er mistress over her arm, and giving, from
time to time (mingled with judicious flattery to the lady herself),
instructions to the mason of the ascending pile.

'Put that pin rather more to the right--lower--stupid one! Do you not
observe how even those beautiful eyebrows are?--One would think you were
dressing Corinna, whose face is all of one side. Now put in the
flowers--what, fool!--not that dull pink--you are not suiting colors to
the dim cheek of Chloris: it must be the brightest flowers that can
alone suit the cheek of the young Julia.'

'Gently!' said the lady, stamping her small foot violently: 'you pull my
hair as if you were plucking up a weed!'

'Dull thing!' continued the directress of the ceremony. 'Do you not
know how delicate is your mistress?--you are not dressing the coarse
horsehair of the widow Fulvia. Now, then, the riband--that's right.
Fair Julia, look in the mirror; saw you ever anything so lovely as
yourself?'

When, after innumerable comments, difficulties, and delays, the
intricate tower was at length completed, the next preparation was that
of giving to the eyes the soft languish, produced by a dark powder
applied to the lids and brows; a small patch cut in the form of a
crescent, skillfully placed by the rosy lips, attracted attention to
their dimples, and to the teeth, to which already every art had been
applied in order to heighten the dazzle of their natural whiteness.

To another slave, hitherto idle, was now consigned the charge of
arranging the jewels--the ear-rings of pearl (two to each ear)--the
massive bracelets of gold--the chain formed of rings of the same metal,
to which a talisman cut in crystals was attached--the graceful buckle on
the left shoulder, in which was set an exquisite cameo of Psyche--the
girdle of purple riband, richly wrought with threads of gold, and
clasped by interlacing serpents--and lastly, the various rings, fitted
to every joint of the white and slender fingers. The toilet was now
arranged according to the last mode of Rome. The fair Julia regarded
herself with a last gaze of complacent vanity, and reclining again upon
her seat, she bade the youngest of her slaves, in a listless tone, read
to her the enamoured couplets of Tibullus. This lecture was still
proceeding, when a female slave admitted Nydia into the presence of the
lady of the place.

'Salve, Julia!' said the flower-girl, arresting her steps within a few
paces from the spot where Juli