No, no, my crafty fellow, you will not catch the workman; for, being warned, he is already on the high-seas." "It is false!" shrieked Zminis.
"That remains to be proved," said Alexander, scornfully.--"Allow me now, great Caesar, to show you the figures.

They have been brought by my orders, and are in the anteroom-carefully covered up, of course, for the fewer the persons who see them the better." Caracalla nodded his consent, and Alexander hurried away; the despot heaping abuse on Zminis, and demanding why he had not at once had the images removed.

The Egyptian now confessed that he had only heard of the caricature from a friend, and declared that if he had seen it he should have destroyed it on the spot.

Macrinus here tried to excuse the spy, by remarking that this zealous official had only tried to set his services in a favorable light.

The falsehood could not be approved, but was excusable.