f bond? And what has come over Marcia that she
accepted it?"

"I guaranteed to her that I will not denounce herself to Commodus! She
saw the point. She could never clear herself."

"But how could you denounce her? She can have you seized and silenced
any time! Weren't you in Cornificia's house, with the guard at the
gate? Why didn't she summon the praetorians and hand you over to them?"

"Because Galen was there, too. She loves him, trusts him, and Galen is
my friend. Besides, Pertinax would turn on her if she should have me
killed. Pertinax was my father's friend, and is mine. Marcia's only
chance, if Commodus should lose his life, is for Pertinax to seize the
throne and continue to be her friend and protect her. Any other
possible successor to Commodus would have her head off in the same
hour."

"Well, Sextus, that argument won't keep her from having you murdered. I
am only hoping she won't order me to do it, because the cat will be out
of the bag then. I will not refuse, but I will certainly not kill you,
and that will mean--"

"You forget Norbanus and my freedmen," Sextus interrupted. "She knows
very well that they know all my secrets. They would avenge me instantly
by sending Commodus full information of the plot, involving Marcia head
over heels. She is ready to betray Commodus if that should seem the
safest course. If she is capable of treachery to him, she is equally
sure to betray all her friends if she thought her own life were in
danger!"

"Now listen, Sextus, and don't speak too loud or they'll hear you in the
cells; any of these poor devils would jump at a chance to save his own
skin by betraying you and me. Talk softly. I say, listen! There isn't
any safety anywhere with all these factions plotting each against the
other, none knowing which will strike first and Commodus likely to
pounce on all of them at any minute. I don't know why he hasn't heard of
it already."

"He is too busy training his body to have time to use his brain," said
Sextus. "However, go on."

"I think Commodus is quite likely to have the best of it!" Narcissus
said, screwing up his eyes as if he gazed at an antagonist across the
dazzling sand of the arena. "Somebody--some spy--is sure to inform him.
There will be wholesale proscriptions. Commodus will try to scare
Severus, Niger and Albinus by slaughtering their supporters here in
Rome. I can see what is coming."

"Are you, too, a god--like Commodus-