arose shouts of delight and triumph, or, when anything singular came into
view, loud laughter at the wit and irony of some jester. Added to these
there were the clatter of hoofs and the roll of wheels, the whinnying of
horses, the shouts of command, the rattle of drums, the blare of
trumpets, and the shrill pipe of flutes, without a moment's pause. It
was a wild and ear-splitting tumult; to Melissa, however, neither painful
nor pleasing, for the one idea, that she must speak with the great
physician, silenced every other. But suddenly there came up from the
east, from the rising of the sun, whose course Caesar had followed, such
a tremendous roar that she involuntarily clutched her companion's hand.

Every instant the storm of noise increased, rolling on with irresistible
vehemence, gathering force as it came on, receiving, as it were, fresh
tributaries on its way, and rapidly swelling from the distance to the
immediate vicinity, compelling every one, as with a magic power, to yield
to the superior will of numbers and join in the cry. Even Melissa
cheered. She, too, was as a drop in the tide, a leaf on the rippling
face of the rushing torrent; her heart beat as wildly and her voice rang
as clear as that of the rest of the throng, intoxicated with they knew
not what, which crowded the colonnades by the roadway, and every window
and roof-top, waving handkerchiefs, strewing flowers on the ground, and
wiping the tears which this unwonted excitement had brought to their
eyes.

And now the shout is so tremendous that it could not possibly be louder.
It seems as though it were the union of voices innumerable rather than
the seabreeze, which flutters the pennons and flags which wave from every
house and arch, and sways the garlands hung across the street. Melissa
can see none but flushed faces, eyes swimming in tears, parted lips,
wildly waving arms and hands. Then suddenly a mysterious power hushes