to Pomponia, and false to herself. It is one thing to go by constraint,
and another to delight in such a necessity. She felt guilty, unworthy,
and ruined.

Despair swept her away, and she wanted to weep. Had she been alone, she
would have knelt down and beaten her breast, saying, "Mea culpa! mea
culpa!" Acte, taking her hand at that moment, led her through the
interior apartments to the grand triclinium, where the feast was to be.
Darkness was in her eyes, and a roaring in her ears from internal
emotion; the beating of her heart stopped her breath. As in a dream,
she saw thousands of lamps gleaming on the tables and on the walls; as
in a dream, she heard the shout with which the guests greeted Cæsar; as
through a mist, she saw Cæsar himself. The shout deafened her, the
glitter dazzled, the odors intoxicated; and, losing the remnant of her
consciousness, she was barely able to recognize Acte, who seated her at
the table and took a place at her side.

But after a while a low and known voice was heard at the other side,--"A
greeting, most beautiful of maidens on earth and of stars in heaven. A
greeting to thee, divine Callina!"

Lygia, having recovered somewhat, looked up; at her side was Vinicius.
He was without a toga, for convenience and custom had enjoined to cast
aside the toga at feasts. His body was covered with only a sleeveless
scarlet tunic embroidered in silver palms. His bare arms were
ornamented in Eastern fashion with two broad golden bands fastened above
the elbow; below they were carefully stripped of hair. They were
smooth, but too muscular,--real arms of a soldier, they were made for
the sword and the shield. On his head was a garland of roses. With
brows joining above the nose, with splendid eyes and a dark complexion,