‘A disguise does not often deceive me,’ said Titus; ‘but I recognised you by your figure and attitude. I won’t betray you. Come here, behind the shrine of Vesta, and tell me about yourself.’
‘How wretched and ill you look!’ he said, as they stood alone under the shadow of the little circular temple and the House of the Vestals. ‘Where have you been this long time? What has happened to you? Why are you here? I was mentioning you to Pudens only this morning, and if we had known that you were in Rome you might have been of use.’
‘You once helped to save my life,’ said Onesimus, ‘when I did not deserve it. I will tell you all.’
He gave an outline of what had befallen him, concealing only the shameful attack on the Rex at Aricia.
‘And what will you do now?’ asked Titus.
‘Starve—beg—die!’ he answered, in deep dejection.
‘Listen,’ said Titus. ‘I have just heard from Pudens that he is likely to be sent to a command in Britain, and I shall go with him. Claudia will accompany him, and the old British king, Caractacus. I think that when you left Aricia you might have come to Pudens and shown yourself more grateful for his kindness. But the centurion is very good and forgiving, and, if I ask him, I am sure that he will let you go with us to Britain.’
Onesimus longed to accept the offer, but he thought of Junia. He was near her now.
‘Is Nereus to go?’ he asked.
‘No,’ said Titus. ‘Nereus is a freedman now, and he is too old for so distant a voyage and so hard a service.’