“I have been known to be superfluous.  However it may be, I get much pleasure in the companionship of this lovely creature, the single flaw in the fine fabric of your villainy.  Do not fear her convincing me.  She might convince others.”

There was no response; after a silence he said as he moved on: 

“I shall warn her to feed a morsel of her food to the parrots ere she tastes it, however.”

He was gone.  The woman felt of the keys that swung under the folds of her robes.  Then she, too, went on.

The oaken door was still fast closed when Philadelphus reached it, but he knew that the girl, who lived within, came out to walk in the sunshine of Amaryllis’ court at certain hours while the household was engaged within doors.

He had not long to wait.  She came out in a little while, and glanced up and down the hall; but he had heard the turn of the bolt and had stepped into shadow in time.  Reassured that no one was near, she emerged and passing down the hall entered the court.

And there presently he joined her.

He sat down on one of the stone seats and smiled at her.

“Do I appear excited?” he asked.

She glanced at him indifferently.

“No,” she said.

“I have this day seen destruction resolved for the city.”

She took his easy declaration with a frown.  If it were true he should not show that flippancy; if it were not he should not have jested.

“I saw,” he continued, “Titus and his beloved Nicanor ride around the walls.  Though they were the full length of a bow-shot from me, I knew what they talked about.  Now, this young Nicanor is a gad that tickles Titus when his soft heart would urge him into tendernesses toward the enemy.  But for Nicanor, Titus would have withdrawn his legions long ago and left Jerusalem to die of its own violences.

“On the day that you came into Jerusalem, Titus, as a display of amicable intentions, rode up to the walls without arms or armor, trusting to the Jews’ soldierly honor in refusing to attack an unarmed man.  But the Jews have never been instructed in the nice points of military courtesy, so they went out against him by thousands.  And but for the fact that he is practised in dodging arrows and his horse is used to running away, Emperor Vespasian would have to leave the aegis to the unlovely Domitian.

“Any Roman but Titus would remember this against the Jews until he had put the last one in bondage, but Titus is not a Roman.  I think some-times that he is a Christian, since it is their boast to love their enemies.  Whatever his feelings after that ignominious adventure of a few days ago, forth he rides this morning; beside him the Gad, Nicanor; behind him, that sweet traitor, Josephus.

“The Darling of Mankind rode so meditatively, so dejectedly, that I knew by his attitude, he said:  ’Alack, it galls me to go against this goodly city!’