and to use her for his own ends. She was not deceived by Livius, or by
anybody else. She knew that Livius was keeping watch on her, and how he
did it, having shrewdly guessed that a present of eight matched litter-
bearers was too extravagant not to mask ulterior designs. She watched
him much more artfully than he watched her. Her secret knowledge that
he knew her secret was more dangerous to him than anything that he had
found out could be dangerous to her.

The eight matched litter-bearers waited with the gilded litter near a
flight of marble steps that descended from the door of Marcia's
apartments in the palace to a sunlit garden with a fountain in the
midst. There was a crowd of servants and four Syrian eunuchs, sleek
offensive menials in yellow robes; two lictors besides, with fasces and
the Roman civic uniform--a scandalous abuse of ancient ceremony--ready
to conduct a progress through the city. But they all yawned. Marcia
and her usual companion did not come; there was delay--and gossip,
naturally.

A yawning eunuch rearranged the bowknot of his girdle.

"What does she want with Livius? He usually gets sent for when somebody
needs punishing. Who do you suppose has fallen foul of her?"

"Himself! He sent her messenger back with word he was engaged on palace
business. I heard her tell the slave to go again and not return without
him! Bacchus! But it wouldn't worry me if Livius should lose his head!
For an aristocrat he has more than his share of undignified curiosity--
forever poking his sharp nose into other people's business. Marcia may
have found him out. Let's hope!"