that when the weakness
caused by prison fever had passed, she would regain health.

Consciousness returned to her that night. Waking in the splendid chamber
lighted by Corinthian lamps, amidst the odor of verbena and nard,
she knew not where she was, or what was taking place with her. She
remembered the moment in which she had been lashed to the horns of the
chained bull; and now, seeing above her the face of Vinicius, lighted by
the mild rays of the lamp, she supposed herself no longer on earth. The
thoughts were confused in her weakened head; it seemed to her natural to
be detained somewhere on the way to heaven, because of her tortures and
weakness. Feeling no pain, however, she smiled at Vinicius, and wanted
to ask where they were; but from her lips came merely a low whisper in
which he could barely detect his own name.

Then he knelt near her, and, placing his hand on her forehead lightly,
he said,--

"Christ saved thee, and returned thee to me!"

Her lips moved again with a meaningless whisper; her lids closed after
a moment, her breast rose with a light sigh, and she fell into a deep
sleep, for which the physician had been waiting, and after which she
would return to health, he said.

Vinicius remained kneeling near her, however, sunk in prayer. His soul
was melting with a love so immense that he forgot himself utterly.
Theocles returned often to the chamber, and the golden-haired Eunice
appeared behind the raised curtain a number of times; finally cranes,
reared in the gardens, began to call, heralding the coming day, but
Vinicius was still embracing in his mind the feet of Christ, neither
seeing nor hearing what was passing around him, with a heart turned into
a thanksgiving, sacrificial flame, sunk in ecstasy, and though alive,
half seized into heaven.

Chapter LXVII

PETRONIUS, after the liberation of Lygia, not wishing to irritate Caesar,
went to the Palatine with other Augustians. He wanted to hear what
they were saying, and especially to learn if Tigellinus was devising
something new to destroy Lygia. Both she and Ursus had passed under the
protection of the people, it is true, and no one could place a hand on
them without raising a riot; still Petronius, knowing the hatred toward
him of the all-powerful pretorian prefect, considered that very likely
Tigellinus, while unable to strike him directly, would strive to find
some means of revenge against his nephew.

Nero was angry and irritate