XXVIII.

FREEDOM.

URING this time Cineas had been ignorant of everything. Plunged in grief, and afflicted with the worst apprehensions, he dreaded the impending calamities, yet knew not how to avoid them. After Labeo had left he remained, and gave way to the most gloomy fears. With folded arms he paced up and down restlessly for many hours, trying in vain to think of some way by which he might rescue the captives.

At last, unable to think of anything, and unable also to endure his misery, he mounted his horse and rode toward Rome. In his despair, he resolved upon one step which he would not take to save his own life, but brought himself to for the sake of these dear ones. That was to appeal to Tigellinus.

It was early morning when he reached Rome, and he went at once to the house of Nero's favorite. A great crowd of clients already beset the doors, waiting to pay their respects to their patron. Cineas made his way through these, and by liberal bribery induced the servants to awaken Tigellinus, and convey to him a request for an interview.

Perhaps nothing could have given greater joy to this man. To have Cineas, the favorite of Nero, the intellectual, — the virtuous, the proud Cineas, the man who stood in a position in which he could never be, to have such a man coming to him as a suppliant was sweet indeed. Tigellinus saw how. heavily the blow had fallen, since it had crushed a man like

this. He was eager to see him, and hurried out to the chief hall, into which Cineas had been admitted.

Cineas gravely saluted him. He was very pale, but calm and dignified. There was nothing of fear or of servility in the haughty Megacleid, but a certain lofty demeanor, which was gall and wormwood to Tigellinus.

Cineas at once proceeded to business.

for such an intrusion, he said,

After apologizing

"It is a matter of life and death. My sister and her child are under arrest. I wish to save them, and come to you. No one knows your power better than I. State what you wish to be done, and I will do it.”

Tigellinus lowered his eyes before the calm and penetrating gaze of Cineas, and refused to look him in the face.

"They are prisoners of state. The law has control over them. What can I do?" he answered.

"You don't understand me," said Cineas. "This is what I wish. I came here to ransom them at any cost, no matter what."

"They cannot be ransomed. You must appeal to the

state, not to me."

"Their life is worth more to me," said Cineas, without heeding what Tigellinus had said, "than a thousand others. Will you take a thousand in exchange? I will give you for them a thousand slaves."

"I have told you," said Tigellinus, "that I can do nothing. They are not in my power. You must go to Cæsar." "You will not understand me," said Cineas, coldly. "Have I not said that I will ransom them at any cost? And he placed strong emphasis on these words. "I am rich. Name your price. Whatever you ask, I will give.”

"

The eyes of Tigellinus sparkled for a moment with avaricious longing. But he immediately replied,—

owner.

"You do not know what you are saying, I am not their They are not slaves. They are prisoners. If they were in my power, I could not sell them. I would try them

by the laws, and if they were innocent, I would let them go free."

"Name your price," said Cineas, with the same disregard of what the other had said. "Name it. Will millions buy them?"

Tigellinus looked for a moment at Cineas, and then looked down. A great struggle arose within him. Avarice was strong. Millions were not to be so easily gained every day. But then there arose a stronger feeling, — hate; and there came with it jealousy and revenge, and these all overmastered the other. It would be worth millions to crush the man whom he so hated. Perhaps, also, all those millions might be his, and, while revenge would be satiated, avarice also would gain all that it wished.

With such feelings and thoughts as these, he shook his head.

"No," he said, "I am powerless. This is not a thing of money, it belongs to law."

"MILLIONS!" said Cineas, with strong impressiveness. "Enough," answered Tigellinus rising and trying to assume an appearance of dignity. "You know not what you are doing. You are trying to viclate law by bribi.g a minister. I cannot thus allow myself to be insulted by dishonorable proposals. I have told you that these prisoners are in the hands of the law. That law must take its course."

Cineas said no more. He understood pretty accurately the motives that actuated Tigellinus, and saw that all efforts here were worse than useless, since he was exposed to ignominy without any chance of succeeding in his wishes. So, without another word, he withdrew.

Slowly and sadly he departed, thinking what might be best to be done. Could he not use his wealth in another way. Could he not hire a band of desperadoes, and find out the place where the prisoners were confined, and rescue them. The desperadoes could easily be found. Rome was full of them. But more than this had to be done. If he

rescued them, what then? Where could he fly? True there were the catacombs; but that seemed almost as bad as death.

Then he thought of Nero. Might not something he done there? Nero might grant him this thing, - - his first, and only request. It was impossible that Nero could feel any interest in this thing. It was evidently the act of Tigellinus alone. Nero, in his profound indifference, might grant him this, and think nothing of it.

This seemed his only resource.

Then he thought of Labeo, and his dagger, and his frenzy. What would be the result of this? He had gone to seek Nero. Would he find him? There would be an appeal to Cæsar before his, and if this first appeal failed, what then? Would Labeo, in his despair, do as he had threatened, and use his dagger against the emperor?

Perplexed and disturbed, he rode along, but finally thought that the shortest way to end all doubts was to go at once to the emperor. He knew that no time was to be lost; the

necessity of the hour called above all for haste.

He yielded to this feeling out of pure despair. It might be better, it could not be worse. He would go to Cæsar.

Full of this thought he rode toward the palace in the Vatican Gardens. He came to the Campus Martius, and, crossing over it, drew near to the bridge which spanned the river. Now, as he drew near to the bridge, his attention was arrested by one who crossed it, and came toward him.

His figure was remarkable. Clothed in the costume of one who belonged to the imperial household, he yet had the features of some northern barbarian. His flaxen hair, his heavy beard, and moustache, gave him a wild and savage air. There could be no mistake in that face.

It was Galdus.

Full of amazement at this encounter, and at such a transformation, Cineas stopped his horse mechanically, and stared in wonder at the new-comer. The other advanced with a strange smile of triumph in his face.

"Galdus!" cried Cineas.

"Rejoice!" exclaimed the other.

"All are saved."

"Saved!" responded Cineas, and he could say no more. A full tide of joy rushed through him, -joy too great for utterance. Yet that joy was equalled if not surpassed by his astonishment.

"What is all this? How are they saved? Is it really true? And what means this dress? What are you doing here? Where are they?"

. Cineas would have poured forth a whole torrent of such questions, if Galdus had not checked him.

"We

"It is dangerous to stand talking here,” he said. must hurry away and that quickly. We have been doing things this night that will send all Rome after us to hunt us up."

"The emperor?" faltered Cineas, thinking of Labeo's threat.

come,

"I don't know anything about him. We have had to do with men of another sort. But haste, follow me; I will tell you where they are, and will tell you all." Saying this, Galdus hurried on with great strides, and Cineas turned and followed. Not a word was spoken till Then Galdus told him all.

they had left the city gates.

He told him of his own pursuit, and his capture of Hegio; of his meeting with Labeo, and their rescue of the prisoners. Finally, he told him in words of terrible import, of his vengeance on Hegio.

Such vengeance made Cineas shudder in the midst of his joy. He looked with wonder on this man, whose affection made him as tender as a mother to Marcus, but whose revenge was so fearful on an enemy.

Where would all this end? The deed had been one of no common kind. In that rescue the majesty of the state had been violated, and to this offence there had been added a worse crime.

With such thoughts they reached the entrance to the cata