When the slave had left the room there fell a momentary deep silence upon all present, ominous and painful.
‘Titus Afer, do you now deny all knowledge of this man Cestus?’ said Tiberius in sardonic tones.
With his arms folded, and his eyes fixed before him, Afer remained as if turned to granite, unheedful of everything whilst his slave unconsciously dashed all hope of escape away.
‘Do you deny all knowledge of this man Cestus?’ repeated Tiberius.
‘I have already done so,’ replied Afer stolidly; ‘I refuse to say more. I am prejudged—it is useless to say more.’
Another silence fell on the room and the Prefect frowned and fidgeted. But the Emperor seemed in no hurry to relieve the embarrassing stillness.
‘There has been no judgment delivered so far,’ he said at length. ‘Do you impugn the words of your slave?’
‘He is a Greek, and a born liar,’ said Afer bitterly.
Thrasullus and Seleucus the philosophers, both of them Greeks, pricked up their ears at the insinuation, and reared their heads in indignation.
‘Greek or no Greek, do you say that he has now lied?’ said Tiberius.