The three were stately and deliberate in manner, handsome even for their years, and as courtly as Jews can be when they bring up their native grace to the highest standard of culture. They were bearded, gowned in linen, covered with tarbooshes, and as they walked their indoor sandals made no sound upon the polished pavement of the atrium. One wore on his left arm a phylactery, the last clinging to the old formality which had separated his fathers' class in Judea from the others, as a Pharisee. The second was an Alexandrian Sadducee. The third had over his shoulders the cloak of a magistrate. Flaccus did not rise from his curule as they approached, but he returned their greetings with better grace than they had formerly expected of a Roman governor. "Be greeted," he said bluntly. "And sit; ye are elderly men!" Lysimachus took the nearest chair and the others retired a little way to an indoor exedra. Flaccus thrust away parchments and writings to let his elbow rest on his table, ordered the bearers of the fasces to withdraw to a less conspicuous position, and looked at Lysimachus. "Thou lookest grave, Alexander," he said. "Art thou commissioned with a perplexity?" The alabarch, being a magistrate and therefore recognized by Rome before the synagogue, answered readily. "Not so much perplexed, good sir, as troubled. I come with a petition, not in writing, but nevertheless most urgent." "Let me hear it," Flaccus said. "Nay, then; thou knowest that a certain celebration of the Gentiles in this city is approaching. It is a feast of much magnitude and of much lawlessness. Thou knowest the temper of the city toward my people, and after three days of drunkenness, Alexandria will love the Jew no more, but much less. Thou rememberest, as I and my people remember with mourning, that last year, the excited multitude, that followed Flora's trail of yellow roses through the Regio Judaeorum, fell upon the Jews by the way and slaughtered and sacked as if it had been warfare instead of festivity. It was a new diversion for the multitude, and one like to be repeated. But we, who are led to believe by thy recent good will that thou dost not cherish Rome's ancient prejudice against our race, come unto thee and hopefully beseech thee to forbid the Flora to lead her rioters upon our peaceful community." "I have already warned the praetor," Flaccus responded, "that Flora is not to run through the Regio Judaeorum this year." "The praetor dare not disobey thee," Lysimachus said, with a tone of finality in his voice. Flaccus smiled grimly. "Nor Flora," he added. "Thou hast our people's gratitude and allegiance; mine own thankfulness and blessings," Lysimachus responded heartily. Flaccus waved his hand, and glanced at the other two, sitting aside. "And ye?" he said. "Are ye but a portion of the alabarch's commission?" "Nay, good sir," the Sadducee answered, "we come upon a mission for the congregation."