finely-worked scabbard.

"For that reason truly, I have to serve you," continued the merchant.

"For a good reward," interrupted Leo scornfully.

"But which, alas! I have yet only received in half."

"The other half when I have the gazelle-eyed beauty in my chamber."

"For that reason I have taken all this trouble, woven all these meshes,
and gathered them in my hand; one jerk, and the net closes over the
head of the stone-mason; he and the sweet nymph struggle therein,
defenceless, powerless, and best of all, without a right. Emperor and
Church can look on whilst thou seizest the bird, and I the land. Not
that it is valuable; but it rounds off my fields here. I can then more
easily sell the whole to a great lord in Italy."

"I also do not intend to keep the fragile creature long; only through
the autumn and winter. When the slave-dealers come here in summer from
Antioch, I shall sell her at a high price. This half-bluish white of
the eyes is much sought for. Whence has she it?"

"From Hellas or Ionia. Her parents were slaves of a Greek trader in
purple, who died here on the return journey from Pannonia. They declare
that the old man set them free before his death; they then carried on a
little trade in salt. When they also died, the child became the wife of
their neighbour's son, the stone-mason, who had grown up with her. I am
eager to know if they have preserved the letter of emancipation. If
not, then good-night, Felicitas! We are now at our goal; the foot-path
here turns down, from the main road towards the Mercurius Hill.
Moderate, I beseech thee, the violence and the eagerness in thine eyes,
or thou wilt spoil all."

"I have not been born or trained to wait."

Thereupon the Tribune approached the open entrance of the garden. Zeno
followed slowly. The setting sun threw its beams fully on the
threshold-stone and the newly-cut inscription.

"Hic habitat Felicitas!" read the Tribune. "For yet how long?" asked
he, laughing.

"Nihil mali intret!" concluded the merchant. "It is well that wishes
are not bolts."

"Or _we_ should not come in!" said the other; and he trod scornfully
with a quick step on the neat letters. These were rubbed smooth a