t well. Why, then, should my lord desire me for wife? Thou dost not
love me. Were I thy wife, I must love thee, and I do not wish to love
thee. I could say,--what are the words?--always and ever they are
ringing in my heart,--'Where thou art, Caius, there am I, Caia,' with my
lips as well as with my heart, but not to thee--oh, not to thee!" She
flung out her arms with a gesture of sudden wild abandonment, and
clasped them over her eyes. Her voice broke in a storm of tears.
"Now--woe is me!--all I can say is 'Where art thou, Caius?' I have
waited so long--so long!"

"But he is here at last," said Marius, and took her hand.

She wept softly, with hanging head, making no effort to get away.

"I will pray my lord father that he force me not to become wife to
thee!"

"Thy lord father gives command that thou shalt become wife to Marius
since he desires thee, and to no other man!" said Eudemius's voice
behind them. Marius wheeled, as Varia gave a startled cry and wrenched
her hand free. Eudemius came into the room, his face changed as no
living soul had seen it changed until then.

"I feared that thou hadst not taken the right way back," he said to
Marius, and there was a shade of significance in his tone. "Therefore--I
came to see."

"Father, say I need not be wife to him!" cried Varia, bold in her
terror.

"Why not?" Eudemius asked harshly. "What reason lies behind thy
refusal?"

"I do not know!" she stammered. "I know only that I would not wed with
him. I love him not--"

"Love! what hath love to do with it? And what know you of love, little
fool?" said Eudemius, with impatience.

Varia started forward, catching desperately at the straw.

"Thou hast said it!" she cried stormily. "I am fool--fool--fool--fit
wife for no man! Who wants to wed a fool?"

"Be silent! I'll teach thee--" Eudemius exclaimed, but Marius
interposed.

"Pray thee--father--leave the taming of this wild bird to me!" he said,
and emphasized the word, and watched. He had judged subtly. Eudemius
turned to him, his hands out, his stern face broken up and working. He
patted Marius's shoulders with shaking hands, and leaned forward and
kissed him on the forehead.

"My son--oh, my son, my son!" he cried.

But Varia, unnoticed of either, cast herself upon the couch and wept,
her face hidden in its silken cushions.

Livinius came from his sickroom and joined them in a week, and was told
the news. From his face it was apparent that he was plea