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When she rose to her feet there were shrieks of fear and pain on every side. The slaves were cringing in dread before him. Drusus was standing under the Athena, with the keen steel in his hand its blade dyed crimson; and at his feet lay Ahenobarbus's favourite valet the wretch literally disembowelled by one deadly stroke. "Fly, fly!" she implored; "they will bring arms!
So Drusus told her of all that had befallen him since the day he escaped out of Lucius Ahenobarbus's hands at Baiæ. And Cornelia told of her imprisonment at the villa, and how Demetrius had saved her, and how it came to pass that she was here at the Egyptian court.
If Lucius Ahenobarbus intends to murder me " The boatmen and two or three other slaves that were always at Ahenobarbus's heels were crowding up on to the terrace ready to do their master's bidding. "Throw me that fellow over the balcony," ordered Lucius, his sense of triumph and opportunity mastering every fear that Flaccus would execute his threat of prosecution. "See that he does not float!"
"Where did you learn all this," queried Curio, "if I may venture to ask?" "From Agias, the slave of Cornelia, niece of Lentulus." "But what is Drusus to her?" demanded the marvelling tribune. "He is everything to her. She has been trying to win her way into Ahenobarbus's confidence, and learn all of the plot." A sudden light seemed to break over the face of the politician.
A! This is an unequal world!" Riches and strength. When Agias fell asleep that night, or rather that morning, on a hard seaman's pallet, two names were stirring in his heart, names inextricably connected: Cornelia, whom he had promised Quintus Drusus to save from Ahenobarbus's clutches, and Artemisia.
It is watering Farmer Balbus's fields; Grazier Ahenobarbus's cows drink at it; idle Dolabell angles in its quiet reaches: there are bloody tribal affrays yearly at its fords. It is important, certainly, to Babbus and Dolabella, and the men slain in the forays; but to us others . And then at 390 there are falls and dangerous rapids; you will get no ships beyond these.
I am in some anxiety to-night. Gabinius, Lucius Ahenobarbus's friend, is in the city. He means, I fear, to work me some mischief, though the cause whereby I have good reason to dread him is too long here to write. The Atrium Vestæ has nothing to protect it to-night as you well may understand from impious, violent men. Can you not guard me overnight? I do not know how.
Then, still land-hungry, she stepped over into Sicily, invited by certain rascals in Messana, and light-heartedly challenged the Mistress of the Western Seas. At this point the stream is leaving Balbus's fields and Ahenobarbus's cattle, and coming to the broad waters, where the ships of the world ride in. The Punic War was not forced on Rome.
Dumnorix went yesterday with the pick of his band to Anagnia for some games. To-morrow he will return through Præneste, and the deed will be done. Phaon, Ahenobarbus's freedman, has started already for Præneste to spy out the ground and be ready to direct Dumnorix where, when, and how to find Drusus. Phaon has been spying at Præneste, and is the dangerous man!" "He has gone?" demanded Agias.
A serpent who had not even the bright scales of a serpent! What would he do to Cornelia? Drusus's face grew hard. Had he, Drusus, yet done any injury worth mentioning to his enemy? Why had he not used the moment when Lucius lay prostrate, and run the sword through his body? Ill-timed, thoughtless mercy! But the letters, the packet he had wrenched from Ahenobarbus's hand? Why was it so precious?
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