tender azure by the shadow from the awning above. And at either end, to
east and west the massive copper portals, like gigantic ruddy mirrors
threw back these tones of gold and blue as if through a veil of
sunset-kissed clouds.

Above, the sky of a vivid blue, translucent and iridescent with a myriad
flecks of turquoise and rose and emerald that found their reflections
in the marble walls of the arena or the shining helmets of the
legionaries guarding the imperial tribune; and over the whole scene an
impalpable veil of gold, made of tiny, unseen atoms that danced in the
heat, and merged into an exquisite glowing harmony the russets and the
purples, the emeralds and rubies and the trenchant notes of sardonyx and
indigo that cut across the orgy of colour like a deep, gaping wound.

And through it all that sense of thrilling expectancy, so keen that it
almost seemed palpable.

It vibrated in the air making every cheek glow with a crimson fire and
kindling a light in every eye. It seemed to set every golden atom
dancing, it was felt through every breath drawn by two hundred thousand
throats.

Over the Emperor's head the striped awning flapped weirdly in the
breeze, with strange insistent sound like the knocking of a ghostly hand
upon the doors of hell.

Not a few miserable wretches whom the summary justice of the Caesar's own
tribunal had condemned to death were exposed to a band of
swordsmen--executioners really, since the fight was quite unequal. Huge
African giants with short naked swords pursuing a few emaciated wretches
who ran howling round the arena, jumping improvised hurdles, rounding
obstacles or crawling under cover, running, running with that
unreasoning instinct of self-preservation which drives even before the
certainty of death.

A hunting scene this, of novel diversion.

No one cared whether the victims were really guilty of crime, no one
cared if they had been equitably tried and been justly condemned, all
that the public cared about was that the spectacle was new and amusing.
The African giants were well-trained for their part, playing with the
miserable victims like a feline doth with its prey, allowing them to
escape, now and then, to see safety close at hand, to make a wild dash
for what looked like freedom, and then suddenly bounding on them with
that short wide sword that cried death as it descended.

Rapturous applause greeted this show, and loud immoderate laughter
hailed the fruitless e