d
respect, in his general bearing toward her, while he persisted in
refusing to admit her to his confidence in respect to Acte. These
general attentions were, however, by no means sufficient to satisfy
Agrippina. The influence of Acte was what she feared, and she well
knew that her own power was in imminent danger of being undermined
and overthrown, unless she could find some means of bringing her
son's connection with his favorite under her own control. Thus the
calm that seemed for a short time to reign between Nero and his
mother was an armistice rather than a peace, and this armistice was
brought at length to a sudden termination by an act of Nero's which
he intended as an act of conciliation and kindness, but which proved
to be in effect the means of awakening his mother's anger anew, and
of exciting her even to a more violent exasperation than she had
felt before.

It seems that among the other treasures of the imperial palace at
Rome there was an extensive wardrobe of very costly female dresses
and decorations, which was appropriated to the use of the wives and
mothers of the emperors. Nero conceived the idea of making a present
to his mother, from this collection. He accordingly selected a
magnificent dress, and a considerable quantity of jewelry, and sent
them to Agrippina. Instead of being gratified with this gift,
however, Agrippina received it as an affront. She had been so long
accustomed to consider herself as the first personage in the
imperial household, that she regarded all such things as rightfully
her own; and she consequently looked upon the act of Nero in
formally presenting her with a small portion of these treasures, as
a simple impertinence, and as intended to notify her that he
considered all that remained of the collection as his property, and
thenceforth as such subject to his exclusive control. Instead
therefore of being appeased by Nero's offering she was greatly
enraged by it. The angry invectives which she uttered were duly
reported to the emperor, and his indignation and resentment were
aroused by them anew, and thus the breach between the mother and the
son became wider than ever.

[Illustration: THE JEWELRY.]

In fact Nero began to perceive very clearly that if he intended to
secure for himself any thing more than the empty semblance of power,
he must at once do something effectual to curb the domineering and
ambitious spirit of his mother. After revolving this subject in his
min