‘You will pardon me, lord,’ he replied, ’if I do not stay to break my fast.  I am of impatient humour, and never willingly linger when a journey is before me.’

‘As you will,’ said Chorsoman, with a slight knitting of his brows.  ‘You ride alone, I suppose?’

’The lord Basil, who starts for Rome, will give me his company as far as our ways are one.’

Chorsoman gave a glance at the soldiers in his rear, then at Marcian, and smiled grimly.

‘I fear you must go without lord Basil.  I shall have need of him.’

There was a very short silence; then Marcian spoke, with bland decision.

’Commander, this cannot be.  Basil carries letters of urgency to Rome and Ravenna; letters which I would not intrust to any one else.  Your Sublimity will see that it is impossible to delay him.’

Teeth hard set, and eyes aflame, the Hun took a step forward.  In the same instant, Venantius laid a hand upon his sword, and, at the gesture, his armed men looked to their weapons.

‘Where is this Basil?’ demanded Chorsoman.

‘I will let him know if you wish to speak with him,’ replied Marcian.

’You shall be spared the trouble.  Lord Venantius, bid your followers retire and get their horses ready, whilst you and I go in search of lord Basil.  You will not refuse me your company for a few minutes?’

Cunning had again subdued the Hun’s violence, and discretion prevailed with the Roman.  Together they passed through the atrium, Chorsoman casting eager glances about him, and to the inner court; but the followers of Venantius, obedient to a silent order, still kept their position in face of the Greek soldiers, and this Chorsoman knew.

‘You understand,’ said the Hun, when they were alone together, you, a brave and honourable man, how my duty to the Emperor obliges me to act.  I, of course, take possession of this villa until Aurelia is discovered.  And, however important his mission, I cannot allow Basil to depart without some security—­you will understand that.’

The barbarous accent with which these sentences were uttered caused Venantius almost as much disgust as the plundering purpose they avowed.

‘What security?’ he asked.

Chorsoman named a large sum of money.  As he spoke, Basil himself appeared; and with brief preface, the matter under debate was reported to him.  He glanced at Venantius but could find no counsel in the dark, stern face.  Foreseeing the result of the Hun’s visit, Basil had hastened to conceal on his own person a considerable weight of coin, and had intrusted something like the same amount to Felix.  In the treasure chamber lay a mass of wealth now belonging to Aurelia, and the mere fact of this being under lock and key by no means secured it against the commander’s greed.  Marcian came forward, and hearing the talk of ransom, endeavoured to awe the Hun into moderation, but with less success than he had had at Cumae.  So he led Basil aside, told him of the messenger sent to Cumae, as well as of the inventions by which Chorsoman had been beguiled, and counselled mere inaction until news came.  Marcian then inquired of the commander whether, in case Veranilda were found at Cumae, he would permit her to be sent on to Rome under the escort already provided; but to this Chorsoman vouchsafed no direct reply:  he would consider the matter.