News of their coming had reached Jerusalem by courier, three days before.

The captain of the guard repeated part of the introduction.
"Vergilius, son of Varro, sent by the great father ?" said he, in a tone of inquiry.
"And worn with much riding," said the young knight.
"I have a message for you.

It is from the king." "He would see me at once," said Vergilius, having read it.
"The sooner you go the more gracious you will be like to find him," said Manius, with a smile.
"My apparel! It is on the transport and has not yet arrived." "But you have arrived, and forget not you are in the land of Herod--a most impatient king." "He will not know, however, that we have come," Vergilius answered.
"Friend of Caesar," said the captain of the guard, "within an hour he will know everything you have done since you entered the city--whither you went, to whom you spoke, and what you said, and perhaps even what you thought.".