room.

"The miscreants! the miscreants!" she shouted as she threw herself down
on to the floor before her young mistress and squatted there on her
heels, wringing her hands and uttering moans of terror. "They have set
fire to the palace! They are on us, my beloved! Save thyself! Save thy
house! Oh ye gods! protect us all!"

The awesome news which Licinia thus blurted out was but a confirmation
of what Dea had already feared. Every drop of blood within her seemed to
turn to ice, horror gripped her heart, the oncoming catastrophe appeared
suddenly before her, vivid, swift and inevitable. But she contrived to
steady her voice and to appear outwardly calm as she said:

"I do not understand thee, Licinia, speak more clearly. What is it that
hath happened?"

"The rabble are invading the Palatine," said Licinia, to the
accompaniment of many groans. "They are on us I tell thee."

"On us!" retorted Dea Flavia scornfully. "Tush, woman! they'll not heed
us.... But the Caesar ... Hast news of the Caesar?"

"No! no! my beloved, I have no news. I only know what the watchmen say."

"What do they say?"

"That the rabble is invading the hill. The miscreants have forced their
way into the Forum. They have surrounded the palace of the Caesar and set
fire within its precincts."

"Ye gods!..." exclaimed Dea Flavia.

"Dost hear their shouts? the villains! the villains! Dost hear Jove's
thunder, my beloved? His vengeance is nigh! May his curse descend on the
villains and on their children."

"Silence, woman!" commanded the Augusta peremptorily. "Get me a
robe--quickly--no, no! not that one," she added, as Licinia, with
trembling hands had snatched up the gorgeous jewel-studded gown which
Dea Flavia had worn the day before, "a dark robe--haste, I tell thee! go
thou fetch it and send Blanca quickly to me."

Moaning and trembling, the woman endeavoured to obey and to make as
much speed as her limbs, paralysed with terror, would allow her. She
called to Blanca, who together with the Augusta's tire-women had her
quarters close at hand, and the young girl hastened to her mistress's
room whilst Licinia went in search of a dark-coloured robe.

"The praefect?" whispered Dea Flavia quickly, as soon as she felt
assured that she was quite alone with her slave. "Hast seen Dion or
Nolus?"

"My brother spoke to me in the atrium just now, gracious mistress,"
replied Blanca, who seemed scarce less excited than her mistress, "he
and Dion hear