THE ROBE Read Online Free PDF Page A

like being a princess,' remarked Marcellus,
absently. He glanced up to find his father's eyes alight with curiosity.
    'We are quite far afield, aren't we; discussing Diana?' observed Gallio,
slyly. 'Are you interested in her?'
    'Not any more than Lucia is,' replied Marcellus, elaborately casual.
'They are, as you know, inseparable. Naturally, I see Diana almost every day.'
    'A beautiful and amazingly vivacious child,' commented the Senator.
    'Beautiful and vivacious,' agreed Marcellus--'but not a child. Diana is
nearly sixteen, you know.'
    'Old enough to be married: is that what you are trying to say? You could
hardly do better--if she can be tamed. Diana has fine blood. Sixteen, eh? It is
a wonder Gaius has not noticed. He might do himself much good in the esteem of
the Emperor--and he certainly is in need of it--if he should win Diana's
favor.'
    'She loathes him!'
    'Indeed? Then she has talked with you about it?'
    'No, sir. Lucia told me.'
    There was a considerable interval of silence before Gallio spoke again,
slowly measuring his words.
    'In your present strained relation to Gaius, my son, you would show
discretion, I think, if you made your attentions to Diana as inconspicuous as
possible.'
    'I never see her anywhere else than here, sir.'
    'Even so: treat her casually. Gaius has spies everywhere.'
    'Here--in our house?' Marcellus frowned incredulously.
    'Why not? Do you think that Gaius, the son of Agrippa, who never had an
honest thought in his life, and of Julia, who was born with both ears shaped
like keyholes, would be too honorable for that?' Gallio deftly rolled up the
scroll that lay at his elbow, indicating that he was ready to put aside his
work for the day. 'We have discussed this fully enough, I think. As for what
occurred last night, the Prince's friends may advise him to let the matter
drop. Your best course is to do nothing, say nothing--and wait developments.'
He rose and straightened the lines of his toga. 'Come! Let us ride to Ismael's
camp and look at the Hispanians. You will like them; milk-white, high-spirited,
intelligent--and undoubtedly expensive. Ismael, the old rascal, knows I am
interested in them, unfortunately for my purse.'
    Marcellus responded eagerly to his father's elevated mood. It was almost
as if the shrewd Marcus Lucan Gallio had firmly settled the unhappy affair with
Gaius. He opened the door for the Senator to precede him. In the atrium,
leaning against a column, lounged Demetrius. Coming smartly to attention he
saluted with his spear and followed a few paces behind the two men as they
strolled through the vasty rooms and out to the spacious western portico.
    'Rather unusual for Demetrius to be loitering in the atrium,' remarked
Marcellus in a guarded undertone.
    'Perhaps he was standing there,' surmised Gallio, 'to discourage anyone
else from loitering by the door.'
    'Do you think he may have had a special reason for taking that precaution?'
    'Possibly. He was with you at the banquet; knows that you gave offense
to Gaius; concludes that you are in disfavor; and, by adding it all up, thinks
it is time to be vigilant.'
    'Shall I ask him if he suspects that there are spies in the house?' suggested
Marcellus.
    Gallio shook his head.
    'If he observes anything irregular, he will tell you, my son.'
    'I wonder who this is coming.' Marcellus nodded toward a uniformed
Equestrian Knight who had just turned in from the Via Aurelia. 'We're to be
honored,' he growled. 'It is Quintus, the younger Tuscus. The Prince has been
seeing much of him lately, I hear.'
    The youthful Tribune, followed by a well-mounted aide, rode briskly
toward them; and, neglecting to salute, drew a gilded scroll from the belt of
his tunic.
    'I am ordered by His Highness, Prince Gaius, to deliver this message
into the hands of Tribune Marcellus Lucan Gallio,' he barked, haughtily. The
aide, who had dismounted, carried the scroll up the steps and handed it over.
    'His Highness might do well to employ messengers with better