veiled.

I was eagerly watching these events from the corner of the
"horse-dealer's" stall, my arms pinioned behind my back with double iron
manacles, my legs chained and my feet fastened by fetters of enormous
weight. I still felt under the influence of the sorcery that had been
practiced upon me. Nevertheless, my blood, so long frozen in my veins,
began to circulate more and more freely. A slight tremor occasionally
went through my limbs. The spell was breaking. I was not the only one to
tremble. The young Gallic women and the matron, forgetting their own
shame and despair, experienced in their hearts of maid, of wife, or
mother, a frightful horror at the fate of the children offered to that
detestable old man.

Although half nude, they no longer thought of withdrawing themselves
from the licentious looks of the spectators who were crowding at the
entrance to the booth. Their eyes brooded with motherly terror upon the
two veiled children, while the matron, bound to the post, her eyes
glittering and her teeth set in impotent fury, raised her chained arms
to heaven as if to call down the punishments of the gods upon such
monstrosities.

At a sign from lord Trymalcion, the veils dropped--I recognized you
both--you, my son Sylvest and your sister Syomara. You were both pale
and wan; you were shivering with fear. Anguish was depicted in your
tear-bathed faces. The long blonde hair of my little girl fell upon her
shoulders. She dared not raise her eyes, neither did you; you held each
other by the hand, closely clasped. Despite the terror that disfigured
her face, I beheld my daughter in her singular and infantine
beauty--accursed beauty! At sight of her Trymalcion's dead eyes lighted
up and glistened like glowing coals in the middle of his wrinkled,
paint-covered visage. He stood up, stretched out his emaciated arms
towards my daughter as if to seize his prey, while a shocking smile
disclosed his yellow teeth. Terror-stricken, Syomara threw herself back
and clung to your neck. The merchant quickly tore you from each other
and brought Syomara to the old man. The latter impatiently pushed away
with his foot the slave that crouched on the ground before him, and
grabbing my little girl, took her between his knees. He easily subdued
the efforts she made to escape, while she uttered piercing cries; he
violently snapped the strings that fastened my little girl's robe, and
stripped her half naked in order to examine her chest a