What is it you would say ?' 'Your friend--ah, how sincerely! May I speak then as a friend, without reserve and without offence ?' 'I beseech you do so.' 'This young profligate, this Glaucus, how didst thou know him?
Hast thou seen him often ?' And as Arbaces spoke, he fixed his gaze steadfastly upon Ione, as if he sought to penetrate into her soul.
Recoiling before that gaze, with a strange fear which she could not explain, the Neapolitan answered with confusion and hesitation: 'He was brought to my house as a countryman of my father's, and I may say of mine.

I have known him only within this last week or so: but why these questions ?' 'Forgive me,' said Arbaces; 'I thought you might have known him longer.
Base insinuator that he is!' 'How! what mean you?
Why that term ?' 'It matters not: let me not rouse your indignation against one who does not deserve so grave an honour.' 'I implore you speak.

What has Glaucus insinuated?
or rather, in what do you suppose he has offended ?' Smothering his resentment at the last part of Ione's question, Arbaces continued: 'You know his pursuits, his companions his habits; the comissatio and the alea (the revel and the dice) make his occupation; and amongst the associates of vice how can he dream of virtue ?' 'Still you speak riddles.

By the gods! I entreat you, say the worst at once.' 'Well, then, it must be so.

Know, my Ione, that it was but yesterday that Glaucus boasted openly--yes, in the public baths--of your love to him.