But he did not linger long. Boduoc would be waiting for him, and
he could not hurry over his visit, the first he had paid since
his absence; therefore he pushed on, with scarce a glance at the
stately temple of Claudius, the magnificent baths or other public
buildings, until he arrived at the villa of Caius Muro, which stood
somewhat beyond the more crowded part of the town.



CHAPTER II: CITY AND FOREST


The house of Caius Muro had been built six years before on the model
of one owned by him in the Tuscan hills. Passing through the hall
or vestibule, with its mosaic pavement, on which was the word of
welcome, "Salve!" Beric entered the atrium, the principal apartment
in the house. From each side, at a height of some twenty feet from
the ground, extended a roof, the fall being slightly to the centre,
where there was an aperture of about eight feet square. Through this
light and air made their way down to the apartment, the rainfall
from the roofs and opening falling into a marble tank, called
the impluvium, below the level of the floor, which was paved with
squares of coloured marble. On either side of the atrium were the
small sleeping chambers, the bed places being raised and covered
with thick mats and rugs.

The walls of the bed chambers as well as of the atrium were painted
in black, with figures and landscapes in colour. On the centre of
the side facing the vestibule was the tablinum, the apartment of