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Ah! that Lycias is a king among men! how strong! how noble!" A shade passed over the face of Alyrus the Moor. "Yes. A fine youth, yet I wish that I had not lost that bronze lizard, Sahira. It bodes misfortune. Rome is not a safe place for us, in spite of the favor of Lycidon. We must go as soon as the games are over. Could it be possible that Lycias " "Look, father, see Lycias, the conqueror.
Then Lycias, the oldest slave of all, began to tell stories. He had seen the battle of Salamis, and he told how he had watched the Persian ships go down, one after another, before the victorious Greeks. "And the King sat right on the high rocks north of the Piraeus and saw 'em go down," he chuckled. "It was a great sight."
I knew that you were some distinguished person, from your bearing and dress." When Alyrus smiled, he was uglier than ever. "A brute!" muttered Lycias, under his breath. Then aloud: "Are you on some mission to the Emperor?" "Ahem. Not so. But very high in the secrets of the chief priest of Jupiter." "One might call him the power behind the throne." "Thou hast said truly."
It was on this day that Alyrus, growing more confidential, told Lycias of the vessel lying in the River Tiber, ready to set sail as soon as he and Sahira went on board. "I have only to show them the symbol," he quoted, "and the sailors and officers are subject to my orders."
The sun sank and the vessels were shrouded in shadow. No sound was heard save the monotonous singing of a sailor, or the creaking of a sail. Then around the corner came the forlorn little group, and Lidia threw herself in her father's arms, while her eyes sought Lycias, who smiled at her. The rest was easy. The bronze lizard worked like magic.
A horrible coldness enveloped him. He could not move. Then he knew nothing more. But Sahira, not noticing that her father was ill, was looking down at the white group, now kneeling on the ground, while the white-haired elder prayed, with arms up-raised. There was another shout. Martius who had never felt cooler in his life, saw Lycias and touched Marcus on the arm. "Come," he said.
Now it is desolate." The shepherd rose and picked up his staff. "Lidia, it is Alyrus who has wrought all this. He and the priests of Jupiter. I will seek out Lycias, the gladiator. He will know what to do." A warm red shone in Lidia's thin, sallow cheeks. "Thou wilt greet him from me, father?" He nodded, and walked rapidly away, while Lidia, taking another path, ran toward the gates of Rome.
Lycias caught the Moor in his arms to prevent his falling. The draperies Alyrus wore were disarranged and a small object fell, unnoticed by him, to the ground. Lycias placed his big, sandaled foot over this object. "Dog of a shepherd!" raved Alyrus, running after the man. Lycias stooped, picked up the small object and thrust it into his gown and soon reached the Moor by a few long strides.
"We shall meet again, yonder," he whispered, glancing upward. Now, just as they were being pushed into the arena, a strange thing had happened. A tall man, whom Martius had not recognized as Lycias, the gladiator, approached him and said: "In the arena, I will be near you, standing by one of the gates. If you can be calm enough in the moment of excitement, note where I am.
"Let us pray," said the shepherd, and he and Lidia fell upon their knees on the grass in front of the cave, where even now in late Autumn, some tiny pink-tipped daisies were blooming. After a moment's hesitation, Lycias, who had never knelt to any but heathen gods, bent his knee also and uncovered his head in the presence of the unseen but powerful Ruler of the Universe.
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