r had not condemned,
then; he had even spoken well of him. The knowledge of it put to
flight the embarrassment he had felt when he realized that he was going
perforce to Marcia's house--perhaps into her presence; and he found
himself standing straighter and stepping out with longer and bolder
strides.

"Good words are better than bad ones for a good man," mused Torquatus,
wagging his head sententiously, and darting at his companion a
comprehensive glance, behind which lurked a grim smile. "If women
could ever learn as much, they might govern us the more readily--which
the gods forefend! as I doubt not they will."

Then the company halted. It was many months since Sergius had stood
before that door, and he could not, without grave discourtesy, refuse
the invitation to enter. Well, what mattered it? Marcia cared
nothing; why should he? Then, too, the stimulus of the dictator's
approval was still upon him, as the warning cry of the porter bade
those nearest stand back while the door swung out. Most of the party
took their leave here, but several followed into the atrium for adieus
more appropriate to their station.

At last all had departed save Sergius, who, having given orders that
his attendants should await him in the street, passed on into the
peristyle with his host.

There, beside the fountain, spinning, as he had so often seen her--as
he had seen her through all the days and nights of the campaign--sat
the lady Marcia. Two of her maidens were assisting: one who glanced up
at Sergius and smiled tauntingly; and another who turned her face away,
and seemed to be trying to hide it in the close inspection of a great
bunch of fleece. But both the forwardness of the one and the
bashfulness of the other were wasted upon the visitor. As a matter of
fact, he was so lost in wonder at his courage and self-control as to be
well past observing the idiosyncrasies of slaves; and, if his own
attitude was acceptable, even to himself, his admiration for that of
his hostess amounted to absolute bitterness. That she, a mere girl,
should rise and come forward with so conventional yet friendly a
greeting, that neither her lip should tremble nor her cheek flush, was
little short of intolerable. Nevertheless it helped to brace his own
resolves yet more firmly. Such poise, after all that had been between
them, could have its source only in the most absolute indifference.

"Health to the noble Lucius! Let him believe that