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Young Prochnow was off the board, but that did not put Daffingdon Dill back upon it; nor would he be there till she should have placed him there. "We must have that commission," said Virgilia. "You shall, if I've got any influence," replied her aunt.
"I know, I know," declared Virgilia, ducking her head into her cushion, with the effect of suppressing a shriek of laughter. "And more 'ladies' reading from scrolls to children standing at their knee. And all sorts of folks blowing trumpets and bestowing garlands; Commerce, Industry, Art, Manufacturing, Education, and the rest of them.
"I am quite well, father dear," and as she spoke, she drew over her face a light, filmy veil, effectually shielding her from the too curious gaze of the laughing throng of merry-makers. "Why, then, dost thou cry, my daughter?" Virgilia glanced at her mother and noticing that she was out of hearing, whispered in his ear: "I hate it, father. Do not bring me again."
The Emperor, also, is signalling for a cessation of the fight. How proud Lycias, the gladiator, is to-day, for he won the victory. Well, we must go. Come, Virgilia." The young girl arose, obediently, but her father noticed that her eyes were full of tears and that she shivered slightly in spite of the warm, scented June air.
The warning she had received but a few days before from a Christian high in the service of the Emperor, rang in her ears. "We must be courageous, Octavia," he had said, "but we must not be foolish." "If you permit, we will send Martius and Virgilia to represent us at the feast," added Aurelius. "With pleasure. I will send a messenger before the day."
Her eyes grew filmy and she stretched out her hands, tremblingly. "I see I see a shadow of death approaching. But in the shadow shines the face of our Risen Lord." "Mother, Mother!" said Virgilia, alarmed. "Was I speaking? What did I say? This work must be finished soon, for the marriage." "Virgilia!" came Martius' peremptory summons. "Yes, I am coming."
He had it this time, however. And then, as I say, he turned up the gas; and then " "And then the shower began?" suggested Virgilia, putting her delicate eyebrows through their paces. "The downpour. I never knew anybody to talk faster, or give out more ideas, or wave his hands harder, like this." Preciosa cast her muff away completely and abandoned her plump little fingers to unbridled pantomime.
"So much trouble," breathed Daffingdon; "so much effort; such an expense for costumes." "And if you want to enlarge the scheme," pursued Virgilia, waiving all considerations of trouble, effort and expense, "so as to include coining, money-changing and all that, why, think what you have then! The brokers at Corinth, the mensarii in the Roman Forum.
"If?" repeated Virgilia, raising her eyebrows archly. "And when I come again," amended Preciosa, rising, "I might bring grandpa with me. I'm sure all this would be new to him." "Do, by all means," cried Virgilia. "And don't be too long doing it.
The slave looked up and smiled when Virgilia came near, motioning to a pile of cushions. "Ever busy, Mother?" said the young girl, examining the work. The rug was very handsome.
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