he pealing of a fresh
strain of music, which ushered in the king of fish, the grand conger,
garnished with prawns and soused in pungent sauce.

"Wherefore not?" she replied, meeting his eye with a furtive sidelong
glance.

"Because I, for one, had rather watch till midnight fifty times, in the
hope only of clasping Lucia, once, in my embrace; than once until dawn, to
kill fifty boars of Umbria."

She made no answer; but looked up into his face as if to see whether he
was in earnest, with an affectionate and pleading glance; and then pressed
her unsandalled foot against his. A moment or two afterward, he perceived
the embroidered table cover had been drawn up, with the intent of
protecting her dress from the sauces of the fish which she was eating, in
such a manner as to conceal the greater part of her person.

Observing this, and excited beyond all restraint of ordinary prudence, by
the consciousness of her manner, he profited by the chance to steal his
arm about her waist; and to his surprise, almost as much as his delight,
he felt his hand clasped instantly in hers, and pressed upon her throbbing
heart.

The blood gushed like molten fire through his veins. The fascinations of
the siren had prevailed. The voice of the charmer had been heard, charming
him but too wisely. And for the moment, fool that he was, he fancied he
loved Lucia, and his own pure and innocent and lovely Julia was forgotten!
Forgotten, and for whom!

Catiline had not lost one word, one movement of the young couple; and he
perceived, that, although there was clearly something at work in the
girl's bosom which he did not comprehend, she had at least obeyed his
commands in captivating Paullus; and he now doubted not but she would
persevere, from vanity or passion, and bind him down a fettered captive to
her will.

Determined to lose nothing by want of exertion, the traitor circulated now
the fiery goblet as fast as possible, till every brain was heated more or
less, and every cheek flushed, even of the women, by the inspiring
influence of the wine cup.

All dainties that were known in those days ministered to his feast;
oysters from Baiae; pheasants--a rarity but lately introduced, since
Pompey's conquests in the east--had been brought all the way from Phasis
upon the southern shores of the Black Sea; and woodcock from the valleys
of Ionia, and the watery plains of Troas, to load the tables of the
luxurious masters of the world. Livers of gee