"What?" demanded Marcia.

"That I should serve Rome and receive ingratitude. What else does any
man receive who serves Rome? They who cheat her are the ones who
prosper!"

"Send for Cornificia," said Marcia. "She keeps your resolution. Let her
come and loose it!" Pertinax turned sharply on her.

"Flavia Titiana shall not suffer that indignity. Cornificia can not
enter this house."

But the mention of Cornificia's name wrought just as swift a change in
him as had the name of Lucius Severus. He began to bite his finger-
nails, then clenched his hands again behind him, Galen and Marcia
watching.

"You are the only one who can replace Commodus without drenching Rome in
blood," said Marcia, remembering a phrase of Cornificia's. And since
the words were Cornificia's, and stirred the chords of many memories,
they produced a sort of half-way resolution.

"It is now or never," Marcia said, goading him. But Pertinax shook his
head.

"I am not convinced, though I would do my best to save Rome from
Severus. Dioscuri!--do you realize, this plot to make me emperor is
known to not more than a dozen--"

"Therein safety lies," said Marcia. "Yourself included there can only