It is time for some of you to tell me what just now most interests this country-side.

My idea of country life is that it is about as exciting as the winter sleep of a dormouse or of a hibernating bear; but for all I know, it may be as lively in its way as life in town; you may be agog over some occurrence as important to you as a change of Palace Prefects would be at Rome.

Speak out somebody, if there is anything worth telling." "Whether it be worth telling I do not know," spoke up Bultius Seclator, "but the country-side hereabouts is agog just now over a recent case of abduction." (I shuddered: here was the feud to the fore in spite of everything.

And I shuddered yet more as I saw set and harden the features of Vulso, Rusco and Naepor.) "To make clear to you," he went on, "I'll have to explain the circumstances.

You undoubtedly know both Satronius Dromo of this valley and his father, Satronius Satro, at Rome.