are madmen then," said the slave curtly.

"Or traitors," added Dea Flavia.

"Thou sayest it; they are traitors and rebels, and never fear, they'll
be punished ... sooner or later, they will be punished.... Defy the
might of Caesar?... Great gods above! the impious wretches! thou wert
right, my princess! Death alone were too merciful for them.... The
scourge first ... and then the cross ... that will teach them the might
of thy house, oh daughter of Caesar.... I would have no mercy with
them.... Throw them to the beasts, say I!... brand them ... scourge them
... wring their heart's blood until they cry for death...!"

The old pagan looked evil and cruel in her fury of loyalty to that house
which begat her beloved Dea. Her eyes glistened as those of a cat
waiting to fall upon its prey; her wrinkled hands looked like claws that
were ready to tear the very flesh and sinew from the traitor's breast.
Her voice, always hoarse and trembling, had risen to a savage shriek
which died away as in a passionate outburst of love she threw herself
down on the floor beside the couch, and taking Dea's tiny feet between
her hands, she covered them with kisses and with tears.

But Dea Flavia once more lay back on the coverlet of crimson silk and
her blue eyes once more were fixed upwards to the sky. Above her the
glint of blue was now suffused with tones of pink merging into mauve;
somewhere out west the sun was slowly sinking into rest. Tiny golden
clouds flitted swiftly across that patch of sky on which Dea Flavia
gazed so intently.

"Come kiss me, Licinia," she said slowly after a while. "I'll to rest
now. To-morrow I shall see my kinsman the Caesar again, after a year's
absence from him. I desire to be very beautiful to-morrow, Licinia, for
mayhap I'll to the games with him. That new tunic worked with purple and
gold. I'll wear that and my new shoes of antelope skin. In my hair the
circlet of turquoise and pearls ... dost think it'll become me,
Licinia?"

"Thou wilt be more beautiful, my precious one, than man's eyes can
conveniently endure," said Licinia, whose whole face became radiant with
the joy of her perfect love for the girl.

"Ah! thou hast soothed my heart and mind, Licinia. I feel that I shall
sleep well to-night."

She allowed the old woman to lead her gently to her bedchamber, where
within the narrow alcove she lay all that night tossing upon the silken
mattress that was stuffed with eiderdown. Sleep would not com