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They were seated not according to seniority, but Numisia in the middle, Meffia and Brinnaria, as the youngest, on either side of her, Gargilia next Meffia, and Manlia next Brinnaria.
She was radiantly handsome, knew it, and was proud of it. Her duties she knew to the last, least detail, and Causidiena trusted her quite as much as Manlia or Gargilia. One spring night it was Mafia's watch until midnight, at which time Brinnaria was to relieve her. Brinnaria was a sound sleeper.
Causidiena, tactful and sympathetic, solved the problem of how to influence her by getting her to watch Meffia and to contrast her with Manlia and Gargilia. They were almost as statuesque as their two elders, who reclined at table in attitudes scarcely less majestic than those of the Fates on the Parthenon pediment.
This vocal salute, a mere tag of eight or nine syllables, each with its distinctive note, was repeated over and over until the Emperor was seated. Then the audience settled themselves into their seats. Brinnaria had instinctively started to rise when she caught sight of the Emperor. Manlia had put out a restraining hand.
He wore a helmet like a skull cap with a broad nose-guard that amounted to a mask, above which were small openings for his eyes. Conning this pair Manlia's attention was riveted by the slighter man. He was very light on his feet, jaunty of bearing and, as it were, ablaze with self-confidence. Manlia, who was an expert judge of sword-fighting, perceived at once that he was a master of his art.
If I had known nothing more about you than I know of Manlia or Gargilia, if I had learned of your escapade from anyone but you, I'd have had you formally accused, tried, convicted and buried alive with the utmost dispatch.
While it was in progress Manlia had seen one of the Emperor's orderlies enter the arena from one of the small doors in the wall and confer with the chief lanista, who directed the fighting. By the time Almo began a fourth bout half the audience was looking at him or at Brinnaria.
That little fool of a Campia is the most complete cry-baby and the most homesick little wretch I ever saw or heard of. She has sobbed herself ill and screamed us all out of a night's sleep. Terentia and Manlia were up half the night with her and she waked me and Causidiena.
Aurelius has and he has told Antoninus; I watched him." "How could you?" Manlia exclaimed. "How could you watch anything but Almo?" "I could and I did," Brinnaria asseverated. "I'm looking all ways at once, just now. The news is all over the Imperial loge already. They are looking at me as well as at him. I hope he'll be killed this next bout."
Manlia, with great presence of mind, untied the dangling robe and dropped it over the parapet. One of the arena attendants carried it to Brinnaria and she put it on. But she would not stir and stood straddling the fallen lad until one of the Emperor's aides came out of one of the low doors in the arena-wall, crossed to her and assured her that the defeated retiarius would be spared and cared for.
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