Гладиатор

           Theirvoicesgrewquieterastheywalkedaway.Amongthepassingcrowdsweresomeyoungboysfromrichfamilies,watchedbytheirservants.Maximustooknonoticeofthemuntilavoicesuddenlymadehimturnhishead.

           "Gladiator!"Itwasoneoftheboys,fair-hairedandaboutthesameageasMaximus’sson."Gladiator,areyoutheonetheycall’theSpaniard?’"heasked.

           Maximusmovedclosertotheboy."Yes,"hesaid."Theysaidyouwereenormous.Theysaidyoucouldsqueezeaman’sheaduntilitbroke,withjustonehand,"saidtheboy.

           Maximuslookeddownathishand."Aman’s?No..."hesaidHeheldouthishandandsmiled."Butmaybeaboy’s..."

           Theboysmiledback."Ilikeyou,Spaniard,"hesaid."Ishallcheerforyou."

           Maximuswasshocked."Theyletyouwatchthegames?"heasked.

           "Myunclesaystheywillmakemestrong,"theboyreplied.

           "Butwhatdoesyourfathersay?"

           "Myfather’sdead."

           Theboy’sservantcametohimandtookhishand."Come,Lucius.It’stimetogo."

           "Yourname’sLucius?"askedMaximus.

           "LuciusVerus,likemyfather,"Luciussaidproudly.Heturnedandleft,followedbytheservant.

           Withashock,MaximussuddenlyrealizedthattheboymustbeLucilla’sson.Hesearchedthecrowd-wasLucillasomewhereoutthere?Butalthoughhekeptlooking,hecouldnotseeher.Hecouldonlyseethefacesofpeoplewhowerethirstyforblood.