"This man, Sarcogenes. He sate before a crowd of the vilest in the place, and did abuse thee shamefully. Oh, he is not any friend of thine, my Master. Saith he to the crowd, 'Hast thou seen the chambers in the Jew's great house-that which he truly builded not, but merely made over. And how indeed hath he made it over, the dwelling wherein did once abide even Lampadephorus, the illustrious Greek! He hath filled it with flaming colors which sicken the stomach, and with platings of silver and gold, that the eyes may be dazzled.' "Then said one Defectus, which stood near: 'He hath a poor eye for color, Lord, even as have all Jews. And he seeth no color at all, save only that it be a strong one.'

"Then saith Sarcogenes, 'Tell me, philosopher, why it is there is not in all his house any likeness of any god-picture, or statue, or bas-relief. Now, why is that?'

"I can tell thee, Lord,' saith Defectus. "The man is impious, and serveth not the gods. He should be run out from the city.'

"But Ridiculus and Mobilis and Vulgus, all of whom did also stand nigh, watching the great lord, even Sarcogenes-then said these: 'He hath one god, this Simon of Cyrene, a Hebrew god, Christ.'

"At this I was like to have fainted, Master; for, O Master, the Lord Sarcogenes

"What is that upon the bridge, Conatus?" brake in the Master. Conatus gazed at the bridge for a time, then saith: "There is on the bridge a crowd. Beyond the bridge yet another, on the island.” "Beggars?"

"Belike. They have a way, these mendicants of thronging about the bridges and in the narrower-"

"Let us be good to them, Conatus: they are needy."

"But keep the better portion of our givings for the sons of Abraham."

"For the sons of Abraham. It is right. For the sons of Abraham.”

"But, Master."

"What, Conatus?"

"I saw, just now, as I thought, a little in the rear of those people, the shadowy Thanatos. But sure I cannot be he is too wavering. And-Master-one of those beggars which be upon the bridge, ariseth, standeth straight and proud, and stretcheth a right hand out, giving orders unto others."

"Well?"

"Such do not beggars use to do."

"It is certain.-Conatus."

"I hear, Master."

"Belike we are in much danger, but we shall turn not back. Call thou the anteambulatores, and send them to the rear of us to join the pedisequii."

"Master!"

"As I tell thee. For then we shall be in the front. If the anteambulatores were first attacked (as they surely would be, if kept before us) would they not flee? And then would flee the pedisequii also, and we should be left to do battle alone, both thou and I. But-"

"Master!"

"But, if we do battle manfully, and show our servants the thing that is right for them to do, then will they follow our ensample, and we shall have victory beyond doubt."

"Master!"

"What, Conatus?" "I am afeard."

CHAPTER XLIV

NO REST

"GET thee behind me," said Simon to his servant, "for now I go upon the bridge. And fear nothing, for I am a dimachærus, taught by Lampadephorus of ancient Athens. And the Lord is also with me on this day. But, as to these buildings, many might, it is true, have been builded better- What wouldest thou with me, sirrah?" "An alms, good sir! O Lord of high magnificence, a little alms." "Mine almoner cometh in the rear, sirrah. He will greatly aid thee-without mention- What wouldst thou at my throat?"

And behold, the men of Belial were all upon Simon.

But Simon had taken his swords from underneath his garments, and now circled them about in deadly paths.

Then ran one of the men behind Simon, and would truly have slain him, had not Conatus, seeing his Master in great danger, out with his little poniard and stricken the man.

Then gave Conatus a mighty cry of confidence, and shouted: "I have a leader that knoweth the battle!" He stood at the Master's side, and fought man for man enduringly.

And all the servants of the house of Simon, when they saw how

well the Master and his steward did fight, ran up quickly with swords and staves, and drove the villains off the bridge.

And they all, even Simon and the servants that were with him, went on into the Trans-Tiber, and gave their gifts. And coming back across the bridge in the dead night, they met no one but Defectus, who said unto Simon: "It is Sarcogenes who hath done this thing, Sarcogenes the Christian." For he sought reward of Simon. But Simon answered (because, in his heart, he despised the man): "A thing is patent to the world, O Defectus, when it is seen by such as thee."

Then cried Defectus, losing fear because of anger: "Is it even so, Simon of Cyrene? Know, then, I hate thee terribly, and that, on a day, I will give mighty evidence against thee. Either in private or in public, I will be as a sword in thy side. Remember, though it shall come in a far distant day."

And he made the ciconia after him, and squealed like a pig.

But, on the morrow, Simon received at the hands of a slave a scroll from Cæsar, saying: "I am sorry about this thing, and have given command that never a prætor shall have jurisdiction concerning thee about it. And for him that made the conspiracy, I will see him punished. Fear not: thou art my friend."

But if ever Sarcogenes or other man were punished for this offense, no news thereof came to the ears of Simon. And Simon knew that Defectus would keep his word.

