"I believe it was not far from here that Agrippa told the people the fable so often repeated since that time."
The painter was looking out of the carriage over the Campagna.
"I wish I knew the exact spot," he said, half to himself.
"Tell us about it; do, please, father," said Lucy. "What was the fable, and who was Agrippa, and why did he come out on this dreary place to tell a story?"
"It was a long time ago; even long before the birth of Jesus," Mr. Gray replied. "It was when Rome was a powerful city. There were two great classes of the people,—the patricians, who were rich and owned most of the land, and the plebeians, who had little power and were mostly poor.
"The patricians ruled the city to suit themselves and did not treat the plebeians justly. At last, when they could not stand this unfair treatment any longer, they came together and marched out of the city.
"'We will claim our rights,' they said, and made ready to attack the patricians, who remained in Rome.
"It was a time of danger for the city, since there was a greater number of the poor than of the rich. What should be done? A very wise man named Agrippa was chosen to go out on the Campagna and reason with the plebeians. When he drew near to them, he said:
"'I have a fable which I wish to tell you. It is this: