gnities
were becoming more and more mysterious.

But Ausonius, nodding complacently, continued: "And no living poet is
my peer. Bissula, you shall share all this with me. Tomorrow you shall
go with me to Vindonissa to the Emperor. Yes, yes, don't shake your
defiant little head, you shall be with me all my life, for I, Ausonius,
Ausonius of Burdigala, will make you my wife!"

He now drew himself up to his full height, stretching both arms to her.
With glowing cheeks, throbbing heart, and eyes flashing with shame and
fear and wrath, Bissula, crimsoning more and more deeply, had listened
to the last words and gazed in horror at the approaching Roman. Now she
uttered a loud shriek: "No! No! Never!"

Wrenching herself from Saturninus, who tried to hold her, she sprang
out of the tent. Outside, panting for breath, she ran as fast as her
little feet would carry her, through the dark silent camp, reached her
tent, unfastened Bruna, led her in, pressed her down on the ground,
flung herself beside her and, bursting into a torrent of tears, buried
her face in the soft thick fur.

The faithful, intelligent animal doubtless knew that something was
wrong. Licking the girl's fingers, the bear growled, a low, soft,
tender growl, like a mother soothing her sick child. The monotonous,
droning tone produced a drowsy influence like a lullaby. So, under the
protection of the bear, though often sobbing vehemently, Bissula at
last fell asleep.

BOOK THREE

THE FREEDWOMAN

CHAPTER XLV.

Ausonius was deeply grateful to his preserver, certainly; and he had
wished to bestow a transcendent reward. Yet he was very keenly
exasperated by this rude, fierce, foolish, nay, ungrateful disdain. And
before the Tribune, too--the younger man.

This exasperation took full possession of him even amidst his deep
grief for his nephew's crime. From the day of his birth neither the
fates nor men had often denied any wish of this spoiled favorite of
Fortune. Even the desire for poetic talent had been granted by the
Muses, and, as he believed, in lavish abundance; while his
contemporaries denied him no recognition, but lavished on him every
honor for which he longed in any department. His imperial pupil loaded
him with the highest dignities and honors in the gift of the State; he
was one of the richest, most highly educated men in the Western Empire;
he wa