The hour
has now come when my part of the conditions of our engagement is to be
performed; the hour will yet come when your part shall be exacted from
you in turn! Do you wonder at what I have done and what I will do? Do
you marvel that a household drudge should speak thus to a nobleman of
Rome? Are you astonished that I risk so much as to venture on enlisting
you--by the sacrifice of the girl who now slumbers above--in the cause
whose end is the restoration of our fathers' gods, and in whose service
I have suffered and grown old? Listen, and you shall hear from what I
have fallen--you shall know what I once was!' 'I adjure you by all the
gods and goddesses of our ancient worship, let me hear you where I can
breathe--in the garden, on the housetop, anywhere but in this dungeon!'
murmured the senator in entreating accents.
'My birth, my parents, my education, my ancient abode--these I will not
disclose,' interrupted the Pagan, raising one arm authoritatively, as if
to obstruct Vetranio from approaching the door.
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