ur Bissula is
yonder, with victory, in the Roman camp. If you want her, hew her out
at the same hour with conquest and the salvation of your people.

"No, do not thank me; do not talk! Go now! I must be alone."

CHAPTER XL.

Meanwhile, incidents of grave moment had occurred in the Roman camp.

The friendly feeling between the two Roman Generals had become
strained, and Bissula's ingenuousness toward both was transformed into
fear and distrust. The two friends, once so intimately associated,
avoided each other and confined their intercourse and conversation
solely to matters absolutely required by the service. At the same time
the prisoner, now suspiciously watchful, perceived in Ausonius a
resentful bitterness toward the Tribune, very alien to his usual
good-nature. The latter, on the other hand, evidently was not angry;
even in his cool reserve he seemed to spare his older friend, nay, to
treat him with a sort of compassion.

The little maid herself was very unhappy. Her careless unconsciousness
was completely destroyed, and she did not know which of the two men
whose friendship seemed to be broken, if not by her, on her account,
she ought to avoid with the greater fear. This feeling grieved the
kind-hearted girl. She was also burdened by anxiety about the future,
by dread of the unknown, by rebelliousness--when she was powerless and
fully aware of it--against the restraint imposed by the will of
strangers upon her obstinacy, all threatening her immediately. For,
however the two Romans differed in everything else concerning the
prisoner, they seemed to unite in one thing: Bissula should never again
be free, never return to the forest hut by the lake, to the familiar
scenes of the neighborhood.

At these thoughts tears filled the eyes once so saucy or so proud. How
sadly she admitted to herself that her own folly and defiance were the
sole causes which had brought all this misfortune upon her! How kind,
how prudent, how loyal Adalo's advice had been! Yet these tears,
burning, bitter tears of remorse, nay, yearning, were a relief. Even
now, in the trouble for which she alone was to blame, he had not
abandoned her! The first greeting that reached her from her people had
come from him; he had sent the young brother whom he loved so fondly,
and whom therefore she loved for his sake, and Bruna too, her old
playfellow.

She had dissembled craftily before the soldiers, and wondered lou