ey?"

"They speak of Hortensius Martius."

"Oh!"

"And of young Escanes ... also of Philario, my servant."

"Ye gods," she exclaimed, "let your judgments fall upon them."

"And of Taurus Antinor--the praefect of Rome," added the Caesar, and a
savage snarl escaped his lips even when he spoke the name.

"Taurus Antinor!" she exclaimed.

Then half-audibly she murmured to herself, repeating the Caesar's words:

"They would make a tool of thee!"

She had fallen back, squatting on her heels, her hands clasped before
her and her head sunk upon her bosom, bowed with shame and with horror.
Her name had been bandied about by traitors, her person been bought and
sold as the price of the blackest sacrilege that had ever disgraced the
patriciate of Rome.

"And thou, Taurus Antinor," she whispered inaudibly, "art the blackest
traitor amongst them all."

There was no need now for the Caesar to make further appeal to her
loyalty. She was loyal to him--body and soul--loyal to him and to her
House, ready to sacrifice her pride, her freedom if need be at a word
from the Caesar, since he had said that by her action on the morrow she
could help him fight the treacherous infamy.

Caligula could well be satisfied with his success; nor did he try to
press his advantage further. All that he had wanted was the assurance
that she would not thwart him when he put into execution the plan which
he had conceived. The man-trap which he had set would not now fail
through Dea's obstinacy.

He thought that the time had come for ending the interview. He desired
that her receptive mind should retain a solemn impression of his majesty
and of his power. A charlatan to the last, he now rose to his feet and
with outstretched arm pointed upwards to the small glimpse of
leaden-covered sky.

"Jove's thunders still speak from afar," he said with slow emphasis,
"but to-morrow they will crash over Rome and over the traitors within
her walls. The air will be filled with moanings and with gnashing of
teeth; the Tiber will run red with blood, for the murdered Caesar will
mayhap be crying vengeance upon the assassins. Wilt save the Caesar, O
Dea Flavia? Wilt save Rome and the Empire from a deadly crime and the
devastating vengeance of the outraged gods?"

He towered above her like some inspired prophet, with arms stretched out
towards the fast approaching storm, and eyes uplifted to the
thunderbolts of Jove.

"I await thine answer," he said, "O daug