Simon also feared his servant, Conatus. Though he loved that man and had seen him fight manfully, yet feared the Master him. For he said in his heart, "What do I really know concerning Conatus?"

He therefore went about to test his servant.

First he said unto him, "Conatus!"

"Thy wish, Lord."

"Wilt thou not guard me, O Conatus, on this night? For behold! I have many enemies. And now, of all my servants can I trust none, save only thee."

"I will endeavor, Master. But-should Cæsar himself come" "Thou couldest nothing do but awake me."

"Or his soldiers?"

"Even then also."

"Or the great Sarcogenes?"

"Thou couldst still nothing do but awake me. Yet have I many other enemies than these. With them thou mightest fight. One, of old, in far-off Cyrenaica, Trivialis is his name Why dost thou

cough and turn away so? Him do I greatly fear. On a day, when not so much I am oppressed with business, I will hunt him from his hiding, and will have upon him a sure and thorough revenge."

"Thou wouldst not kill him, Master!"

"Thou art greatly alarmed-for such a man."

"I knew him-once."

"Thou!"

"He was a man of no worth, an idler, a trifler."

"Just so, a Mocker too, and a man of sudden violence."
"Not worthy thy metal or thy blow, Master-such a man."
"Where is that man now?"

"Trivialis?"

"Yea."

"Gone from earth, I wot. But there be a many left like him. He is as common as his very name, Master. Didst truly attempt to kill the whole tribe of him, Trivialis, thou wouldst need But wouldst have me guard thee, Master?"

Took Simon him, and showed a room, the which he declared to be his most secret, yet it was not so. And he set his servant at the door, outside, to be for a watch and guard unto him.

But behold! he gave the man no weapon (for this he had reasons) and placed in his drink a potion that made him sleep.

When, then, the new servant was found slumbering, his master went to him, and shook him, and called him loudly into consciousness. Said the Master, "O new servant, that wast to have been so faithful! Dost thou so protect me, and stand for a powerful ward between me and mine enemies?"

The man could only appear astonied, asking: "Have I slept? Have I slept?" He hung his head, and did weep and sob and cry aloud, "Ah woe is me! I had intended to be so faithful."

"And dost thou," asked his master, "admit thou wast sleeping?" "I slept," acknowledged the man. "I truly slept. I am good for nothing whatever. Kill me and let all be past.'

But the Jew said, "If thou dost indeed admit thy fault, and pretendest not that thou wast waking (which many a man would have done) then art thou at the very least honest, and I will try thee again."

He tried him on the next night, and sent unto him another servant, who endeavored to buy him with much gold, begging but for a chance to enter the room of the Master. But Conatus cast him, and bound him, and took him before the Master.

And on the third night, Simon himself slipped out of his sleeping

chamber by a secret way, and being in disguise came round unto the sentry, and attempted to catch him unaware. But this he could not do. But Conatus fell upon him instead, and endeavored to bind him. But this Conatus could not do, but was obliged to be himself bound.

Yet all the while he kept up a great noise and clatter. "Master! Master! A thief and assassin! O my Master! And I not able to get the better of him."

Saith the pretended assassin, "Thy Master can no wise come unto thee, for he is dead. By mine own hand hath he perished. But behold! tell me certain secrets he hath confided to thee, and I will reward thee richly. Deny me, and I give thee death."

Conatus, then, answered: "I have been of no avail at all. So it is well I should perish. Let me have the blade, and that quickly." At this the Master stripped his disguise off, and cried: "O good and faithful watchman, see! I am thy master, even Simon, who did fear and suspect thee, for that he had so many enemies. But never again will he fear thy hand. Take thou, therefore, the blade which, hereafter, shall be for a defence both unto thee and unto me.” He gave him the blade.

And Conatus stood in the presence of his Master with head bowed and arms crossed over his breast (as was the way of slaves before masters). He said to Simon, "Let us go before the prætor. Lay thou there a charge of indebtedness against me-for I indeed am more beholden unto thee than thou canst ever know."

Simon thought that the man did mean only that he, Simon, had given unto his servant a shelter and the office of steward in his house. Yet still he marvelled. And he asked, "Wouldst thou truly be my slave?"

"So would I," quoth the servant. "For, in service to myself, I have been ever a failure. Therefore it is needful I should serve some other man. So, too, I may keep from sin."

"Knowest thou not that Jews have a proverb, 'Three kinds of men cause their own misfortunes: those who lend money without witnesses, those who are ruled by their wives, and those who go into slavery by their own will'?"

"I have no money to lend, Master; nor have I now a wife. I can therefore be but the third part of as big a fool as some men might. Am I not a better than the average?"

"Thou art witty withal. We shall be in time companions. Yet if thou choosest once again, I will take thee to the prætor."

"I choose again."