“Why does Domitian persecute me?” he asked again.

“How innocent are you soldiers!” said the chamberlain.  “I will answer your question by another.  Why do you buy beautiful captives upon whom royalty chances to have set its heart?”

Marcus thought a moment, then said, “Is there any way out of this trouble?”

“My lord Marcus, I came to show you one.  Nobody really believes that you of all men failed in your duty out there in Jerusalem.  Why, the thing is absurd, as even those carpet-captains before whom you were tried knew well.  Still, your position is most awkward.  There is evidence against you—­of a sort.  Vespasian will not interfere, for he is aware that this is some private matter of Domitian’s, and having had one quarrel with his son over the captive, Pearl-Maiden, he does not wish for another over the man who bought her.  No, he will say—­this prefect was one of the friends and officers of Titus, let Titus settle the affair as it may please him when he returns.”

“At least Titus will do me justice,” said Marcus.

“Yes, without doubt, but what will that justice be?  Titus issued an edict.  Have you ever known him to go back upon his edicts, even to save a friend?  Titus declared throughout his own camps those Romans who were taken prisoner by the Jews to be worthy of death or disgrace, and two of them, common men and cowards, have been publicly disgraced in the eyes of Rome.  You were taken prisoner by the Jews and have returned alive, unfortunately for yourself, to incur the dislike of Domitian, who has raked up a matter that otherwise never would have been mooted.”

“Now,” he says to Titus—­“Show justice and no favour, as you showed in the case of the captive Pearl-Maiden, whom you refused to the prayer of your only brother, saying that she must be sold according to your decree.  Even if he loves you dearly, as I believe he does, what, my lord Marcus, can Titus answer to that argument, especially as he also seeks no further quarrel with Domitian?”

“You said you came to show me a way to safety—­yet you tell me that my feet are set in the path of disgrace and death.  Must this way of yours, then, be paved with gold?”

“No,” answered Saturius drily, “with pearls.  Oh!  I will be plain.  Give up that necklace—­and its wearer.  What do you answer?”

Now Marcus understood, and a saying that he heard on the lips of Miriam arose in his mind, though he knew not whence it came.

“I answer,” he said with set face and flashing eyes, “that I will not cast pearls before swine.”

“A pretty message from a prisoner to his judge,” replied the chamberlain with a curious smile.  “But have no fear, noble Marcus, it shall not be delivered.  I am not paid to tell my royal master the truth.  Think again.”

“I have thought,” answered Marcus.  “I do not know where the maiden is and therefore cannot deliver her to Domitian, nor would I if I could.  Rather will I be disgraced and perish.”