The great marble-covered book that looked like a marble tomb was still open, its cover and fifteen leaves propped up against the tall broken columns of the gateway of the Justice Hall.

Into that open book leapt the first barbarian, leapt and vanished, and the next after him and the next, and then, by twos and threes and sixes and sevens, they leapt in and disappeared, amid gasping and shouting and the nearing sound of the bucina and of the trumpets of Rome.
Then from all quarters of the city the Roman soldiers came trooping, and as the last of the barbarians plunged headlong into the open book, the Romans formed into ordered lines and waited, while a man might count ten.

Then, advancing between their ranks, came the spare form and thin face of the man with the laurel crown.
[Illustration: They leapt in and disappeared.] Twelve thousand swords flashed in air and wavered a little like reeds in the breeze, then steadied themselves, and the shout went up from twelve thousand throats: 'Ave Caesar!' And without haste and without delay the Romans filed through the ruins to the marble-covered book, and two by two entered it and disappeared.
Each as he passed the mighty conqueror saluted him with proud mute reverence.
When the last soldier was hidden in the book, Caesar looked round him, a little wistfully.
'I must speak to him; I must,' Lucy cried; 'I _must_.

Oh, what a darling he is!' She ran down the steps from the gallery and straight to Caesar.

He smiled when she reached him, and gently pinched her ear.