l sent its sinister echo through the still night air, and
even in the house of Dea Flavia it seemed that hundreds of eyes were
still open, fear having chased sleep away. There was a sound--like the
buzzing of bees--that came from the slaves' quarters beyond the
peristyle, and from the studio, which lay the other side of the atrium,
came the sound of muffled footsteps gliding over the mosaic of the
floor.

"Go to bed now, child," said Dea Flavia at last, "thou hast earned thy
rest ... and ... stay! Tell Dion and Nolus to remain in the studio, and
there to spend the night. They must be ready to go to the praefect if he
calls.... Go!"

Then as the girl made ready to obey, the Augusta put out her hand to
detain her.

"Wait! Hast seen Licinia?"

"No, gracious lady."

"She is not hovering somewhere near my room?... or in the atrium?"

"No, gracious lady."

"And the night-watchers?"

"They are in the vestibule, gracious lady."

"And all my women?"

"They are all in bed and asleep."

"That is well. Thou canst go."

Blanca's naked little feet made no sound as she crossed the room, and
went out by the door which led to the sleeping-chamber of the Augusta's
women.

Dea Flavia waited for a while, straining her ears to catch every sound
which came from this portion of her palace.

Her sleeping-chamber, together with all those on this floor gave
directly on the atrium, which formed a large irregular square in the
centre of this portion of the house. The north side of it was taken up
with the Augusta's apartments and those of her women, the south side
with the reception rooms and with the studio and its attendant
vestibules, whilst the main vestibule of the house and the first
peristyle gave on either end.

From the main vestibule came the subdued hum of voices, and throughout
the house there was that feeling of wakefulness so different to the
usual placid hush of night.

Dea Flavia held her breath whilst she listened attentively. In the
vestibule it was the night watchmen who were talking, discussing, no
doubt, the many events of the day: and that sound--like the buzzing of
bees--showed that the women were awake and gossiping, and that up in the
slaves' quarters tongues were still wagging, despite Blanca's assurance
and the overseer's sharp discipline. But on the other side of the
atrium, where were the reception halls and the studio, everything was
still.

The young girl threw herself back upon her bed. Slee