Glancing up, he saw him and asked:
"Is that the Jew who gives evidence, Saturius?"
"My lord, it is the man," answered the chamberlain; "also the other
witness waits without."
"Good. Then bring in the accused."
There was a pause, till presently Caleb heard footsteps behind him
and looked round to see Marcus advancing up the hall with a proud and
martial air. Their eyes met, and for an instant Marcus stopped.
"Oh!" he said aloud, "the Jew Caleb. Now I understand." Then he marched
forward and gave the military salute to the prince.
Domitian stared at him with hate in his pale eyes, and said carelessly:
"Is this the accused? What is the charge?"
"The charge is," said the lawyer, "that the accused Marcus, a prefect
of horse serving with Titus Caesar in Judaea, suffered himself to be taken
prisoner by the Jews when in command of a large body of Roman troops,
contrary to the custom of the army and to the edict issued by Titus
Caesar at the commencement of the siege of Jerusalem. This edict
commanded that no soldier should be taken alive, and that any soldier
who was taken alive and subsequently rescued, or who made good his
escape, should be deemed worthy of death, or at the least of degradation
from his rank and banishment.
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