Afterwards they examined the collection in earnest. They went over the museum's display cards and the accompanying brochures, checking to see what the current century's historians had made of this time in history. There were some gaps, but for the most part the accuracy was impressive. Just the same, Formosus couldn't help but laugh at some of the attention given to common household objects. "But, Marius, it is just a bowl!" he protested.

Finally there was no more to see and the rest of the museum lay before them. For hours they wandered through the halls, easily avoiding the occasional guards. Marius continued a careful chronological course, although for the most part he kept to the European and Mediterranean collections. What was the use of showing the rescued poet the rest of the world, especially when time was so short?

In the Medieval galleries, the Byzantine pieces pleased Formosus very much, that was immediately obvious. As they examined the intricate tile work and icons, Marius couldn't help but express an interest in the vampire's years in Constantinople.

"So did you have a house decorated with things like these?" he asked, motioning to a case of intricately carved diptychs, plaques, and reliquaries. All around the gallery patterns of wood, stone, enamel, and metal spread out like a web.

"Of course I did. Only the best for the rich noble."

Marius paused, following Formosus to the next case. "Let me ask you this. It's something I've been wondering. You say you operated your own house of pleasure in Constantinople."

Formosus issued a quiet laugh. "I do not just say it, I actually did it."

"Of course. My question is, wasn't it difficult for you to manage things? Not that you are not gifted, but how did you manage the details, the business end, during the day? And how did you do this when you were, as far as the people in that city were concerned, a mere boy? A boy in a city where boys as beautiful of you could find themselves in quite a bit of danger…"

"Ah, now I see your line of questioning," Formosus interrupted casually, circling a marble bust, examining it from all sides. "Put simply, I was able to find a few trusted men who were able to carry out by business. Needless to say, they were quite devoted to me and not without reason. They are the ones who procured my goods for me, kept my household properly dressed, fed, entertained. They saw my taxes paid, collected money from my clients, distributed the charity I was always bestowing - anonymously, of course - and made it so I could appear in the evening and do as I liked. You did the same in Antioch and Venice and elsewhere, did you not?"

"Yes," Marius replied. "So it is as I supposed. Of course. Yet I also wonder… were you never taken on by the city's religious authorities or the secular authorities - or both, as they were so intertwined?"

This time the laughter was loud enough to cause an echo. "Oh, Marius, but naturally! I was, and will forever be, an absolute heretic. My beliefs are two: love and Bacchus."

Marius could no longer resist taking his treasure into his arms. "Yes, a heretic. A poet. And I love you for it."