"Dr. Phillips," said Justin, "I've been hoping you'd turn up here again. On our first visit I saw a Roman soldier down the hall toward the dining saloon. He was with a Mohammedan-looking female. Do you have any idea of who he is--or what his assignment is?" Dr. Phillips nodded. "Aye," he said. "I forget his name--it is of no moment in history. He is--or was--a mere field officer in the suite of a Judaean sub-Praetor during the reign of Augustus." "And his assignment?" Justin asked quietly. "I believe to the best of my memory--" Dr. Phillips frowned as he delved into his own mind--"that this chap was supposed to arrest a fellow named John Something-or-other outside of Jerusalem and hold him on a trumped-up charge." "I take it," said Justin, "that Roman Judaea has not been one of your fields of study." "Gracious no!" replied the don. "My only knowledge of Latin is derived from an effort to study its imprint, if any, on the pre-Christian tongues of Northern Europe--including Scandinavia." "Thank you, Dr. Phillips," said Justin, slipping off his couch again. "By the way, how do you summon Ortine when you want him?" "Just press this button," said Dr. Phillips, indicating a circular buzzer almost invisible against the wall near the corridor door. "Well, in that case I'll be going." IX Ortine sauntered in. He nodded pleasantly, said, "That was quicker than I'd dared hope. Thanks, Justin--and you too, Deborah Wilkins. You have reached your decision together?" Deborah spoke quietly, firmly, said, "Charles is my master. What he decides, I shall obey." "Remarkable--this strange emotional fusion," Ortine remarked to the banker. He sat down, added, "Of all human madness love is the most difficult to understand." "You should be used to it by now," Justin told him. Ortine sighed and said, "Some things one cannot get used to. But come, Justin, I trust you are going to be reasonable." "I'm going to ask you a few questions before coming to a definite decision," said Justin. "Sane enough," Ortine replied amiably. Justin began, "On my first visit here I noticed a Roman legionary a few doors down the corridor." Ortine nodded. "Right--Marcus Rutilius Catanio. A very well-balanced young man." Justin said, "When you first discussed with me the madmen of history who have succeeded--you'll pardon an apparent digression--it occurred to me afterward that you failed to mention the Christ." Ortine made a deprecatory gesture. "My dear fellow, I can never be certain how deep such spiritual beliefs go in any of you humans. I thought it more tactful...." "This Marcus Rutilius What's-his-name," Justin went on. "From what Dr. Phillips just told me, it is his job to prevent the Christ from going to Jerusalem." There was a gasp from Deborah but Ortine ignored the interruption. He said, "Of course, Justin. It is my intention to remove much of the world's sense of guilt by preventing your Christ from dying on the Cross."