on Pomponia or thy divine Lygia? Hast thou not seen them making signs
to each other, intelligible to them alone?"

"Signs? Wait! Yes; I saw once that Lygia made a fish on the sand."

"A fish? A-a! O-o-o! Did she do that once, or a number of times?"

"Only once."

"And art thou certain, lord, that she outlined a fish? O-o?"

"Yes," answered Vinicius, with roused curiosity. "Dost thou divine what
that means?"

"Do I divine!" exclaimed Chilo. And bowing in sign of farewell, he
added: "May Fortune scatter on you both equally all gifts, worthy
lords!"

"Give command to bring thee a mantle," said Petronius to him at parting.

"Ulysses gives thee thanks for Thersites," said the Greek; and bowing a
second time, he walked out.

"What wilt thou say of that noble sage?" inquired Petronius.

"This, that he will find Lygia," answered Vinicius, with delight; "but I
will say, too, that were there a kingdom of rogues he might be the king
of it."

"Most certainly. I shall make a nearer acquaintance with this stoic;