"It has a fine poetic ring to it."
"So it has. Northern seas it shall be, then." Urias wrote slowly and awkwardly.
Padway said: "Hey, don't bear down so hard with that pen. You'll poke a hole in that paper."
As Urias was finishing the letter, Padway clapped on his hat and made for the door.
"Hal," said Urias, "what's your hurry?"
Padway grinned. "I'm just going to see some friends; a family named Anicius. Nice people. I'll introduce you to them some day when you're safely sewed up."
Padway's original idea had been to introduce a mild form of selective conscription, beginning with the city of Rome and requiring the draftees to report for weekly drill. The Senate, which at this time was a mere municipal council, balked. Some of them disliked or distrusted Padway. Some wanted to be bribed.
Padway did not want to give into them until he had tried everything else. He had Urias announce drills on a voluntary basis, at current wages. Results were disappointing.
Padway's thoughts were abruptly snatched from the remilitarization of the Italians when Junianus came in with a telegraph message. It read simply:
wittigis escaped from detention last night. no trace of him has been found. (signed) aturpad the persian, commanding.