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Updated: June 11, 2025
Tears streamed from the young soldier's eyes; his sword fell from his hand. "Ye gods, bless that Roman woman for the sake of the dagger. Do you not know who it was?" "She does not wish you to be told." Manlius drew a long breath, as if relieved from a heavy burden. "I thank you for these tidings." There was something terrible in this gratitude. "The danger is not yet over," Glyceria began again.
The next moment the hall was wrapped in flames. Like the fiend who gained an entrance into Heaven and was forced to fly thence, Carinus fled from the destroying fire, while Glyceria, seizing a burning coverlet, rushed from room to room, setting fire to each, and, dragging costly garments into the main hall, kindled those too.
Carinus felt rustling garments brush him in the corridors, soft hands guided him and, amid low laughter, led him through quiet rooms until at last he clasped a hand at whose electric pressure his blood began to seethe, and a familiar voice faltered with a tenderness never heard before: "Manlius! So you came?" It was Glyceria cruelly deceived Glyceria.
Manlius, with suppressed fury, answered: "Is love a fruit that becomes overripe if it waits long?" Glyceria looked at Manlius in horror. "What is the matter with you that you speak to me of love?" "Did you not summon me that we might whisper together of rapture, bliss, and sweet delights?" "Once your words would have given me pleasure; now horror seizes me when you speak in this way."
At the first moment Sophronia shrank back at the sight of this countenance, but she instantly held out her hand with a lovely smile, saying kindly: "Sister Glyceria!" "Do not give me your hand," said the lady sadly. "Do not embrace me. At the first instant of recognition you started back. You were afraid of this face, and you may be right.
Change clothes with me; put on my veil. Your figure is like mine; no one will notice the difference. A trustworthy slave is waiting outside with horses. In an hour you can be clasped in the arms of your father and your lover." Glyceria closed her eyes sadly, crushing hot tears with their lids, as if she had said: "My father, my lover!" "And you?" asked Sophronia. "I shall stay here."
The banquet lasted a long time. True, it was only afternoon out of doors, but any one who did not know that the feast had begun in the morning would have supposed it was already midnight. Carinus poured the wine that remained in the drinking horn upon the floor, in token that he drank some one's health, and then handed it to Manlius. "To the health of the beautiful Glyceria!"
When the name "Glyceria" reached him, he struck his heels into his horse's flanks, and as though he felt the scourge of the Furies upon him, dashed wildly into the courtyard of the Villa Mesembrius. The old man, without noticing the expression of rage, terror, and despair that darkened the knight's face, met him with a smile.
"It is a golden cage, in which I find two doves instead of one." "Put your insipid jests into rhyme, but spare me their tasteless folly. And now, go!" "Very willingly if you will come with me; but the Augustus sent me here." Glyceria hastily whispered to Sophronia: "Do not betray that you are my sister, or our father is lost, too." Then she turned to the soldiers. "Insolent knaves! Do you know me?
Manlius, looking after her, muttered under his breath: "Cannot I play the hypocrite too?" As Glyceria had learned through her spies, Manlius was summoned by the lictors to Carinus' presence that very day. But instead of waiting for the command, he went to the palace before he received it.
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