hat had made him the greatest of
all living men. And, better than all, amid this scene of triumph, he had
not seemed unmindful of her, for he had looked up and waved to her a
salute, which the responsive crowd had joined in and carried along with
redoubled acclamations, and he had sent to her his most trusty slave
with a loving message. What, then, could she ask more?

Nothing that she could name, or that if she named, to others, would have
seemed a reasonable desire. And yet at her heart there was a certain
dim, indistinct foreboding of evil, which she could not entirely
repress. Was it that, in his glance, as he rode by and beheld her
awaiting him, there was less of longing love than of gratified pride? Or
did that flush upon his bronzed face indicate too surely his enjoyment
of this pageant for its own sake rather than for the pleasure which he
might have supposed that she would derive from it? Was it from
forgetfulness of her that, after he had ridden past, he did not again
look back to wave one more recognition, but rather seemed to gaze
eagerly forward to where the assembled senators stood ready to greet
him? Or, on the contrary, were all these merely vague and empty
imaginings arising from the exhaustion and wearisomeness of long,
impatient waiting?

At length, raising her head, she saw her attendant bondwoman standing at
the distance of a few paces, with her hands crossed upon her breast. The
steady tramp of marching troops outside had ceased, for the last
battalion had passed; and now the only sound was the silver bubbling and
plashing of a little fountain that adorned the courtyard upon which the
window of the apartment looked out.

'The pageant is over now,' said AEnone, 'and he will soon be here. Let me
know as soon as my lord returns.'

The woman bowed her head in silence; and then, feeling that nothing more
was wanted of her, slowly turned to depart. As she did so, a new comer
entered the room--a male slave of Gallic birth, who, by reason of his
lofty stature as well as wonderful strength, had been promoted from the
lowest order of servitude to become Sergius Vanno's armor bearer and
chief attendant. In that capacity he had fought through the late
campaign, and had now returned, bearing among his fellows his own share
of honor for successful and daring exploits. He had been released from
personal attendance only a few moments before, and was now carrying back
his master's sword and buckler, to hang the