"Yes," replied Urias. "The swine was married just before he left for Calabria. Nice girl, too; a cousin of Willimer."
"Hm-m-m, Say, Ajax, does that oldest boy of yours speak any Gothic?"
"Why no, my lord, why should he?"
"What's his name?"
"Priam."
"Priam, would you like to earn a couple of sesterces, all your own?"
The boy jumped up and bowed. Padway found such a servile gesture in a child vaguely repulsive. Must do something about slavery some day, he thought. "Yes, my lord," squeaked the boy.
" 'Can you say the word 'atta'? That's Gothic for 'father.' "
Priam dutifully said: "Atta. Now where are my sesterces, my lord?"
"Not so fast, Priam. That's just the beginning of the job. You practice saying 'atta' for a while."