aring the end of all pleasure or the gate of
paradise. A plate of polished brass hung on its lintel, bearing in
large letters the word Salve. A slave opened the door and took his
pallium. Julia, that wayward daughter of Augustus, now three times
married but yet beautiful, met him in the inner hall, and together they
walked to the banquet-room. There the emperor, limping slightly, came
to meet Vergilius, and there, also, were the guests, seven in number:
Appius and his mother, the Lady Lucia; Terentia, wife of the late
Maecenas; Manius, an assessor in Judea; Hortensius, legate of Spain;
Antipater, son of Herod the Great; and Aulus Valerius Maro, the senator.

"It enters my thought to say to you," said the emperor, aside, as he
put his hand upon the shoulder of Vergilius, "keep the number one in
your mind, so that by-and-by you can tell me what you make of it."

Slaves had covered the table with fish and fowl in dishes of unwrought
silver. The guests reclined upon three great divans set around as many
sides of the table. They ate resting on their elbows, and were so
disposed that each could see the host without turning. The emperor
asked only for coarse bread, a morsel of fish, two figs, and a bit of
cheese.

"My good friends," said he, in a low voice, when the wine was served,
"we have with us an able officer in this young Manius, one of our
assessors in Jerusalem. I ask you to drink his health. Though I can
drink no wine, I can feel good sentiments."

One could not help remarking his fixed serenity of face and voice and
manner as he went on:

"Some time ago it came to my ear that he thought me a tyrant wallowing
in vulgar and ill-gotten luxury."

There was a little stir in those heads around the table, and in every
hand and face one might have seen evidence of quickened pulses. The
young officer was now staring through deathly pallor.

"My friends, it is not strange," said the great Augustus, mildly. "To
Jerusalem is quite two thousand miles; and, then he was very young when
he left the home of his fathers. Am I not right, Manius?"

"Your words are both true and kindly," said the young man.

"And you are discerning," said the emperor, with a smile. "Now, good
people, observe that I have invited our young officer to Rome for two
purposes: to show him, first, that I live no better than the poorest
nobleman; secondly, that I am only a servant of the people; for, since
he is an able officer, I shall r