urus Antinor did not pause to think. On his right he
heard sounds which proclaimed the presence of men, and thither did he
immediately turn his footsteps.

Peering through the long vista of numberless columns, the further ones
of which were merged together in the dim light, he saw that the score or
so of the praetorian guard who had escorted the Caesar in his flight were
assembled at the end of the gigantic hall, some lolling against the
marble pillars, others lying or squatting on the hard floor, as much at
their ease as circumstances would allow.

They had not discarded their accoutrements and each man had his sword by
his side. Not realising that the fury of the mob had been momentarily
damped by the storm, they remained prepared to defend the Caesar's life
at any moment with their own.

More than one of them had apparently been wounded in one or other of the
hand-to-hand combats which they had sustained against the mob earlier in
the day, for more than one head was wrapped in a rough piece of bandage
and more than one tunic was stained with blood. All the men looked
fagged and dirty and for the most part worn out with sleeplessness and
want of food.

As the praefect's firm tread resounded from end to end of the colonnaded
hall and woke the slumbering echoes of the deserted palace, weary,
lack-lustre eyes were turned in his direction, and now when his tall
figure appeared between two pillars the men recognised him, for his
head was uncovered.

One or two of them gave a cry of terror since all of them had thought
that the praefect was dead, and this tall, dark presence, wrapped in a
long cloak and with tawny hair still dripping from the rain, looked very
like an apparition from another world.

"The Caesar?" queried the praefect curtly.

Some of the men struggled to their feet. The voice they knew well; it
was as of old, loud and peremptory and not like to be coming from a
grave. All did their best to assume a respectful bearing, and one who
was in command made ready to show the praefect into the Caesar's
presence.

"I want no escort," said Taurus Antinor in that same commanding voice
which no one in Rome had ever tried to resist. "Tell me only where I can
find the Caesar."

"In the lararium, O praefect," replied the soldier without hesitation.
"He ordered us to remain here."

Without looking to right or left Taurus Antinor walked past the soldiers
into the gorgeous tablinium beyond, where great Augustus h