"He speaks it as any man might speak it who wanted to pretend that he did not understand it or that it was new to him," said Fupus.
Metellus shook his head. "Septimus Favonius is no fool," he said. "I doubt if there is anyone in Castra Sanguinarius sufficiently clever to fool him to such an extent."
"There is only one man who has any right to judge as to that," snapped Fupus, "and he is going to have the facts before I am an hour older."
"Whom do you mean?" asked Metellus.
"Validus Augustus, Emperor of the East—I am going to him at once."
"Don't be a fool, Fupus," counseled Metellus. "You will only get yourself laughed at or possibly worse. Know you not that Septimus Favonius is high in favor of the Emperor?"
"Perhaps, but is it not also known that he was friendly with Cassius Hasta, nephew of the Emperor, whom Validus Augustus accused of treason and banished. It would not take much to convince the Emperor that this Erich von Harben is an emissary of Cassius Hasta, who is reputed to be in Castra Sanguinarius."
Caecilius Metellus laughed. "Go on then and make a fool of yourself, Fupus," he said. "You will probably bring up at the end of a rope."
"The end of a rope will terminate this business," agreed Fupus, "but von Harben will be there, not I."