Flaccus smiled grimly.
"Nor Flora," he added.
"Thou hast our people's gratitude and allegiance; mine own thankfulness and blessings," Lysimachus responded heartily.
Flaccus waved his hand, and glanced at the other two, sitting aside.
"And ye?" he said. "Are ye but a portion of the alabarch's commission?"
"Nay, good sir," the Sadducee answered, "we come upon a mission for the congregation."
Lysimachus arose, but the Sadducee turned to him with a bow.
"Pray thee, sir, it concerns thee as well. Wilt thou abide longer and hear us?"
The alabarch inclined his head and sat down. Flaccus signified that he was ready to hear them.
"Thou didst ask our brother, the alabarch, if he were commissioned with a perplexity," the Sadducee continued. "Not he, but we come perplexed. Were we Jews in Judea, the method would be laid down to us by Law. But in Alexandria we have grown away from the method, while yet we have the same object to achieve."