"No! I say this: 'Yonder young man is much in debt to me, but my requital when I ask it will be equal to his debt.' Wherefore, I shall serve on till the sum is equal."
"Thou speakest truly when thou sayest I am in debt to thee, but if thou hast in thy heart something which thou wouldst have me do, command me now!"
"Perchance when I see what brought thee to Misenum, to-day," she smiled.
"If thou canst help me, Junia, I shall owe thee a life!"
"Thy life, Marsyas?"
"No; Agrippa's—or the life of Justin Classicus!"
"How now!" she cried, and there was more genuine interest in her soft voice than she had previously shown. "What hath stirred thee against Classicus?"
At that moment an indistinct shout of great volume, as of many men cheering behind walls, interrupted him. He turned his head quickly in the direction of the palace.
"What passeth within?" he asked; "why will they not admit me?"
"Nothing, nothing," she said hurriedly, "or at least only an important ceremony which none but Cæsar can perform; Macro does not wish him to be interrupted. Go on with thy story!"