collecting the vast sum she had required of him, as the
unworthy price of future favours.

In a minute or two, the voluptuous strain ended; and, ere she knew that
any stranger listened to her amatory warblings, the arm of Curius was
wound about her slender waist, and his half-laughing voice was ringing in
her ear,

"Well sung, my lovely Greek, and daintily advised!--By my faith! sweet one,
I will take thee at thy word!"

"No! no!" cried the girl, extricating herself from his arms, by an elastic
spring, before his lips could touch her cheek. "No! no! you shall not kiss
me. Kiss Fulvia, she is handsomer than I am, and loves you too. Come,
Myrrha, let us leave them."

And, with an arch smile and coquettish toss of her pretty head, she darted
through the door, and was followed instantly by the other slave-girl, well
trained to divine the wishes of her mistress.

"_AEgle_ is right, by Venus!" exclaimed Curius, drawing nearer to his
mistress; "you are more beautiful to-night than _ever_."

"Flatterer!" murmured the lady, suffering him to enfold her in his arms,
and taste her lips for a moment. But the next minute she withdrew herself
from his embrace, and said, half-smiling, half-abashed, "But flattery will
not pay my debts. Have you brought me the moneys for Alfenus, my sweet
Curius? the hundred thousand sesterces, you promised me?"

"Perish the dross!" cried Curius, fiercely. "Out on it! when I come to
you, burning with love and passion, you cast cold water on the flames, by
your incessant cry for gold. By all the Gods! I do believe, that you love
me only for that you can wring from my purse."

"If it be so," replied the lady, scornfully, "I surely do not love you
much; seeing it is three months, since you have brought me so much as a
ring, or a jewel for a keepsake! But you should rather speak the truth out
plainly, Curius," she continued, in an altered tone, "and confess honestly
that you care for me no longer. If you loved me as once you did, you would
not leave me to be goaded by these harpies. Know you not--why do I ask? you
_do_ know that my house, my slaves, nay! that my very jewels and my
garments, are mine but upon sufferance. It wants but a few days of the
calends of November, and if they find the interest unpaid, I shall be cast
forth, shamed, and helpless, into the streets of Rome!"

"Be it so!" answered Curius, with an expression which she could not
comprehend. "Be it so! Fulvia; and if it be, you sha