g me! Boy, thou hast but one course left; to join us heart and
hand; to go and renew thine oath in such fashion as even thou,
premeditated perjurer, wilt not presume to break, and then to seal thy
faith by the blood"--

"Of whom?"

"Of this new man; this pendant consul of Arpinum."

"Aye!" exclaimed Paullus, as if half tempted to accede to his proposal;
"and if I do so, what shall I gain thereby?"

"Lucia, I might say," answered Catiline, "but--seeing that possession damps
something at all times the fierceness of pursuit--what if I should reply,
the second place in Rome?"

"In Rome?"

"When we have beaten down the proud patricians to our feet, and raised the
conquering ensign of democratic sway upon the ramparts of the capitol;
when Rome and all that she contains of bright and beautiful, shall be our
heritage and spoil; the second place, I say, in regenerated Rome, linked,
too, to everlasting glory."

"And the first place?"

"By Mars the great avenger! dost soar so high a pitch already? ho! boy,
the first is mine, by right, as by daring. How say you? are you mine?"

"If I say no!"

"Thou diest on the instant."

"I think not," replied Arvina quietly, "and I do answer No."

"Then perish, fool, in thy folly."

And leaping forward he dealt him a blow with a long two-edged dagger,
which he had held in his hand naked, during the whole discussion, in
readiness for the moment he anticipated; and at the same instant uttered a
loud clear whistle.

To his astonishment the blade glanced off the breast of the young man, and
his arm was stunned nearly to the shoulder by the unexpected resistance of
the stout corslet. The whistle was answered, however, the very moment it
was uttered; and just as he saw Paullus spring to the farther side of the
cavern, and set his back against the wall, unsheathing a heavy broadsword
of the short Roman fashion, three stout men entered the mouth of the cave,
heavily armed with weapons of offence, although they wore no defensive
armor.

"Give me a sword," shouted the fierce conspirator, furious at being
foiled, and perceiving that his whole enterprise depended on the young
man's destruction. "He is armed under his gown with a breast-plate! Give
me a sword, and then set on him all at once. So that will do, now, on."

"Hold, Sergius Catiline," exclaimed Arvina, "hold, or by all the Gods you
will repent it. If you have three men at your back I have full five times
three within call."