is over." But presently
her bold experiment lost every trace of charm, and repentance that she
had ever undertaken it filled her mind. She was far nearer weeping than
laughing already, when a man's deep voice said behind her, in tones of
commanding decision:

"Make way there for the pumps; push aside whatever stops the way."

These terrible words reduced Claudia to sinking on to her knees, but
Balbilla's quelled courage found fresh wings as she heard them, for
she had recognized the voice of Pontius. Now he was close behind the
chariot, high on a horse. He then was the man on horseback whom she had
seen dashing from the sea-shore up to the higher storehouses that were
burning, down to the lake, and hither and thither.

She turned full upon him and called him by his name. He recognized her,
tried to pull up his horse as it was dashing forward, and smilingly
shook his head at her, as much as to say: "She is a giddy creature and
deserves a good scolding; but who could be angry with her?" And then
he gave his orders to his subordinates just as if she had been a mere
chattel, a bale of goods or something of the kind, and not an heiress of
distinction.

"Take out the horses," he cried to the municipal guards; "we can use
them for carrying water."--"Help the ladies out of the chariot."--"Take
them between you Nonnus and Lucanus."--"Now, stow the chariot in there
among the bushes."--"Make way there in front, make way for our pumps."
And each of these orders was obeyed as promptly as if it was the word of
command given by a general to his well-drilled soldiers.

After the pumps had been fairly started Pontius rode close up to
Balbilla and said:

"Caesar is safe and sound. You no doubt wished to see the progress of
the fire from a spot near it, and in fact the colors down there are
magnificent. I have not time to escort you back to the Caesareum; but
follow me. You will be safe in the harbor-guard's stone house, and from
the roof you can command a view of Lochias and the whole peninsula. You
will have a rare feast for the eye, noble Balbilla; but I beg you not
to forget at the same time how many days of honest labor, what rich
possessions, how many treasures earned by bitter hardship are being
destroyed at this moment. What may delight you will cost bitter tears
to many others, and so let us both hope that this splendid spectacle may
now have reached its climax, and soon may come to an end."

"I hope so--I hope it with a