hands--"

She shuddered, acting horror perfectly, and Livius, like a drowning man
who thinks he sees the shore, struck out and sank!

"You threaten me, but I am no such fool as you imagine! I know all
about you! I perceive you have crossed your Rubicon. Well--"

"Summon the decurion and two men!" Marcia interrupted, glancing at
Cornificia. But she made a gesture with her hand that Cornificia
interpreted to mean "do nothing of the kind!"

Livius did not see the gesture. Rage, shame, terror overwhelmed him and
he blurted out the information Marcia was seeking--hurled it at her in
the form of silly, useless threats:

"You wanton! You can kill me but my journal is in safe hands! Harm me--
cause me to be missing from the palace for a few hours, and they may
light your funeral fires! My journal, with the names of the
conspirators, and all the details of your daily intriguing, goes
straight into Caesar's hands!"

The climax he expected failed. There was no excitement. Nobody seemed
astonished. Marcia settled herself more comfortably on the couch and
Galen began whispering to Sextus. The two other women looked amused.
Reaction sweeping over him, his senses reeled and Livius stepped
backward, staggering to the fountain, where he sat down.

"Bona dea! But the man took time to tell his secret!" Marcia exclaimed.
"Popeia, you had better take my litter to the palace and bring that minx