I seized the dogs, spoke to them, quieted them, separated them and when I ordered them, they lay down side by side under the litter. I climbed in. As my bearers shouldered the litter, the Satronian doorkeeper came forward and said truculently: "That is our dog under your litter." "Is he your dog?" I retorted. "Prove it! Take hold of him." The doorkeeper tried and the Molossian snarled at him. He called the footmen to help him. At that somehow, I both lost my temper and felt prankish. "Chase 'em, Terror," I called. "Chase 'em, Fury!" It was a wonder to see the Aquitanian obey, to see the Molossian obey was a portent. Into the mansion scuttled the doorkeeper, the footmen, the lackeys, the hangers-on, the two dogs barking at their heels. I called them off in time to forestall any lacerated ankles, and still more marvellously they obeyed instantly, checked, withdrew to under the litter and there paced, side by side, to Vedia's home. There, also, I was denied admission, but urbanely, the porter asserting that his mistress was not at home. While I was questioning the porter, who was becomingly respectful, a bevy of Vedian retainers, house-lackeys and other slaves, overtook me, demanding the return of the Aquitanian watchdog. "Take him!" I said, "take him if you can!" The boldest of them approached the dog, calling him by name and wheedlingly. When he was but a yard or so away the dog flew at his throat and almost set his fangs into it, for they snapped together a mere hand's breadth short. The fellow recoiled and, when the dog followed like an arrow from a bow, took to his heels, his companions with him, and they ran helter-skelter down the street, the dog pursuing them to the corner of the Carinae, and returning, his tongue hanging out, his tail wagging, with all the demonstrations of a dog who feels he has done his full duty and has earned approbation. Hardly had he returned when a band of Satronians appeared and a similar scene was enacted, with the Molossian as chief actor. When the last Satronian had vanished round the corner of the thoroughfare I reentered my litter and we set off for the Palace, both dogs sedately pacing side by side underneath. At the Palace portal Agathemer had no difficulty in locating Murmex, even in the crowd which packed all approaches to that entrance. I spoke to the centurion on duty at the portal and to the head out-door usher, meaning to arrange that Murmex should be let in among the first when the commonality were admitted after the senators and knights had paid their duty to the Emperor. To my amazement the head usher looked at a list or memorandum which he had in his hand and said: