rius," he said, "I congratulate you. Everything has
been arranged as you wish. Here is the order, signed by Titus and duly
witnessed, granting to you--I mean to your friend, Caleb--pardon for
whatever he may have done in Judaea, and permission to live and trade
anywhere that he may wish within the bounds of the Empire. I may tell
you that it was obtained with great difficulty, since Titus, worn out
with toil and glory, leaves this very day for his villa by the sea,
where he is ordered by his physicians to rest three months, taking no
part whatever in affairs. Does the document satisfy you?"

Caleb examined the signatures and seals.

"It seems to be in order," he said.

"It is in order, excellent Demetrius. Caleb can now appear in the
Forum, if it pleases him, and lecture upon the fall of Jerusalem for the
benefit of the vulgar. Well, here also is a letter from the divine--or
rather the half divine--Domitian to yourself, Demetrius of Alexandria,
also witnessed by myself and sealed. It promises to you that if you give
evidence enabling him to arrest that miscreant who dared to bid against
him--no, do not be alarmed, the lady was not knocked down to you--you
shall be allowed to take possession of her or to buy her at a reasonable
valuation, not to exceed fifteen sestertia. That is as much as she will
fetch now in the open market. Are you satisfied with this document?"

Caleb read and scrutinised the letter.

"The signatures of Domitian and of yourself as witness seem much alike,"
he remarked suspiciously.

"Somewhat," replied Saturius, with an airy gesture. "In royal houses
it is customary for chamberlains to imitate the handwriting of their
imperial masters."

"And their morals--no, they have none--their manners also," commented
Caleb.

"At the least," went on Saturius, "you will acknowledge the seals----"

"Which might be borrowed. Well, I will take the risk, for if there is
anything wrong about these papers I am sure that the prince Domitian
would not like to see them exhibited in a court of law."

"Good," answered Saturius, with a relief which he could not altogether
conceal. "And now for the culprit's name."

"The culprit's name," said Caleb, leaning forward and speaking slowly,
"is Marcus, who served as one of Titus Caesar's prefects of horse in
the campaign of Judaea. He bought the lady Miriam, commonly known as
Pearl-Maiden, by the agency of Nehushta, an old Libyan woman, who
conveyed her to his house