me which that morning
had so eagerly presented himself for notice in the front of her
husband's captives, sprang forward, grinned his recognition of the armor
bearer, made another grimace expressive of mingled respect and
admiration for herself, threw open the door, and ushered her in with an
outburst of ceremonious pride befitting an imperial reception.

At a back window of the house, from whence the line of aqueduct could be
seen for some distance leaping houses and streets in its undeviating
course to the centre of the city, sat the centurion. He was a man of
medium height, short necked, and thick set, with blunted features and
grizzled hair and beard. Two of the fingers of his left hand were
wanting, and a broad scar, the trophy of a severe skirmish among the
Alemanni, crossed his right cheek and one side of his nose, giving him
an expression more curious than pleasing. His general appearance was
after the common type of an old, war-worn soldier, rough and
unscrupulous by nature, hardened by camp life and dissipation, grown
cruel by excess of petty authority, overbearing with his inferiors,
jovial and complaisant with his equals, cringing to his superiors, and
with an air of discontent overlaying every other expression, as though
he was continually tortured with the belief that his success in life had
not equalled his merits. As AEnone entered, he was bending over a shield,
and earnestly engaged in burnishing its brazen mouldings. At his side
leaned a short sword, awaiting similar attention, and in a rack beside
him were a number of weapons of different varieties and sizes, which had
already submitted to his restorative skill, and now shone like glass.

Hearing her light step, he looked up, arose, flung the shield into a
corner, and, with a roar, as though ordering a battalion, called out to
the grinning dwarf, who had followed her in:

"Ho there, ape! A seat for my daughter, the wife of the imperator
Sergius Vanno!"

The dwarf sprang forward and dragged out a seat for her; having done
which, he seemed about to yield to his curiosity and remain. But the
centurion, disapproving of such freedom, made a lunge at him with the
small sword, before which the dwarf retired with a precipitate leap, and
joined the bondwoman and armor bearer outside. Then the father, being
left alone with his daughter, embraced her, and uttered such words of
welcome as his rough nature suggested.

As regarded his intercourse with her, per