at is.
No! she will do none of that. She is the cleverest and best girl living,
only a little passionate, for which I love her all the more dearly. No!
she will do none of that. Because she will not be alive, to do it, this
time to-morrow," he added, putting his mouth within half an inch of the
ear of Lentulus, and speaking in the lowest whisper.

Lentulus, bold as he was and unscrupulous, started in horror at his words,
and his lips were white as he faltered--"Your own daughter, Lucius!"

"Ha! ha!" laughed the fierce conspirator, aloud; "ha! ha! yes, she is my
own daughter, in everything but beauty. She is the loveliest creature in
all Rome! But we must yield, I suppose, to her wishes; the women rule us,
after all is said, and I suppose I was alarmed needlessly. Doubtless
Arvina will be silent. Come, I will walk with you so far on your way to
the Forum. What ho! Chaerea, see that Rufinus and Stolo lack nothing. I
will speak with them, when I return home; and hark you in your ear. Suffer
not Lucia Orestilla to leave the house a moment; use force if it be
needed; but it will not. Tell her it is my orders, and watch her very
closely. Come, Lentulus, it is drawing toward noon."

They left the house without more words, and walked side by side in silence
for some distance, when Catiline said in a low voice, "This is unpleasant,
and may be dangerous. We must, however, trust to fortune till to-morrow,
when my house shall be void of this pest. Then will we proceed, as we had
proposed."

Lentulus looked at him doubtfully, and asked, with a quick shudder running
through his limbs, as he spoke: "And will you really?--" and there he
paused, unable to complete the question.

"Remove her?" added Catiline, completing the sentence which he had left
unfinished, "Ay! will I. Just as I would a serpent from my path!"

"And that done, what is to follow?" Lentulus inquired, with an assumption
of coolness, which in truth he did not feel.

"We will get rid of Arvina. And then, as it wants but four days of the
elections, we may keep all things quiet till the time."

"Be it so!" answered the other. "When do we meet again to settle these
things finally?"

"To-morrow, at the house of Laeca, at the sixth hour of night."

"Will all be there?"

"All the most faithful; until then, farewell!"

"Farewell."

And they parted; Lentulus hurrying to the Forum, to take his seat on the
praetor's chair, and there preside in judgment--fit magistra