ar, he will speak, and then you will know what to say," said the
matron. "Only do not let him know that you love him--at least, not for
a time yet."

"Too late; I fear he knows it now--the wretch!" said Arria, rubbing her
cheeks to make them glow.

"But mind you hold him off, and do not let him caress you for an hour
at least. One kiss and one only."

"One!" the girl repeated, with contempt. "How ungenerous are the old!"

"Hard to count are a lover's kisses," her mother answered, with a sigh.
"But you can use them up in a day. Really, you can use them up all in
a day."

"A day full of kisses! Oh, heart of me! Think of it!" said the
beautiful girl, covering her face a moment. "I will not have the
yellow cushions," she added, quickly. "Here, take these and bring me
two violet ones, and that cushion of gauze filled with rose leaves. I
will have that in my lap when we are sitting here. Now what do you
think of the colors?" she demanded.

"Beautiful! And best of all that in your cheeks. I doubt not he will
worship you."

"Or he is no kind of a man," said Arria, thoughtfully. "Oh, son of
Varro! come, I am waiting. If he takes me in his arms, what shall I
do?"

"Thrust him aside--tell him that you do not like it."

"And what shall I do if he does not?"

"Bid him go at once. We have no need of any half-men."

"But he will," said the girl, with a worried look. "He shall embrace
me--he shall, or--or I will bid my brother kill him. Oh, wretch!" She
jumped to her feet with a merry cry. "I have an idea," she added,
clapping her hands. "When the sunlight falls on the floor yonder, I
will get up and dance in it."

"A pretty trick!" said her mother.

"Oh, son of Varro! why do you not come?" said the girl, impatiently.
"I love him so I could die for him--I could die for him! Perhaps he
loves me not and I shall never see him again."

She hurried to the outer court, whispering anxiously: "Come, son of
Varro. Oh, come quickly, son of Varro!"

When Vergilius arrived Arria was waiting for him there in the court of
the palace. Her white silk rustled as she ran to meet him. Her cheeks
had the pink of roses and her eyes a glow in them like that of
diamonds. She stopped as he came near, and turned away.

"Tears?" said he, leaning down, with his arms about her. "Oh, love,
let me see your face!"

She turned quickly with a little toss of her head and took a step
backward.

"You shall not call me lo