_Pis._ Your purpose, gentlemen? Ye would not come In such a dangerous body to my house Without great cause. _RUFUS._ ’Tis urgency, my lord. We have met to-day, and voted with one voice Immediate action. That madman Scevinus Hath taken the whole affair upon himself, And full of mystery walks at large, parading His self-importance; wearing on his face The secret of our lives. You must come forward, Or we are lost. _Pis._ I shall not move. _Ruf._ My lord! 1880 My lord! my lord! (_A servant has been speaking with Natalis at the door._) _NATALIS_ (_to Piso_). Here is another come. _Pis._ Bring him in.—(_To Ruf._) Nay, Rufus, I shall not move. [_Exit Nat._ Why should you come to me? I made no promise But this, when Nero is dead, to be your Cæsar. _ASPER._ The men, my lord, whose hands you grasped in faith Need your support. A Cæsar we must have; Stand by us or withdraw. _Pis._ May I ask the name Of the last speaker? _Asp._ Asper, my lord. _Pis._ By heaven! Asper thou art. _Re-enter Natalis with Senecio._ _Nat._ Betrayal! betrayal! _SENECIO_ (_excitedly_). My lords, we are betrayed. _All._ Betrayed! _Pis._ Scevinus is it? _Se^{o.}_ No. Proculus, The Admiral. He hath brought to Nero a woman From Naples, who was sent to gain him over. _LUCAN_ (_aside_). Epicharis failed me! _Pis._ A woman too! _Ruf._ What names hath she betrayed? _Se^{o.}_ No names at all. She outfaced the Admiral with a lie, and I Swore it was true. _Pis._ Hath she not mentioned me? _Se^{o.}_ No, my lord, none. _Luc._ (_aside_). Well done! _Pis._ Maybe then she knows nothing. 1900 _Se^{o.}_ Ay, she knows: She told me. _Luc._ You? _Se^{o.}_ Yes; me, sir. _Pis._ What is her name? _Se^{o.}_ Epicharis. _Ruf._ Who is Epicharis? _Pis._ Ay, who is she? how came she in the plot? _Se^{o.}_ Lucan perhaps may know. _Luc._ I have heard the name, And mentioned with my uncle, the physician. If that is what Senecio means, ’tis nought. _FLAVUS._ Where is she? let us see her. _Se^{o.}_ Tigellinus Hath her in custody. _Ruf._ She will be questioned. _Fla._ We must not wait. _Pis._ Who, now, is guilty of this? I have other evidence too that your secret Has been ill-kept, gentlemen.—When I sent A messenger to Seneca this morning, He was refused admission.—Seneca knows. _LATERANUS._