'That is well. Then for the other side of this great duty. Is thine own house purged? Is the temple, new and of milk-white marble, now as clean and white in its priesthood? Have those young sots and pimps yet atoned for their foul impieties?' 'They have,' replied Fronto. 'They have been dealt with; and their carcases swinging and bleaching in the wind will long serve I trust to keep us sweet. The temple, I now may believe, is thoroughly swept.' 'And how is it, Fronto, with the rest?' 'The work goes on. Your messengers are abroad; and it will be neither for want of power, will, nor zeal, if from this time Hellenism stands not before the world as beautiful in her purity as she is venerable in years and truth.' 'The gods be praised that I have been stirred up to this! When this double duty shall be done, Hellenism reformed, and her enemy extinct, then may I say that life has not been spent for naught. But meanwhile, Fronto, the army needs me. All is prepared, and letters urge me on. To-morrow I would start for Thrace. Yet it cannot be so soon.' 'No,' said the priest. 'Rome will need you more than Thrace, till the edicts have been published, and the work well begun. Then, Aurelian, may it be safely entrusted, so far as zeal and industry shall serve, to those behind.' 'I believe it, Fronto. I see myself doubly reflected in thee: and almost so in Varus. The Christians, were I gone, would have four Aurelians for one. Well, let us rejoice that piety is not dead. The sacrifice this morning was propitious. I feel its power in every thought and movement.' 'But while all things else seem propitious, Aurelian, one keeps yet a dark and threatening aspect.' 'What mean you?' 'Piso!--' 'Fronto, I have in that made known my will, and more than once. Why again dispute it?' 'I know no will, great Caesar, that may rightly cross or surmount that of the gods. They, to me, are supreme, not Aurelian.' Aurelian moved from the priest, and paced the room. 'I see not, Fronto, with such plainness the will of Heaven in this.' ''Tis hard to see the divine will, when the human will and human affections are so strong.' 'My aim is to please the gods in all things,' replied the Emperor. 'Love too, Aurelian, blinds the eye, and softening the heart toward our fellow, hardens it toward the gods.' This he uttered with a strange significancy. 'I think, Fronto, mine has been all too hard toward man, if it were truly charged. At least, of late, the gods can have no ground of blame.' 'Rome,' replied the priest, 'is not slow to see and praise the zeal that is now crowning her seven hills with a greater glory than ever yet has rested on them. Let her see that her great son can finish what has been so well begun.' 'Fronto, I say it, but I say it with some inward pain, that were it plain the will of the gods were so--' 'Piso should die!' eagerly interrupted the priest. 'I will not say it yet, Fronto.'