ast nights sleep
has left me. More than once, when I dozed from weariness, I woke on a
sudden, with a feeling that danger was hanging over thee; at times I
dreamed that the relays of horses which were to bear me from Antium to
Rome were stolen,--horses with which I passed that road more swiftly
than any of Caesar's couriers. Besides, I could not live longer without
thee; I love thee too much for that, my dearest."

"I knew that thou wert coming. Twice Ursus ran out, at my request, to
the Carinae, and inquired for thee at thy house. Linus laughed at me, and
Ursus also."

It was, indeed, evident that she had expected him; for instead of her
usual dark dress, she wore a soft white stola, out of whose beautiful
folds her arms and head emerged like primroses out of snow. A few ruddy
anemones ornamented her hair.

Vinicius pressed his lips to her hands; then they sat on the stone bench
amidst wild grapevines, and inclining toward each other, were silent,
looking at the twilight whose last gleams were reflected in their eyes.

The charm of the quiet evening mastered them completely.

"How calm it is here, and how beautiful the world is," said Vinicius,
in a lowered voice. "The night is wonderfully still. I feel happier than
ever in life before. Tell me, Lygia, what is this? Never have I thought
that there could be such love. I thought that love was merely fire
in the blood and desire; but now for the first time I see that it is
possible to love with every drop of one's blood and every breath, and
feel therewith such sweet and immeasurable calm as if Sleep and Death
had put the soul to rest. For me this is something new. I look on this
calmness of the trees, and it seems to be within me. Now I understand
for the first time that there may be happiness of which people have not
known thus far. Now I begin to understand why thou and Pomponia Graecina
have such peace. Yes! Christ gives it."

At that moment Lygia placed her beautiful face on his shoulder
and said,--"My dear Marcus--" But she was unable to continue. Joy,
gratitude, and the feeling that at last she was free to love deprived
her of voice, and her eyes were filled with tears of emotion.

Vinicius, embracing her slender form with his arm, drew her toward him
and said,--"Lygia! May the moment be blessed in which I heard His name
for the first time."

"I love thee, Marcus," said she then in a low voice.

Both were silent again, unable to bring words from their ove