"What has Virgilia done?" he asked, and his tone boded no good to his
daughter.

"She has refused," sobbed his wife, "refused to make the garlands for
the gods or offer them the customary libations. Says that she cannot;
it is contrary to the law of Christ--as if that mattered! Her
disobedience is bad enough in itself, but the worst for us are the
punishment and misfortunes which are certain to come upon us if the
gods are not placated."

Aurelius grew pale. This was to him, in spite of his general unbelief,
a real difficulty. Who knew what might happen?

"Dost thou mean that the gods have been neglected all the day? It must
be attended to at once!"

He sprang up, but Claudia held his hand tight in hers.

"It has been attended to. Sahira wove the garlands, a slave, not my
own daughter. The gods will be wrathful, of course, but perhaps we can
placate them by costly offerings of gold and spices at the temple. It
is of Virgilia that I would speak. What is to be done with such an
undutiful child? She must be married, or sent away to some lonely
place. Perhaps marriage would be better. Then her husband would
control her. The Senator Adrian Soderus has asked for her hand, but
thou didst send him away. Recall him."

"He is seventy years old and as ugly as night. While Virgilia is so
young and sweet."