“As good as may be,” answered Callipodius. “The gods work to fulfill thy desire. It is as if thou wert a constraining destiny, or as though it were a [pg 184]pleasure to them to satisfy the wishes of their favorite.”
“I pray, lay aside this flattery, and speak plain words.”
“Resplendent genius that thou art! thou needest no flattery any more than the sun requires burnishing.”
“Let me entreat—the news!”
“In two words——”
“Confine thyself to two words.”
“She is safe.”
“Where? How?”
“Now must I relax my tongue. In two words I cannot satisfy thy eagerness.”
“Then, Body of Bacchus! go on in thine own fashion.”