"The 'Fortunate House?'" and they pointed to
the marble palace of Marcus, which, as Caleb now saw for the first time,
had these words blazoned in gold letters on its portico.
He nodded.
"Well," said one of them, "you will wait for some time, for that house
is no longer fortunate. Its owner is dead, killed in the wars, and no
one knows who his heir may be."
"What was his name?" he asked.
"Marcus, the favourite of Nero, also called the Fortunate."
Then, with a bitter curse upon his lips Caleb turned and walked away.
CHAPTER XXVI
THE JUDGMENT OF DOMITIAN
Two hours had gone by and Caleb, with fury in his heart, sat brooding in
the office attached to the warehouse that he had hired. At that moment
he had but one desire--to kill his successful rival, Marcus. Marcus had
escaped and returned to Rome; of that there could be no doubt. He, one
of the wealthiest of its patricians, had furnished the vast sum which
enabled old Nehushta to buy the coveted Pearl-Maiden in the slave-ring.
Then his newly acquired property had been taken to this house, where he
awaited her. This then was the end of their long rivalry; for this he,
Caleb, had fought, toiled, schemed and suffered. Oh! rather than such a
thing should be, in that dark hour of his soul, he would have seen her
cast to the foul Domitian, for Domitian, at least, she would have hated,
whereas Marcus, he knew, she loved.
Pages:
468
469
470
471
472
473
474
475
476
477
478
479
480
481
482
483
484
485
486
487
488
489
490
491
492