," said the
youth. "Ursus and Glaucus the physician watch over her night and day."

"Are the guards the same?"

"They are, and she is in their chamber. All the prisoners in the lower
dungeon died of fever, or were stifled from foul air."

"Who art thou?" inquired Petronins.

"The noble Vinicius knows me. I am the son of that widow with whom Lygia
lodged."

"And a Christian?"

The youth looked with inquiring glance at Vinicius, but, seeing him in
prayer, he raised his head, and answered,--

"I am."

"How canst thou enter the prison freely?"

"I hired myself to carry out corpses; I did so to assist my brethren and
bring them news from the city."

Petronius looked more attentively at the comely face of the youth, his
blue eyes, and dark, abundant hair.

"From what country art thou, youth?" asked he.

"I am a Galilean, lord."

"Wouldst thou like to see Lygia free?"

The youth raised his eyes. "Yes, even had I to die afterwards."

Then Vinicius ceased to pray, and said,--

"Tell the guards to place her in a coffin as if she were dead. Thou wilt
find assistants to bear her out in the night with thee. Near the 'Putrid
Pits' will be people with a litter waiting for you; to them ye will give
the coffin. Promise the guards from me as much gold as each can carry in
his mantle."

While speaking, his face lost its usual torpor, and in him was roused
the soldier to whom hope had restored his former energy.

Nazarius was flushed with delight, and, raising his hands, he exclaimed,

"May Christ give her health, for she will be free."

"Dost thou think that the guards will consent?" inquired Petronius.

"They, lord? Yes, if they know that punishment and torture will not
touch them."

"The guards would consent to her flight; all the more will they let us
bear her out as a corpse," said Vinicius.

"There is a man, it is true," said Nazarius, "who burns with red-hot
iron to see if the bodies which we carry out are dead. But he will take
even a few sestertia not to touch the face of the dead with iron. For
one aureus he will touch the coffin, not the body."

"Tell him that he will get a cap full of aurei," said Petronius. "But
canst thou find reliable assistants?"

"I can find men who would sell their own wives and children for money."

"Where wilt thou find them?"

"In the prison itself or in the city. Once the guards are paid, they
will admit whomever I like."

"In that case take me as a hired servant,"