I am a much humbler man, a chieftain of Tripoli."
"Ah! I knew that you were some distinguished person, from your bearing
and dress."
When Alyrus smiled, he was uglier than ever.
"A brute!" muttered Lycias, under his breath. Then aloud: "Are you on
some mission to the Emperor?"
"Ahem. Not so. But very high in the secrets of the chief priest of
Jupiter."
"One might call him the power behind the throne."
"Thou hast said truly."
"And it is really true that thou art admitted to those holy
precincts?"
"Behold!" Alyrus drew from the folds of his garment the bronze lizard.
"Not only does this admit me to the temple itself but to any place in
the city of Rome. Thou seest. It is the symbol of the priests of
Jupiter."
"I see," Lycias' eyes gleamed, as he watched Alyrus placing the
precious symbol in a safe place.
Then, Alyrus, intoxicated by the events of the past few moments, by
his sudden transition from slavery to freedom, at the prospect opening
before him of a speedy return to the home he loved, flattered at the
homage shown him by the gladiator, poured out the whole story into
ears only too willing to hear.
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