“A thousand thanks, good soul!” he whispered to Lucilia as he passed. The bolt was cautiously pushed back into the rings, and Caius Aurelius flew home, leaning on the arm of Herodianus. It was almost midnight by the time he reached home; the door-keeper was asleep, nor did he wake till they had knocked repeatedly. “You may go now, Antisthenes,” said Herodianus. “I will shut up the house; you are released for to-night.” The ostiarius went off to his little room. Herodianus not only bolted the door, but barred it too,[58] with the strong iron stanchion which stood unused in the comer, slipping it into the staples on each side of the door; and it was not till he had made all fast that he followed his master, who had lighted the lamps in one of the large rooms adjoining the peristyle, and opened a brass-plated cupboard in the wall. While Aurelius and Herodianus were busy packing up all their valuables, and particularly large quantities of gold coin, Magus, in the garden behind the house and adjoining the pillared court, was saddling three capital horses. He had just finished tightening the girths of the second, a fine Cappadocian, when three thundering knocks at the front entrance echoed through the house. “What, already?” muttered the Goth. “Then indeed....” He flung the saddle on the third horse with double haste, and then listened in breathless anxiety. Meanwhile Herodianus had gone to the door. “Who is there?” he asked wrathfully. “Open the door,” answered a gruff voice. “By Pluto! My master only receives visitors in the day time.” “Open it!” repeated the voice. "In the name of the city-prefect."[59] Herodianus just waited to make sure that the bar was fast in the staples; then he ran as quickly as he was able back to the peristyle. “My lord, are you ready?” he said breathlessly to Aurelius, who was girding on a short sword. “The spies have come two hours too soon.” “Then may the gods befriend us! I thought it was a messenger from Cinna....” “No indeed--from the city-prefect. Hark, they are shaking the house to the foundations....” “I will speak to them,” said Aurelius. “Do you meanwhile arm yourself and see whether the road by the garden door is clear. As soon as you are ready, give me a signal.” Herodianus flung the valuables they had packed, and five or six bags of coin, into a large leather sack, which lay on the floor; then he hurried into the garden, gave the sack over to Magus, who swung it lightly over his shoulder, bid him mount, and, with cautious steps, went to reconnoitre from the side gate. Aurelius had gone out into the ostium, which was still being shaken with the blows at the door. “Stop that!” he cried, as loud as he could shout. “Who dares to use such violence here? I am a Roman citizen and will have you punished for your insolence.” “Open the door, or we will break it in,” said a voice outside. “It will be the worse for you if you do.--Who are you, that come to attack my house by force?”