His surmises were not wrong, for the instant Classicus planted foot on the earth without, Eutychus came out of the darkness and bowed. "Good my lord," he began, "the story truly told is this--" but his words babbled off into stammers and inarticulate sound, for Marsyas, large in the gloom, stood over him. "Thy master hath need of thee, Eutychus," he said in a soft voice. The charioteer gulped and slid back into the door that had given him exit. "Peace to thee, sir," the Essene said to Classicus, and bowing, returned into the house. "The truth of the story is this," said Classicus as he stepped into his chair and was borne away, "the Essene is no Essene!" At the farther end of the corridor within, Marsyas saw Eutychus lurking. Silent and swift the young Essene went after him. The charioteer, fearing for cause, fled and Marsyas followed. Agrippa, on the point of ascending to his chamber, saw them flit noiselessly into the dusk. His wonder was awakened. Drumah, with a laver under her arm, was emerging from the kitchens when she caught a glimpse of them. The prince stepped down and followed; Drumah slipped after. At the door leading into the colonnade of the garden, Marsyas seized Eutychus. "Thou insufferable coward!" he brought out. "Thou blight and peril under a hospitable roof! I know what thou wouldst have said to the master's guest!" Eutychus paled and struggled to free himself, but Marsyas forced him against the wall and pinned him there. "If so much as a word escape thee, concerning the alabarch's daughter, if by a quiver of thy lashes thou dost betray aught that thou knowest to any living being, or dead post, or empty space, I shall kill thee and feed the eels of the sea with thy carcass!" Fixing the charioteer with a menacing eye he held him until he was sure his words had conveyed their full meaning. "I have spoken!" he added. Then he threw the man aside and turned to go back to his room. But in his path, though happily out of earshot of his low-spoken words, stood Agrippa; behind him, Drumah. Not a little disturbed, Marsyas stopped. Eutychus saw the prince and expected partizanship. "Seest thou how thy servant is used by this vagrant?" he demanded. But Agrippa laid his hand on Marsyas' arm. "I do not know thy provocation," he said, "but I know it was just. Go back! It is not enough. Teach him to respect thy strength. Thou hast merely made him dangerous!" But Marsyas begged Agrippa's permission to go on and the prince, still declaring that the Essene had made a mistake, turned and went with him. Drumah, with her head in the air, passed Eutychus without casting a look upon him. CHAPTER XV THE FALSE BALANCE Marsyas did not sleep the sleep of a man worn with exertion and excitement. Instead he lay far into the night with his wide eyes fixed on the soft gloom above him. He had many diverse thoughts, none wholly contented, many most unhappy.