house if not I? His freedmen and his slaves know
that I came to his house, and some of them know with what object. What
will happen if they suspect me of having pointed out to him purposely
the house in which his death met him? Though it appear afterward, in the
court, that I did not wish his death, they will say that I was the
cause of it. Besides, he is a patrician; hence in no event can I avoid
punishment. But if I leave Rome in silence, and go far away somewhere, I
shall place myself under still greater suspicion."

It was bad in every case. The only question was to choose the less evil.
Rome was immense; still Chilo felt that it might become too small for
him. Any other man might go directly to the prefect of the city guards
and tell what had happened, and, though some suspicion might fall
on him, await the issue calmly. But Chilo's whole past was of such
character that every closer acquaintance with the prefect of the city
or the prefect of the guard must cause him very serious trouble, and
confirm also every suspicion which might enter the heads of officials.

On the other hand, to flee would be to confirm Petronius in the opinion
that Vinicius had been betrayed and murdered through conspiracy.
Petronius was a powerful man, who could command the police of the whole
Empire, and who beyond doubt would try to find the guilty parties even
at the ends of the earth. Still, Chilo thought to go straight to him,
and tell what had happened. Yes; that was the best plan. Petronius was
calm, and Chilo might be sure of this, at least, that he would hear him
to the end. Petronius, who knew the affair from its inception, would
believe in Chilo's innocence more easily than would the prefects.

But to go to him, it was needful to know with certainty what had
happened to Vinicius. Chilo did not know that. He had seen, it is true,
the Lygian stealing with Croton's body to the river, but nothing more.
Vinicius might be killed; but he might be wounded or detained. Now it
occurred to Chilo for the first time, that surely the Christians would
not dare to kill a man so powerful,--a friend of Caesar, and a high
military official,--for that kind of act might draw on them a general
persecution. It was more likely that they had detained him by superior
force, to give Lygia means to hide herself a second time.

This thought filled Chilo with hope.

"If that Lygian dragon has not torn him to pieces at the first attack,
he is alive, and if