ken prisoner by the
enemy. Towards the commencement of the siege that happened to a man I
knew. He was captured with a companion. The companion the Jews slew, but
as he was about to be beheaded upon the wall, this man slipped from the
hands of the executioner, and leaping from it escaped with little hurt.
Titus gave him his life, but dismissed him from his legion. Why should I
fare better?"

"That you were taken was no fault of yours, who were struck senseless
and overwhelmed."

"Maybe, but would that avail me? The rule, a good rule, is that no Roman
soldier should yield to an enemy. If he is captured while insensible,
then on finding his wits he must slay himself, as I should have striven
to do, had I awakened to find myself in the hands of the Jews. But
things fell out otherwise. Still, I tell you, Nehushta, that had it not
been for Miriam, I should not have turned my face to Rome, at any rate
until I had received pardon and permission from Titus."

"What then are your plans, lord Marcus?"

"To go to my own house near the Baths of Agrippa. The Triumph must pass
there, and if Miriam is among the captives we shall see her. If not,
then either she is dead or already sold, or perchance given as a present
to some friend of Caesar's."

Now they ceased talking, for the people were so many that they could
only force their way through the press riding one after the other. Thus,
Nehushta following Marcus, they crossed the Tiber and passed through
many streets, decorated, most of them, for the coming pageant, till at
length Marcus drew rein in front of a marble mansion in the Via Agrippa.

"A strange home-coming," he muttered. "Follow me," and he rode round the
house to a side-entrance.

Here he dismounted and knocked at the small door for some time without
avail. At length it was opened a little way, and a thin, querulous
voice, speaking through the crack, said:

"Begone, whoever you are. No one lives here. This is the house of
Marcus, who is dead in the Jewish war. Who are you that disturb me?"

"The heir of Marcus."

"Marcus has no heir, unless it be Caesar, who doubtless will take his
property."

"Open, Stephanus," said Marcus, in a tone of command, at the same time
pushing the door wide and entering. "Fool," he added, "what kind of a
steward are you that you do not know your master's voice?"

Now he who had kept the door, a withered little man in a scribe's brown
robe, peered at this visitor with his sharp ey