'Sosia, how much dost thou require to make up the purchase of thy freedom?' 'How much? Why, about two thousand sesterces.' 'The gods be praised! not more? Seest thou these bracelets and this chain? They are well worth double that sum. I will give them thee if...' 'Tempt me not: I cannot release thee. Arbaces is a severe and awful master. Who knows but I might feed the fishes of the Sarnus Alas! all the sesterces in the world would not buy me back into life. Better a live dog than a dead lion.' 'Sosia, thy freedom! Think well! If thou wilt let me out only for one little hour!--let me out at midnight--I will return ere to-morrow's dawn; nay, thou canst go with me.' 'No,' said Sosia, sturdily, 'a slave once disobeyed Arbaces, and he was never more heard of.' 'But the law gives a master no power over the life of a slave.' 'The law is very obliging, but more polite than efficient. I know that Arbaces always gets the law on his side. Besides, if I am once dead, what law can bring me to life again!' Nydia wrung her hands. 'Is there no hope, then?' said she, convulsively. 'None of escape till Arbaces gives the word.' 'Well, then, said Nydia, quickly, 'thou wilt not, at least, refuse to take a letter for me: thy master cannot kill thee for that.' 'To whom?' 'The praetor.' 'To a magistrate? No--not I. I should be made a witness in court, for what I know; and the way they cross-examine the slaves is by the torture.' 'Pardon: I meant not the praetor--it was a word that escaped me unawares: I meant quite another person--the gay Sallust.' 'Oh! and what want you with him?' 'Glaucus was my master; he purchased me from a cruel lord. He alone has been kind to me. He is to die. I shall never live happily if I cannot, in his hour of trial and doom, let him know that one heart is grateful to him. Sallust is his friend; he will convey my message.' 'I am sure he will do no such thing. Glaucus will have enough to think of between this and to-morrow without troubling his head about a blind girl.' 'Man,' said Nydia, rising, 'wilt thou become free? Thou hast the offer in thy power; to-morrow it will be too late. Never was freedom more cheaply purchased. Thou canst easily and unmissed leave home: less than half an hour will suffice for thine absence. And for such a trifle wilt thou refuse liberty?' Sosia was greatly moved. It was true that the request was remarkably silly; but what was that to him? So much the better. He could lock the door on Nydia, and, if Arbaces should learn his absence, the offence was venial, and would merit but a reprimand. Yet, should Nydia's letter contain something more than what she had said--should it speak of her imprisonment, as he shrewdly conjectured it would do--what then! It need never be known to Arbaces that he had carried the letter. At the worst the bribe was enormous--the risk light--the temptation irresistible. He hesitated no longer--he assented to the proposal.