!'

'Knowest thou this writing, Nika?' And, drawing the tablet from his
bosom, he said: 'Dost thou recognise this?'

For a moment, and just a moment only, as a bird flies past and hides the
moon, her face assumed an ashen hue, but a crimson blush rushed in and
retired, leaving sufficient colour to make her beauty more enchanting.
Then, throwing her proud head back on her shoulders, she laughed,
saying:

'Dear old jealous husband! I can explain all, I see. I understand what
has ruffled your pretty plumage. I remember the other night writing on
that tablet--a great joke'--and again she laughed out merrily.

'I will tell thee, Varro. For want of something to do, I sat down and
read the love poems by Andros. Yes, Varro. Art thou listening? Well,
what do you think? A sudden idea came into my mind to try if I could
write an epistle to an imaginary lover. So I did, just for amusement,
Varro. I laid the tablet in my lap and fell asleep, and lo! when I awoke
it was gone; and, strangely enough, you, Varro, bring it to me. This is
all, dear. Of course, thou believest me?'

'No, I believe it not. Thou shalt no longer be wife of mine until thou
provest thyself. This affair is not a secret in Ephesus, and men of
Ionia and nobles of Rome shall never point the finger of scorn at Varro.
If thou art true, fear not; if false, then take thy reward.'

'What meanest thou, husband? Thou art not serious? How can I prove other
than by my word?'

'Thou forgettest there is a tribunal for such offences.'

'True. Tell me.'

'The Virgin Cave of Hecate.'

'The cave! Saronia!' shrieked Nika, and fell to the floor a helpless
form.

The Roman took her up and laid her on a couch, her hair flowing in
golden masses to the ground, and her face like the face of death when
Chios painted her!

He called a slave to attend to Nika, hurried to his apartment, and sent
word to Venusta instructing her to come immediately, stating her
daughter was ill.

Venusta came, and was terror-stricken at her daughter's appearance, and
that day the wife of the Proconsul was removed to her mother's home on
the side of Mount Coressus.

CHAPTER XXXV

THE VIRGIN CAVE

In the Sacred Grove of Hecate, where the sun lit up the cypress-trees,
and the birds sang on the billowy branches of the cluster-pine, and
laurels greeted the gods, waving their dark-green foliage on the
whispering air; where roses twined l