e with the still bloody lancet.

"I will teach you to notice whether men are handsome or ugly," she
cried furiously. "You will keep to the spinning-room for four weeks. Go
at once! and do not show yourself again in my ante-rooms."

The weeping girl left the room, hiding her face in her dress.

"What has she done?" asked Antonina, coming forward.

"She let the scent-bottle fall," answered Galatea quickly, and picked
one up from the floor. "Mistress, I have finished."

"Then let the dressers in, and whoever else waits in the ante-room.
Will you, meanwhile, look at these verses, Antonina? They are the
newest poems of Arator, 'The Deeds of the Apostles,' and very edifying.
This particularly, 'The Stoning of St. Stephen.' But read, and judge
for yourself."

Galatea opened wide the doors of the principal entrance. A whole troop
of slaves and freed-women streamed in. Some occupied themselves with
clearing away the articles of toilet hitherto used; others swung
censers with aromatic incense, or sprinkled balsam about the room from
narrow-necked flasks. But most of them were busy about the person of
the Empress, who now completed her toilet.

Galatea took off the rose-coloured tunic.

"Berenice," she cried, "bring the Milesian tunic, with the purple
stripe and gold tassels. To-day is Sunday ."

While the experienced old woman was artfully fastening into the knot of
the Empress's hair a costly gold needle, its head formed of a gem,
engraved with a head of Venus, the Empress asked: "What news, from the
city, Delphine?"

"You have won, mistress!" answered Delphine, kneeling down with the
gilded sandals; "your colours, the blue, have beaten the green; both
with the horses and the chariots!"

"What a triumph!" cried Theodora joyfully. "A bet of two centenaria of
gold; it is mine! News? Whence? from Italy?" she cried to a slave who
just entered with letters.

"Yes, mistress, from Florence; from the Gothic Princess, Gothelindis. I
know the Gorgon-seal; and from Silverius, the archdeacon."

"Give me them," said Theodora, "I will take them with me to church. The
mirror, Elpis."

A young slave came forward with an oval plate of brilliantly-polished
silver, in a gold frame, richly set with pearls, and standing on a
strong foot of ivory.

Poor Elpis had a hard service.

During the completion of the toilet she had to hold the heavy plate,
and, following every movement of her restless mistress, turn it, so
that the latter