after a longing look at the blind and mute house, rode away to
another quarter of the city, near the harbour, where was an inn at
which he had lodged during his previous visit. In a poor and dirty
room, he made shift to dine on such food as could be offered him;
then lay down on the truckle bed, and slept for an hour or two.

A knock at the door awoke him. It was Felix, who brought the news
that Marcian was at Cumae.

'You have seen him?' cried Basil, astonished and eager.

'His servant Sagaris,' Felix replied. 'I met him but now in the
forum, and learnt that his lord lodges at the house of the curial
Venustus; hard by the Temple of Diana.'

'Go thither at once, and beg him, if his leisure serve, to come to
me. I would go myself; but, if he have seen Sagaris, he may be
already on the way here.'

And so it proved, for in a very few minutes Marcian himself entered
the room.

'Your uncle is dead,' were his first words. 'I heard it in Neapolis
yesterday. What brings you here?'

'Nay, best Marcian,' returned the other, with hands on his friend's
shoulders, and peering him in the face, 'let me once again put that
question to _you_.'

'I cannot answer it, yet,' said Marcian gravely. 'Your business is