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Title: The Last Days of Pompeii

Author: Edward George Bulwer-Lytton

Release Date: February 18, 2006 [EBook #1565]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE LAST DAYS OF POMPEII ***

Produced by John T. Horner and David Widger

THE LAST DAYS OF POMPEII

by Edward George Bulwer-Lytton

BOOK THE FIRST

Chapter I.

THE TWO GENTLEMEN OF POMPEII.

'HO, Diomed, well met! Do you sup with Glaucus to-night?' said a young
man of small stature, who wore his tunic in those loose and effeminate
folds which proved him to be a gentleman and a coxcomb.

'Alas, no! dear Clodius; he has not invited me,' replied Diomed, a man
of portly frame and of middle age. 'By Pollux, a scurvy trick! for they
say his suppers are the best in Pompeii'.

'Pretty well--though there is never enough of wine for me. It is not
the old Greek blood that flows in his veins, for he pretends that wine
makes him dull the next morning.'

'There may be another reason for that thrift,' said Diomed, raising his
brows. 'With all his conceit and extravagance he is not so rich, I
fancy, as he affects to be, and perhaps loves to save his amphorae
better than his wit.'

'An additional reason for supping with him while the sesterces last.
Next year, Diomed, we must find another Glaucus.'

'He is fond of the dice, too, I hear.'

'He is fond of every pleasure; and while he likes the pleasure of giving
suppers, we are all fond of him.'

'Ha, ha, Clodius, that is well said! Have you ever seen my wine-cellars,
by-the-by?'

'I think not, my good Diomed.'

'Well, you must sup with me some evening; I have tolerable muraenae in
my reservoir, and I ask Pansa the aedile to meet you.'

'O, no state with me!--Persicos odi apparatus, I am easily contented.
Well, the day wanes; I am for the baths--and you...'

'To the quaestor--business of state--afterwards to the temple of Isis.
Vale!'

'An ostentatious, bustling, ill-bred fellow,' muttered Clodius to
himself, as he sauntered slowly away. 'He thinks with his feasts and
his wine-cellars to make us