pain. I remember that once one of his slaves was taken ill while
carrying his litter. He alighted, put the fellow in his place
and walked home in a fall of snow. I wonder that you could be so
ill-advised as to talk to him of massacre, and pillage, and
conflagration. You might have foreseen that such propositions
would disgust a man of his temper."

"I do not know. I have not your self-command, Lucius. I hate
such conspirators. What is the use of them? We must have blood
--blood,-- hacking and tearing work--bloody work!"

"Do not grind your teeth, my dear Caius; and lay down the
carving-knife. By Hercules, you have cut up all the stuffing of
the couch."

"No matter; we shall have couches enough soon,--and down to stuff
them with,--and purple to cover them,--and pretty women to loll
on them,--unless this fool, and such as he, spoil our plans. I
had something else to say. The essenced fop wishes to seduce Zoe
from me."

"Impossible! You misconstrue the ordinary gallantries which he
is in the habit of paying to every handsome face."

"Curse on his ordinary gallantries, and his verses, and his
compliments, and his sprigs of myrtle! If Caesar should dare--by
Hercules, I will tear him to pieces in the middle of the Forum."

"Trust his destruction to me. We must use his talents and
influence--thrust him upon every danger--make him our instrument