if not understanding what the
question was. Pomponia's cheeks became pallid. In the doors leading
from the corridor to the oecus, terrified faces of slaves began to show
themselves a second time.

"The will of Caesar must be accomplished," said Aulus.

"Aulus!" exclaimed Pomponia, embracing the maiden with her arms, as if
wishing to defend her, "it would be better for her to die."

Lygia, nestling up to her breast, repeated, "Mother, mother!" unable in
her sobbing to find other words.

On Aulus's face anger and pain were reflected again. "If I were alone in
the world," said he, gloomily, "I would not surrender her alive, and my
relatives might give offerings this day to 'Jupiter Liberator.' But I
have not the right to kill thee and our child, who may live to happier
times. I will go to Caesar this day, and implore him to change his
command. Whether he will hear me, I know not. Meanwhile, farewell,
Lygia, and know that I and Pomponia ever bless the day in which thou
didst take thy seat at our hearth."

Thus speaking, he placed his hand on her head; but though he strove to
preserve his calmness, when Lygia turned to him eyes filled with tears,
and seizing his hand pressed it to her lips, his voice was filled with
deep fatherly sorrow.

"Farewell, our joy, and the light of our eyes," said he.

And he went to the atrium quickly, so as not to let himself be conquered
by emotion unworthy of a Roman and a general.

Meanwhile Pomponia, when she had conducted Lygia to the cubiculum, began
to comfort, console, and encourage her, uttering words meanwhile which
sounded strangely in that house, where near them in an adjoining chamber
the lararium remained yet, and where the hearth was on which Aulus
Plautius, faithful to ancient usage, made offerings to the household
divinities. Now the hour of trial had come. On a time Virginius had
pierced the bosom of his own daughter to save her from the hands of
Appius; still earlier Lucretia had redeemed her shame with her life.
The house of Caesar is a den of infamy, of evil, of crime. But we, Lygia,
know why we have not the right to raise hands on ourselves! Yes! The law
under which we both live is another, a greater, a holier, but it gives
permission to defend oneself from evil and shame even should it happen
to pay for that defence with life and torment. Whoso goes forth pure
from the dwelling of corruption has the greater merit thereby. The earth
is that dwelling; but fortunatel