emerged and passing down the hall entered the court.

And there presently he joined her.

He sat down on one of the stone seats and smiled at her.

"Do I appear excited?" he asked.

She glanced at him indifferently.

"No," she said.

"I have this day seen destruction resolved for the city."

She took his easy declaration with a frown. If it were true he should
not show that flippancy; if it were not he should not have jested.

"I saw," he continued, "Titus and his beloved Nicanor ride around the
walls. Though they were the full length of a bow-shot from me, I knew
what they talked about. Now, this young Nicanor is a gad that tickles
Titus when his soft heart would urge him into tendernesses toward the
enemy. But for Nicanor, Titus would have withdrawn his legions long
ago and left Jerusalem to die of its own violences.

"On the day that you came into Jerusalem, Titus, as a display of
amicable intentions, rode up to the walls without arms or armor,
trusting to the Jews' soldierly honor in refusing to attack an unarmed
man. But the Jews have never been instructed in the nice points of
military courtesy, so they went out against him by thousands. And but
for the fact that he is practised in dodging arrows and his horse is
used to running away, Emperor Vespasian would have to leave the aegis
to the unlovely Domitian.

"Any Roman but Titus would remember this against the Jews until he had
put the last one in bondage, but Titus is not a Roman. I think
some-times that he is a Christian, since it is their boast to love
their enemies. Whatever his feelings after that ignominious adventure
of a few days ago, forth he rides this morning; beside him the Gad,
Nicanor; behind him, that sweet traitor, Josephus.

"The Darling of Mankind rode so meditatively, so dejectedly, that I
knew by his attitude, he said: 'Alack, it galls me to go against this
goodly city!'

"By the swagger of the Gad I knew he said: 'Dost gall thee, in truth?
Then truly, alack! Withhold thy hand until the city comes out against
thee, so thou canst hush thy conscience saying that they began it!'

"Saith the Darling, 'But there be babes and innocent men and women
within those walls, who, deserving most of all, shall suffer the
greatest!'

"'By Hecate!' quoth the Gad, 'there is not a yearling within that city
possessing the power to pucker its lips but would spit upon thee!'

"'It would be sacred innocence!' declares Titus.

"'Or an old man that