father was, and whether he needed some more wine. He replied that she
was very kind, angelically kind, but that the sick man was recovering
fast, and that she had already given him far too much. Neither of them
said anything that might not have been heard by everybody, and yet they
whispered as if they were speaking of some forbidden thing.

"Wait a moment," said Sirona, and she disappeared within the room, she
soon reappeared, and said solid and sadly, "I would ask you to come into
the house but Phoebicius has locked the door. I am quite alone, hold the
flask so that I may fill it through the open window."

With these words she leaned over with the large jar--she was strong, but
the wine-jar seemed to her heavier than on other occasions, and she said
with a sigh, "The amphora is too heavy for me."

He reached up to help her; again his fingers met hers, and again he felt
the ecstatic thrill which had haunted his memory day and night ever since
he first had felt it. At this instant there was a sudden noise in the
house opposite; the slaves were coming out from supper. Sirona knew what
was happening; she started and cried out, pointing to the senator's door,
"For all the gods' sake! they are coming out, and if they see you here I
am lost!"

Hermas looked hastily round the court, and listened to the increasing
noise in the other house, then, perceiving that there was no possible
escape from the senator's people, who were close upon him, he cried out
to Sirona in a commanding tone, "Stand back," and flung himself up
through the window into the Gaul's apartment. At the same moment the
door opposite opened, and the slaves streamed out into the yard.