Virgilia or, Out of the Lion's Mouth

to let down streams of water, washing trees and bushes, drenching the heavy dust, which, during a long summer drouth had accumulated so much in the cracks of the stones on the streets, on th

and depressing. Even people are affected by the gloom, nerves are set on edge, and Aureli

ok her cold hand in his and said, gently: "What is t

and now Virgilia must show the same traits. It is past endurance. Something must be done to break this charm whatever it is

Lady Octavia, who insisted on freeing her slaves, and by this had succeeded in involving herself in a

he asked, and his tone bod

ays that she cannot; it is contrary to the law of Christ-as if that mattered! Her disobedience is bad enough in itself,

spite of his general unbelief, a real

ave been neglected all the day?

Claudia held his h

s of gold and spices at the temple. It is of Virgilia that I would speak. What is to be done with such an undutiful child? She must be married, or sent away to some lonel

as ugly as night. While Vir

. She will forget this foolishness when she is surrou

s Virgil

sent her to think over

e his daughter sat alone on this day when the floo

th Virgilia," h

lt send for

hall

r and son under the torch-light, so dark w

ntain place, to the holy women who dwelt apart, might break her will, but it would ruin her health. Yes, marriage would open out a new li

g years. Day by day, hour by hour, the woman had drawn the threads through the warp, inventing the designs, forming beautiful figures with tints that harmonized. Here were the faints-colors of the ever-varying opal; the bright blue of the turquoise, the rose hues of the blossoms on the tea-rose, the aqua-marine tints

e her. In fact, her eyes glowed with softness and beauty. Yet there was a set

t sight of this radiant young being as beautiful as a goddess who

fectual must be done to bring t

ery much by thy disobedience an

y sorry. But, thou seest, I could not help it. It

wouldst thou

ow only to t

o is he? Wh

e and mighty, the God o

iter, the al

t is our God, as reve

ri

lefac

lia s

hat we might have eternal life. He s

re then so was the Lady Octavia and her son and daughter, and Martius, and hundreds, perhaps ev

ly scarcely responsible, as Virgilia now appeared

dearest, I want to tal

s knee, and while he stroked her soft hair, bound with fillets of chased gold, set w

he was fully determin

him, and wrote a note

rus, asking him to

arry the message to the house of th

enator would come to the house of the lawyer Aurelius Luca

summoned

er hair and hang strings of pearls about her neck. Her fingers, too, shall be laden with ri

sundown in all Rome no more lovely maiden could have been found than Virgilia, in her costly robes

ooking at herself in the long metal mirror, an

he slave, leaving Virgilia in her splendor

n the heavy clouds were scattering and the sun sent shafts of golden light to turn the mists overhanging the towers

ulgence in the good things of the world, and half-crippled with rheumatism, besides. It took two strong slaves to lift

d to bring to pass some months before, but failed because of her husband's opposition. He had said that it was wicked to give so fair

ce, was nevertheless, considered of medium rank. The mother of a Senator took a different position. And all this had been caused merely by a chance meeting with Adrian Soderus, when he had been charmed by Virgilia's lovely face. Well, she was lovely, Claudia acknowledged, in the intervals of scolding her waiting-woman beca

and sneezed so violently thereafter that Virgilia, sitting alone in her room, heard him and laughed outright, had arranged the whole affair. Virgilia was only a child and did not

It was the custom of the times and her mother, at least, was thoroughly frightened over the fact that Virgilia had been led away by strange doctrines, taught by what she considered a very low

they were doing. He knew that he was fully within the civil right. He felt ve

ed brighter this evening, more like herself. Perhaps on the whole, Virgilia would not be any more unhappy in t

ment already drawn up by the notary, and this was finally signed by all three

ting series of sneezes just outside the curtained door,

pleasure. The memory of her disobedience and daring in the morning had faded from

e group waiting silently for her arrival, heard it. The Senator smiled, Claudia drew her draperies around her with a hand that tre

A peacock would be nothing without his gay f

riends of father's have com

difficulty as the radi

rt

ilia looked

she said, and sh

and purple; this was to be her betrothal and she had not been told. In a flash, it was revealed to her that it was a result of her refusal to do homage to the gods that morning. Very well, she would suffer the consequences bravely. But, in the house to which she was to go, sh

sorrow, that her fa

ather's judgment. A daughter must accept the husband chosen for her; but she wished with all her heart that it might have been Marcus, the son of Octavia, w

not suffer much from this necessary solution of a difficult problem, when the cu

shoulders, she approached the table. Claudia screamed when she saw her and the Senator tremble

left hi

u desire, Moth

e light. The gray mantle she wore fell away

ejoicing shall be changed into mourning and the voice of weeping shall be heard, a mother weeping for her

nging to each other. The Senator

the aged woman, and would have fallen if Ma

At a sign from Aurelius, they carried her away, whi

aged," explai

getically remarked the Se

d, with Virgilia, by her side, the lawyer sa

e Old One had prophesied

athed the world in the beauty

he said, repeating

did not