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"And scorn it for thyself?"

Aquila made no answer, but rode on in sulky silence

"Perpol, it must be pleasant to be a queen," the woman observed with

an assumption of childishness in her voice

"Peril's own habit!" Aquila declared

"Peril! Fie! That is half the pleasure of this game of life It is

tiresome to live any other way than hazardously"

"Thou shalt have pleasure enough in this journey thou art to take,"

Aquila declared a little threateningly

The woain, his voice was full of

concern

"I was a fool for not forcing you to stay in Ascalon You are

reckless--reckless!"

"It was that which made me attractive," the woman broke in, "to Nero,

to Vitellius and to you"

"Reckless and useless!" Aquila went on decisively "Hear ht thou'lt leave us and journey to

Emmaus and inform Julian what has wrecked his plans, and send him with

despatch to Zorah This thou wilt do, by all the Furies, or when I do

catch thee as I shall, since there is no other fool in Judea ill

undertake to feed thee, I shall leave the print of my displeasure on

thee frohed aloud, with such peculiar insolence and amusement

that one of the servants heard her and turned his head that way