"Substitution has often been done, of course. But it takes a lot of
money and considerable influence to bribe the guard. They are under the
authority of a centurion, who would have to look out for informers. And
besides, you can't persuade me that a man who had been scourged, and
crucified, if only for one day, could walk into Daphne two or three
nights afterward and carry on a conversation. Why should he visit
Daphne? Why should he choose that place, of all places in the world,
and midnight, to destroy the identification parchment? Having destroyed
it, why did he then tell the slaves who he was? It sounds like a tale
out of Egypt to me."

"Well, the priests are saying--"

"Tchutt-tchutt! Priests say anything." "Nevertheless, the priests are
saying that Maternus, after he was captured, managed to convey a message
to his followers commanding them to offer sacrifices to Apollo, who
accordingly intervened in his behalf. And they say he undoubtedly went
to Daphne to return thanks at the temple threshold."

"Hah-Hah! Excellent! Let us go to the baths. You need to sweat the
superstition out of you! Better leave word where we are going, so that
our factors will know where to find us in case any important business
turns up."


In the palace, in the office of the governor, where the lapping of water
and irises could be heard through the opened windows, Pertinax sat
facing the governor of Antioch across a table heaped with parchment
rolls. A dozen secretaries labored in the next room, but the door
between was closed; the only witnesses were leisurely, majestic swans,