populace
of Rome, they had come to the cave of Egeria, prepared for assassination,
not for battle; and their antagonists were superior to them as much in
accoutrement and arms--for their bronze head-pieces were seen distinctly
glimmering in the rays of the rising moon--as in numbers.

The blades of the leaders clashed together, and several quick blows and
parries had been interchanged, during which Thrasea, had he not been
restrained by his young master's orders, might easily have stabbed the
conspirator with his boar-spear. But he held back at first, waiting a
fresh command, until seeing that none came, and that the unknown opponent
was pressing his lord hard; while the gladiators, apparently encouraged by
his apathy, were beginning to handle their weapons, he shifted his spear
in his hands, and stepping back a pace, so as to give full scope to a
sweeping blow, he flourished the butt, which was garnished with a heavy
ball of metal, round his head in a figure of eight, and brought it down so
heavily on the felt skull-cap of the conspirator, that his teeth jarred
audibly together, a quick flash sprang across his eyes, and he fell,
stunned and senseless, at the feet of his intended victim.

"Hold, Thrasea, hold," cried Paullus, "by the Gods! you have slain him."

"No, I have not. No! no! his head is too hard for that," answered the
freedman; "I felt my staff rebound from the bone, which it would not have
done, had the skull been fractured. No! he is not dead, though he deserved
to die very richly."

"I am glad of it," replied Paullus. "I would not have him killed, for many
reasons. Now, hark ye, ye scoundrels and gallows-birds! most justly are
your lives forfeit, whether it seem good to me, to take them here this
moment, or to drag you away, and hand you over to the lictors of the
city-praetor, as common robbers and assassins."

"That you cannot do, whilst we live, most noble," answered the boldest of
the gladiators, sullenly; "and you cannot, I think, take our lives,
without leaving some of your own on our swords' points."

"Brave me not," cried the young man, sternly, "lest you drive me to do
that I would not. Your lives, I say, are forfeit; but, seeing that I love
not bloodshed, I leave you, for this time, unpunished. Take up the master
whom you serve, and bear him home; and, when he shall be able to receive
it, tell him Paullus Arvina pardons his madness, pities his fears, and
betrays no man's trust--least of al