r, and well disguised thou couldst come
with me through devious ways to a house I know of on the Aventine where
thou wouldst be safe."

But at this suggestion that he should leave the security of this lonely
palace for the open dangers of the streets, Caligula's terrors increased
tenfold. His teeth chattered more loudly in his head, and his hands on
the praefect's arm became convulsive in their grasp.

"I dare not go, praefect," he stammered, and it had been pitiable were
it not abject to see the look of insane terror which he cast around him.
"I dare not go.... They would kill me if they saw me ... and I don't
want to die...."

"No one would recognise thee," said Taurus Antinor with ill-restrained
patience, "dressed as scribes we can mingle with the fringe of the
crowd. The shades of evening will be on us in an hour and our dark
mantles will excite no attention. Have no fear, Caesar! no one would
suspect thee of running in the teeth of danger."

The tone of bitter irony was lost on the dulled perceptions of this
miserable coward.

"I would not dare," he murmured intermittently, "I would not dare."

"Then do I take my leave of thee, O Caesar," retorted Taurus Antinor
coldly. "For here alone, with but twenty men to guard thee, I can do
naught to save thy person from outrage."

"If I were quite sure that I could trust thee...."

"That is for thee to decide. I have offered thee my services ... an
thou'lt not accept them I crave thy leave to go."

"No, no, do not leave me, praefect," cried Caligula with despair,
clinging now with all his might to this arm, which every instinct in him
told him was staunch in his defence. "Do not leave me ... I'll do as
thou dost advise.... I'll don a slave's garb ... and slip out into the
street in thy wake ... and ... after that...?"

"Thou'lt find temporary shelter in an humble house on the Aventine.
There thou canst rest for a few days even while thy legions, distant
from here but three days' march, I believe, do approach the city."

"Yes, yes! my legions," cried the Caesar in a hoarse whisper. "I had
nigh forgotten them. They are not far ... if I could but reach
them...."

A sudden fire of malicious hatred once more lit up the dull misery of
his face.

"At the head of my legions I can soon show this miserable rabble who is
the master of Rome."

"At the head of thy legions, O Caesar," retorted Taurus Antinor firmly,
"and preceded by a proclamation of universal pardon for