THE day commenced very differently, on the present occasion, in the house of Gallus, from what it had done on the morning of his journey. His disgrace, by some foreseen, but to most both unexpected and looked upon as the harbinger of still more severe misfortunes, formed the principal topic of the day, and was discussed in the forum and the tabernœ with a thousand different comments. The intelligence of his return to Rome soon became diffused throughout the city; and the loud tidings of his presence should have collected the troop of clients who, at other times, flocked in such great numbers to his house. On this day, however, the vestibulum remained empty; the obsequious crowd no longer thronged it. The selfish, who had promised themselves some advantage from the influence of their patron, became indifferent about a house which could no longer be considered, as it had lately been, the entrance-hall of the palace. The timid were deterred by fear of the cloud which hung threatening over Gallus, lest they themselves should be overtaken by the destroying flash. The swarm of parasites, prudently weighing their own interest, avoided a table of doubtful duration, in order that they might not forfeit their seats at ten others, where undisturbed enjoyment for the future appeared more secure.