ce was only on the surface was evidenced in this
instance by the young exquisite's scarce perceptible change of position.
He drew away slightly from the praefect and anon said in a loud tone of
voice so that all around him might hear:

"Aye! as thou sayest, Taurus Antinor, I might find a dwarf or some kind
of fool to suit me. Mine are getting old and dull. Ye gods, how they
bore me at times!"

And it was in a whisper that he added:

"Caius Nepos specially desired thy presence at supper to-morrow, O
Taurus Antinor! He feared that he might not get speech with thee anon,
so hath asked me to make sure of thy presence. Thou'lt not fail us?
There are over forty of us now, all prepared to give our lives for the
good of the Empire."

The praefect made no reply this time; his attention was evidently
engrossed by some close bidding over a useful slave, but as Hortensius
now finally turned away from him, his dark eyes under the shadow of that
perpetual frown swept over the figure of the young exquisite, from the
crown of the curled and perfumed head to the soles of the daintily shod
feet, and a smile of contempt not altogether unkind played round the
corners of his firm lips.

"For the good of the Empire?" he murmured under his breath as he
shrugged his broad shoulders and once more turned his attention to his
duties.

Hortensius in the meanwhile had spied some of his friends. Gorgeously
embroidered tunics could now be seen all the time pushing their way
through the more common crowd, and soon a compact group of rich
patricians had congregated around the rostra.

They had come one by one--from the baths mostly--refreshed and perfumed,
ready to gaze with fashionable lack of interest on the spectacle of this
public auction. They had exchanged greetings with the praefect and with
Hortensius Martius. They all knew one another, were all members of the
same caste, the ruling caste of Rome. Young Escanes was now there, he
who wanted a cook, and Caius Nepos--the praetorian praefect who was in
search of pretty waiting-maids.

"Hast had speech with Anglicanus?" asked the latter in a whisper to
Hortensius.

"Aye! a few words," replied the other, "but he warned me of spies."

"Will he join us, thinkest thou?"

"I think that he will sup with thee, O Caius Nepos, but as to joining us
in----"

"Hush!" admonished the praetorian praefect, "Taurus Antinor is right.
There are spies all around here to-day. But if he comes to supper we