“You are too kind,” replied Stephanus. “But an individual can never be missed, where good talk is kept up by so many distinguished men. I am worried and out of spirits, and quite out of place among the gay and cheerful.” Clodianus expressed his regret in a long-drawn “Ah,” but his eye betrayed no sorrow. He seated himself on the couch by Stephanus. "It is very true, the air of the city is saturated with anxiety. I have my own little share of it. You know the old saying: 'A scorpion lurks under every stone.'" Stephanus smiled. “You carry your politeness--or your irony--too far.--You, the most fortunate man in Rome.” “I might very well say the same of you. Except the little annoyances that Cneius Afranius can cause you, your life is that of a god on Olympus.--To be sure,” he added in a lower voice, “that man’s tenacity is beginning to look threatening. All the more so since....” “Well, finish your sentence.” “Well, then, you know that until now I have found ways and means of parrying his attacks, but now....” The freedman turned pale. “But now...?” “Now certain symptoms are revealing themselves--symptoms which make me suspect, that I shall not be able much longer to elude his thrusts.” He had spoken these words hardly above his breath. They distilled slowly into the steward’s ear like poisonous adders, and seemed to writhe in his very soul. “Impossible!” he exclaimed in a choked voice. “You, the influential favorite of Caesar....” “It is as I say. Why, I cannot myself altogether understand, but I am alive to the fact. The wind is blowing keenly through all the Basilicas, and if you do not keep a bright look-out you may be wrecked.” “But, by Jupiter! why have I not heard this till to-day?” “Because I fancied at first that I might be deceiving myself.... Splendid! First rate, Duilius! That is what I call throwing. Look, look now--_Io triumphe_. A winner at Olympia could not beat that!” “I implore you,” whispered Stephanus, “tell me at once....” “Keep calm,” replied Clodianus. “The Baths are not the place for such a discussion. Where do you dine?” “With Lycoris.” "Good, I will excuse myself to Furius, and go with you. After supper, in the park, we shall easily secure a few minutes.... Bravo, Septimius! bravo! What wonderful muscles! Praxiteles[55] ought to have had you for a model! By Castor, but you will break every bone in Sempronius' body, sturdy as he is! Well, then," he went on, turning to Stephanus again, “we shall meet at the fair Massilian’s table.” He rose with a friendly nod, and passed through the great door in the inner wall into the _frigidarium_.[56] There he tossed his woollen wrapper over the head of a slave, and descended in all the dignity of stalwart corpulence into the vast bath. More than a hundred bathers were already sitting in it, up to their shoulders in the transparent water. Only a few swimmers were disporting themselves at the farther end.