men. It had been a marvel to certain circles of Roman society that
Octavia had freed all her slaves, men and women, after the death of
Aureus. It was some business connected with this unusual matter that
had brought her to the lawyer's office today.

Some had said that she was crazy to free hundreds of slaves. Others
had whispered behind their hands that there were other reasons,
Octavia followed Christus, and the Christians did not own slaves. But
they dared not say this aloud, for Octavia was very rich and had
powerful friends, even in Caesar's Palace.




III.

THE HYMN OF THE WATER-CARRIER.


As the lawyer and his children reclined at the triclinium in the cool
arcade opening on the garden, Martius narrated to Virgilia his
conversation with Hermione that morning in his father's office.

It was the custom, in the summer months, for the family to take their
meals out of doors, in the shadowed corridor, where there was almost
always a pleasant breeze, even when the sun scorched the bricks and
square stones of the street in front of their house. Occasionally, a
man would pass through the streets, carrying a sheepskin filled with
water. He sang a strange, low song as he sprinkled the red bricks from
which a thick steam arose at once, so scorching hot were they.