, and shameless."

"I say so without shame," Julia replied, "and why should I not? He is a
noble of Carthage, though now a prisoner of war. What if my father is
a consul? Malchus is the cousin of Hannibal, who is a greater man than
Rome has ever yet seen. Why should I not wed him?"

"In the first place, it seems, Julia," Flavia said gravely, "because
he loves someone else. In the second place, because, as I hear, he is
likely to be exchanged very shortly for a praetor taken prisoner at
Cannae, and will soon be fighting against us. In the third place,
because all Rome would be scandalized were a Roman maiden of the
patrician order, and of the house of Gracchus, to marry one of the
invaders of her country. Go to, Julia, I blush for you! So this is the
reason why of late you have behaved so coldly to Sempronius. Shame on
you, daughter! What would your father say, did he, on his return from
the field, hear of your doings? Go to your chamber, and do not let me
see you again till you can tell me that you have purged this madness
from your veins."

Without a word Julia turned and left the room. Parental discipline was
strong in Rome, and none dare disobey a parent's command, and although
Julia had far more liberty and license than most unmarried Roman girls,
she did not dare to answer her mother when she spoke in such a tone.

Flavia sat for some time in thought, then she sent for Malchus. He had
already exchanged a few words with Clotilde, and was therefore prepared
for her questions.

"Malchus, is it true that you love my Gaulish slave girl?"

"It is true," Malchus replied quietly. "When we met in Gaul, two years
since, she was the daughter of a chief, I a noble of Carthage. I loved
her; but we were both young, and with so great a war in hand it was not
a time to speak of marriage."

"Would you marry her now?"

"Not as a slave," Malchus replied; "when I marry her it shall be before
the face of all men--I as a noble of Carthage, she as a noble Gaulish
maiden."

"Hannibal is treating for your exchange now," Flavia said. "There are
difficulties in the way, for, as you know, the senate have refused to
allow its citizens who surrender to be ransomed or exchanged; but the
friends of the praetor Publius are powerful and are bringing all their
influence to bear to obtain the exchange of their kinsman, whom Hannibal
has offered for you. I will gladly use what influence I and my family
possess to aid them. I knew when you c