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Young Escanes too was bidden to admire the contrivance, which it soon became evident was the invention of the Cæsar himself. The public still feeling dissatisfied watched desultorily for a while the doings in the imperial tribune. Then general interest was once more aroused, when the workmen slaves and legionaries having finished their preparations, hurried helter-skelter out of the arena.
He yawned, and with a tiny golden tool he began picking his teeth. "What did they tell thee?" queried the other, "and who were they that told?" "There was Caius Nepos and young Escanes, and several others at the bath. They were all talking about the sale." "Are they coming hither?"
Young Escanes from time to time fingered the poniard which he had hidden under his tunic, Hortensius Martius gave free rein to his ardent admiration of Dea Flavia, Ancyrus, the elder, kept watch over every phase of the temper of the audience its apathy, its excitement, its murmurs of dissatisfaction and cries of enthusiasm.
Escanes uttered a cry of rage; in a moment these two friends and boon companions appeared as bitter enemies.
"Yet, do ye want shelter and protection from me?" asked Dea Flavia. She had no liking for these men, all of whom she knew. Caius Nepos, selfish and callous; Ancyrus, the elder, avaricious and self-seeking; young Escanes whom she knew to be unscrupulous; Philippus Decius whose ostentation and lavishness she despised. She vaguely wondered why my lord Hortensius Martius was among them.
But young Escanes, in whom all hope had not yet died, was under the same impression, as also was my lord Philippus Decius; for, in truth, Dea Flavia had looked round on them all marvelling how any of them could compare with the man who already, in her heart, was the chosen lord of Rome.
Escanes too and Caius Nepos, and Philippus Decius and the other young men there, forgot the excitement of the aborted quarrel and pressed forward to pay their respects to Dea Flavia. The aspect of her court was changed in a moment. Her lictors chased the importunate crowd away, making room for the masters of Rome who desired speech with their mistress.
They appeared to be consulting Hortensius Martius who had nodded encouragingly. Young Escanes was in the very centre of the group now, his hand was still hidden in the folds of his tunic and the look in his face told Taurus Antinor all that there was to fear.
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