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"Don't you wish it was you?" "Come, son!" Pulfennius spluttered, "let us be gone! This is no place for us. We are being mocked and insulted." "Nonsense, Pulfennius!" his host exclaimed. "Can't you see that I had no part in this, that the minx devised it all by herself expressly to thwart me? Don't let her have the satisfaction of outmanoeuvering both of us.
They chaffered a long time about the marriage settlement,Calvaster sitting silent, biting his lips, staring about him and fidgetting; Quartilla equally silent, but entirely placid, without the twitch of a muscle or any shift of gaze; the two men doing all the talking. Some of the talking was almost vehement, Pulfennius disclaiming promises which his host declared he had made.
As the two regarded each other they could hear the faint splash of the fountain in the tank midway of the courtyard. Her father, a true Roman to his marrow, with all a Roman's arbitrary instincts, reverted to the direct attack. "You will marry Pulfennius Calvaster," he commanded. "I will not!" she declared. He temporized. "Why not?" he queried.
I couldn't imagine any life so terrible. Oh, Daddy, please say you are not in earnest." He frowned. "I swear," he said, "that I was never more in earnest. I say it solemnly, as sure as my name is Marcus Brinnarius Epulo, I'll have you made a Vestal unless you agree this moment to give up all thoughts of Almo, to obey me about marrying Calvaster, and to be properly polite to him and Pulfennius."
When she was sure that he understood, she despatched him with a whispered injunction: "Hurry! Hurry!" Meanwhile, in the gorgeous atrium, the fathers' conference had continued. The moment she had gone Pulfennius said: "I do not believe in discussing misunderstandings before females; evidently there is some misunderstanding here.
There is an originality of invention about her pranks which amazes me. But I am sure she will turn out all that I could wish." "I trust so, indeed," said Pulfennius dryly. "I am grateful to you for warning me; I promise not to misjudge her because of any childish freakishness.
"Do you mean to insinuate " his host began. "I mean to insinuate anything and everything appropriate to her wanton behavior," Pulfennius raged. The two men glared at each other in a silence through which could be heard the cooing of the doves, the trickle of the two fountains, Brinnaria's low chuckle and the faint lisping sound of three distinct kisses.
Repeat her exact words; I'll hold you excused, Dastor." Dastor, reassured, grinned with anticipated enjoyment and said: "She says she is sitting down and very comfortable where she is, that she will not stand up till she feels inclined, and that if you want to see her you can come to her, for she will not come to you." For a moment there was a tense silence. Pulfennius spoke first.
Don't let a mere prank of a child spoil all our arrangements. She'll be a good wife as she says." "A good wife!" Pulfennius snorted. 'I much doubt whether she can now ever be a good wife to any man. I'm sure she'll never be a wife to my son. You'd never convince me that she's fit to be my son's wife. Make her a Vestal, indeed! She a Vestal? She's much more likely to be something very different!"
As her elders stood still, petrified, mute and motionless with amazement, she imprinted a loud smack on the lad's lips, laid her cheek roguishly to his and peered archly at them, saying: "Glad to see you again, Pulfennius; what do you think of me for a daughter-in-law?" "I do not think of you for a daughter-in-law," Pulfennius snarled furiously. He turned angrily to Brinnarius.
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