we have done that which was our
duty to do."--ST. LUKE XVII. 10.

Half an hour later Dea Flavia Augusta was in the tablinium. She had
received Caius Nepos, the praetorian praefect, Marcus Ancyrus, the
elder, my lords Hortensius Martius, Philippus Decius and the others, and
they, who had heard so many conflicting rumours throughout the morning
and were beginning to quake with fear, for none of the rumours were
reassuring, were grouped trembling and expectant around her.

"My lords," she began as soon as she had received their obsequious
greetings, "I know not if you have heard the news. The Caesar hath
succeeded in quitting Rome; he is on his way to rejoin his legions and
nothing can stand in the way of his progress. In a few days from now he
will make his State re-entry into the city, and the city will resound
from end to end with rejoicings in his honour."

"We had all heard the news, Augusta," said Caius Nepos who was vainly
trying to steady his voice and to appear calm and dignified, "and also
that a proclamation of pardon hath preceded the entry of the Caesar into
Rome and hath been affixed to the rostrum of the great Augustus by the
consul-major himself this morning."

"And what do you make of all this, my lords?" she asked.

"That some gods of evil have been at work," muttered young Escanes
between set teeth, "and spirited the tyrannical madman out of the way
for the further scourging of his people."

"The spirit, my lords," she interposed quietly, "that led my kinsman to
safety last night was one which actuated the noblest patrician in Rome
to do his duty loyally by the Caesar."

"Then curse him for a traitor," muttered Caius Nepos, whose cheeks had
become white with terror.

"He was no traitor to you, my lords," she retorted hotly, "for he was
not one of you. He was true to the oath which he had rendered to the
Caesar; aye, even to the Caesar whom we, my lords, all of us here present
had been ready to betray."

Then as she saw nothing but sullen faces around her and not a word broke
the silence that ensued, she continued more calmly:

"Yesterday you came to me, my lords, with proposals of treachery to
which I, alas, did listen because in my heart I had already chosen one
man who I felt was worthy to rule over this great Empire. I had made my
choice and myself offered him the imperium, the throne of Augustus and
the sceptre of the Caesars.... But he refused it all, my lords, and went
forth in the ni