It
was near the middle hour of the night and Herod's daughter was alone
with the young assessor of Augustus.
"You shall choose," said she, "between the daughter and the son of
Herod. My brother hates me, and I fear him. When he is king, what,
think you, would happen to the husband of Salome, and what to her? I
should have to train my tongue to praise him and my knees to bend. I
should need to bow my head for fear of losing it. Know you not of
Alexander and Aristobulus and the dear, beloved Mariamne--how they
died? You--poor fool!--you would be lucky if he made you master of the
stables!"
"But he has promised--"
"Promised! If you care to live a day after he is king remind him not
of his promises."
"Think you Antipater would dare to take my life? I am an officer of
Augustus."
"Oh, beautiful boy!" she laughed. "He would be no toy of Caesar. He
dreams of conquest. He will gather an army in Judea, Parthia, and
Arabia. He will attack Caesar, and Caesar is growing old. Do you not
know it is long since Actium?"
Alarm had risen to the eyes of the young Roman, his lips were now
trembling.
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