Talbot Mundy

“ He glanced at Horatius Verres, who smiled at Tros and nodded with the same air of amused confidence that he had displayed from the beginning.
"Speak to him," said Quintillian. So Horatius Verres stood up, arms folded, and in a very pleasant voice explained how he came to be there.
"Illustrious Tros," he said, "I am in worse predicament than you, I being Cæsar's man, and you your own. I obey Cæsar, because I love him. While I live, I serve him at my own risk, whereas you are free to follow inclination. I discovered a plot to murder Cæsar. ”

“ Quintillian smiled.
"They are always mutinous. Just now they talk of marching to join Cæsar in Gaul. But a chance to loot the city would restore them to sweet reasonableness, as Balbus perfectly understands. Illustrious Tros, we might not exercise ourselves if we liked Pkauchios or if we thought the city were united. We, believe ourselves sufficiently intelligent to take advantage of the disaffection in the Roman camp. The moment might be ripe for insurrection but for one important fact: We have learned that Julius Cæsar is coming!" ”

“ In the interests of Gades we propose to discover in what way we can be of assistance to you."
Tros let a laugh explode in one gruff bark of irony.
"I am no friend of Balbus. I am the enemy of Cæsar and of Rome," he answered. "But if I were so far to forget my manhood as to cut a throat like a common murderer, it would be the throat of Pkauchios! You fools!"
"Not so foolish, possibly, as weak!" Quintillian answered with a suave smile. "But as the poet Homer says, 'The strength even of weak men when united avails much!'"
The mention of the poet Homer mollified Tros instantly. ”

“ You knew that Chloe loves me. I am sure you are much too wise to suppose that a woman in love would neglect to signal to her lover." The voice was mocking, confident, cynical.
TROS stood up and shook himself as if about to speak, staring straight at the man at the table to conceal his intention of charging the stairs and fighting his way to the street. Up anchor and away from Gades—there was nothing else to do! The only thing that made him hesitate was wondering how to rescue Simon.
"You are in no danger at present. Be seated," said Quintillian courteously. ”

“ CONOPS was in no haste to explain. He slunk behind Tros in the darkness, and a man stepped between them in response to a thundering on the street door. He opened a peep-hole and spoke through it to Pkauchios' eunuch; Tros could see him clearly as the light through the hole shone on his face—a lean, intelligent, distinguished looking man. He assured the eunuch in good Greek he was mistaken. None had entered the house recently. Perhaps the next house or the next or the one over the way. Finally, he advised the eunuch to wait patiently. ”

“ There was a murmur of assent.
"A pledge?" said Tros. "From me?"
"Why, yes!" said Chloe. "We think you are an honorable man, but at a word from you to Balbus we might all be crucified!"
The men in the doorway behind Tros rattled their weapons.
"We all risk our lives if we give you liberty," Quintillian remarked. "You are a stranger to us."
Tros began to turn over in his mind what pledge he could deposit with them. There was no alternative except to fight his way out to the street, and he suspected now that there were many more than three men on the stairs. ”

“ Tros answered grimly, and Pkauchios' dark eyes took on a look of satisfaction.
Then Tros tried to find out where Chloe was without arousing Pkauchios' suspicion.
"Who was that woman," he asked, "who came out to my ship?"
"Oh, a mischievous Greek slave. A very clever dancer who will perform to-night for Balbus."
"Trustworthy?" Tros suggested.
"No Gades dancing girls are trustworthy. Theirs is a very religion of intrigue." ”

“ Trouble yourself to observe that we are not warlike men, nor even armed with anything but daggers. We are students of philosophy, of music, of the sacred sciences. Our purpose is, that Gades shall become a center of the arts, a city dedicated to the Muses. We have heard that Pkauchios the Egyptian plans an uprising which you will lead by slaying Balbus, for whom none of us has any particular admiration. ”

“ He could hear a rasping cough that seemed familiar, and there were other noises that suggested the presence of armed men, but the sunlight had been dazzling on the whitewashed walls and there were no open windows in the place in which he found himself. It took time for eyesight to readjust itself. ”