er, he saw, while he
mounted the lowest range of stairs, a figure in white pass rapidly
through the hall and disappear by the principal entrance of the house.
He hesitated for an instant and looked after it, but the fugitive
figure had passed so swiftly in the uncertain light of early morning
that he was unable to identify it, and he determined to ascertain the
progress of events, now that Numerian must have discovered a portion at
least of the plot against his daughter and himself, by ascending
immediately to Antonina's apartment, whatever might be the consequences
of his intrusion at such an hour on her father's wrath.

As soon as the Pagan appeared before him, a sensible change took place
in Vetranio. The presence of Ulpius in the chamber was a positive
relief to the senator's perturbed faculties, after the mysterious,
overpowering influence that the moral command expressed in the mere
presence of the father and the master of the house, at such an hour,
had exercised over them. Over Ulpius he had an absolute right, Ulpius
was his dependant; and he determined, therefore, to extort from the
servant whom he despised an explanation of the mysteries in the conduct
of the master whom he feared, and the daughter whom he began to doubt.

'Where is Antonina?' he cried, starting as if from a trance, and
advancing fiercely towards the treacherous Pagan. 'She has left the
room--she must have taken refuge with you.'

With a slow and penetrating gaze Ulpius looked round the apartment. A
faint agitation was perceptible in his livid countenance, but he
uttered not a word.

The senator's face became pale and red with alternate emotions of
apprehension and rage. He seized the Pagan by the throat, his eyes
sparkled, his blood boiled, he began to suspect even then that Antonina
was lost to him for ever.

'I ask you again where is she?' he shouted in a voice of fury. 'If
through this night's work she is lost or harmed, I will revenge it on
you. Is this the performance of your promise? Do you think that I
will direct your desired restoration of the gods of old for this? If
evil comes to Antonina through your treachery, sooner than assist in
your secret projects, I would see you and your accursed deities all
burning together in the Christians' hell! Where is the girl, you
slave? Villain, where was your vigilance, when you let that man
surprise us at our first interview?'

He turned towards Numerian as he spoke. Trouble and