d was aught amiss with my lord Hortensius?" asked Dea Flavia with
studied indifference.

"He looked wrathful as a tiger in the arena when the guards come and
snatch his prey from him. There was a frown on his face darker than that
which usually sits on Taurus Antinor's brow."

"He was angered?"

"Aye! at the praefect," rejoined Licinia. "He strode forward from under
the arcades directly after the crowd of thy slaves had disappeared, and
the Forum was all deserted save for Taurus Antinor standing there as if
he had been carved in marble and in bronze and rooted there to the spot.
My lord Hortensius came close up to the praefect and greeted him curtly.
I dared no longer move away lest I should be seen, so I hid in the deep
shadow behind the rostrum, and I heard Taurus Antinor's response to my
lord Hortensius."

"Yes! yes!" said Dea Flavia impatiently, "of course they greeted one
another ere they came to blows. But 'tis of the blows I would like to
hear, and what my lord Hortensius said to the praefect."

"He spoke to him of thee, my child, and taunted him with having angered
thee," said Licinia. "The praefect is so proud and so impatient, I
marvelled then he did not hit my lord Hortensius in the face at once. He
looked so huge, I bethought me of a giant, and his head looked dark like
the bronze head of Jupiter, for his face had flushed a deep and angry
crimson, whilst his mighty fists were clenched as if ready to strike."

"What caused him to strike, then?"

"My lord Hortensius called him a stranger, and this the praefect did not
seem to resent. 'There are other lands than Rome,' he said, 'and one of
these gave my ancestors birth. Proud am I of my distant land, and proud
now to be a patrician of Rome.' Then did my lord Hortensius break into
loud laughter, which to mine ears sounded mirthless and forced. He
raised his hand and pointed a finger at the praefect and shouted, still
laughing: 'Thou a patrician of Rome? thou a tyrant's minion! slave and
son of slave! Nay! if the patriciate of Rome had its will with thee, it
would have thee publicly whipped and branded like the arrogant menial
that thou art!' This and more did my lord Hortensius say," continued
Licinia, whose voice now had sunk to an awed whisper at the recollection
of the sacrilege; "I hardly dared to breathe for I could see the
praefect's face, and could think of naught save the wrath of Jupiter,
when on a sultry evening the thunder clouds are gathering