s that pretty young slave of
yours--the blind girl, with bright eyes? I have not seen her a long
time.'

'Oh! she is too delicate for you, my son of Neptune,' said the hostess,
'and too nice even for us, I think. We send her into the town to sell
flowers and sing to the ladies: she makes us more money so than she
would by waiting on you. Besides, she has often other employments which
lie under the rose.'

'Other employments!' said Niger; 'why, she is too young for them.'

'Silence, beast!' said Stratonice; 'you think there is no play but the
Corinthian. If Nydia were twice the age she is at present, she would be
equally fit for Vesta--poor girl!'

'But, hark ye, Stratonice,' said Lydon; 'how didst thou come by so
gentle and delicate a slave? She were more meet for the handmaid of
some rich matron of Rome than for thee.'

'That is true,' returned Stratonice; 'and some day or other I shall make
my fortune by selling her. How came I by Nydia, thou askest.'

'Ay!'

'Why, thou seest, my slave Staphyla--thou rememberest Staphyla, Niger?'

'Ay, a large-handed wench, with a face like a comic mask. How should I
forget her, by Pluto, whose handmaid she doubtless is at this moment!'

'Tush, brute!--Well, Staphyla died one day, and a great loss she was to
me, and I went into the market to buy me another slave. But, by the
gods! they were all grown so dear since I had bought poor Staphyla, and
money was so scarce, that I was about to leave the place in despair,
when a merchant plucked me by the robe. "Mistress," said he, "dost thou
want a slave cheap I have a child to sell--a bargain. She is but little,
and almost an infant, it is true; but she is quick and quiet, docile and
clever, sings well, and is of good blood, I assure you." "Of what
country?" said I. "Thessalian." Now I knew the Thessalians were acute
and gentle; so I said I would see the girl. I found her just as you see
her now, scarcely smaller and scarcely younger in appearance. She
looked patient and resigned enough, with her hands crossed on her bosom,
and her eyes downcast. I asked the merchant his price: it was moderate,
and I bought her at once. The merchant brought her to my house, and
disappeared in an instant. Well, my friends, guess my astonishment when
I found she was blind! Ha! ha! a clever fellow that merchant! I ran at
once to the magistrates, but the rogue was already gone from Pompeii. So
I was forced to go home in a very ill humor