Page:Henryk Sienkiewicz - Quo Vadis (1897 Curtin translation).djvu/60

44

was at home. The doorkeeper did not dare to stop Vinicius, who burst into the atrium like a storm, and, learning that the master of the house was in the library, rushed into the library with the same impetus. Finding Petronius writing, he snatched the reed from his hand, broke it, trampled the reed on the floor, then fixed his fingers into his shoulder, and, approaching his face to that of his uncle, asked with a hoarse voice,—

"What hast thou done with her? Where is she?"

Suddenly an amazing thing happened. That slender and effeminate Petronius seized the hand of the youthful athlete, which was grasping his shoulder, then seized the other, and, holding them both in his one hand with the grip of an iron vice, he said,—

"I am only incapable in the morning; in the evening I regain my former strength. Try to escape. A weaver must have taught thee gymnastics, and a blacksmith thy manners."

On his face not even anger was evident, but in his eyes there was a certain pale reflection of energy and daring. After a while he let the hands of Vinicius drop. Vinicius stood before him shamefaced and enraged.

"Thou hast a steel hand," said he; "but if thou hast betrayed me, I swear, by all the infernal gods, that I will thrust a knife into thy body, though thou be in the chambers of Cæsar."

"Let us talk calmly," said Petronius. " Steel is stronger, as thou seest, than iron; hence, though out of one of thy arms my two might be made, I have no need to fear thee. On the contrary, I grieve over thy rudeness, and if the ingratitude of men could astonish me yet, I would be astonished at thy ingratitude."

"Where is Lygia?"

"In a brothel,—that is, in the house of Cæsar."

"Petronius!"

"Calm thyself, and be seated. I asked Cæsar for two things, which he promised me,—first to take Lygia from the house of Aulus, and second to give her to thee. Hast thou