"Good-day, Flaminius. Are you to be of Catiline's party this
evening?"

"Not I."

"Why so? Your little Tarentine girl will break her heart."

"No matter. Catiline has the best cooks and the finest wine in
Rome. There are charming women at his parties. But the twelve-
line board and the dice-box pay for all. The Gods confound me if
I did not lose two millions of sesterces last night. My villa at
Tibur, and all the statues that my father the praetor brought
from Ephesus, must go to the auctioneer. That is a high price,
you will acknowledge, even for Phoenicopters, Chian, and
Callinice."

"High indeed, by Pollux."

"And that is not the worst. I saw several of the leading
senators this morning. Strange things are whispered in the
higher political circles."

"The Gods confound the political circles. I have hated the name
of politician ever since Sylla's proscription, when I was within
a moment of having my throat cut by a politician, who took me for
another politician. While there is a cask of Falernian in
Campania, or a girl in the Suburra, I shall be too well employed
to think on the subject."

"You will do well," said Flaminius gravely, "to bestow some