The Roman Traitor (Vol. 1 of 2) - The UK Mirror Service

THE LOVERS 31
intoxicated as it were with present triumph— [36]
"By all the Gods! Rome is our own! our own, even now, to
portion out among our friends, our mistresses, our slaves!"
"Not Rome—but Rome's inheritance, the world!" exclaimed
another. "If we win, all the universe is ours—and see how small
the stake; when, if we fail"—
"By Hades, we'll not fail!" Cataline interrupted him, in his
deep penetrating tones. "We cannot, and we will not! and now,
for I wax somewhat weary, we will break up this conclave. We
meet at the comitia!"
"And the Slave?" whispered Cethegus, with an inquiring
accent, in his ear—"the Slave, my Sergius?"
"Will tell no tales of us," replied the other, with a hoarse laugh,
"unless it be to Lamia."
Thus they spoke as they left the house; and ere the day had
yet begun to glimmer with the first morning twilight—so darkly
did the clouds still muster over the mighty city—went on their
different ways toward their several homes, unseen, and, as they
fondly fancied, unsuspected.
CHAPTER III.
THE LOVERS.
[37]