"Woe to the Latins! Vengeance on Romans! Break down their castles, Shatter their strongholds, Swing ye the sword Till the base robbers flee! All this region Hath Odin given To his sons of victory-- To us, the Alemanni! "Oh, I thank you, I thank you, Adalo!" And she rushed out of the tent. "How foolish!" Ausonius said reproachfully to his nephew. "How inhospitable! How could you so incense our guest?" "Guest? Our, that is, the Illyrian's, slave-girl. But forgive me, uncle. It shall not happen again. How little a Barbarian woman suits the society of Romans! Our thoughts, our wishes--she is implacably hostile to all. And Adalo? I have already heard the name. Isn't it--?" "No matter who it is," thundered the uncle. "But you are my nephew, and have insulted, roused the lovely girl to furious rage at my table, in my tent. How would you in Burdigala--" A gloomy, significant glance from the young Roman checked his thoughtless speech. "You must appease her. Now leave me; I don't wish to see you again to-day. Or stay--I will follow her myself. Poor little thing!" Ausonius rose excitedly from the couch and hurried out. Herculanus and the slave who acted as cup-bearer remained alone in the tent. "Is it so already?" muttered the former angrily through his set teeth. "Does the childish infatuated old fool reveal his plans so openly? To work, Davus! Well or ill--to work! Have you the hemlock? Have you enough?" "I think it will do. If it fail the first time, you still have some in the other little vial?" Herculanus nodded. The slave went on: "He complained yesterday of all sorts of bad feelings. I'll risk it soon, before he gets well again. But--one thing more--the Barbarian girl will sleep alone to-night." "What? Not in the tent with the teamsters' wives? "No; a contagious eruption broke out there last night: I heard Saturninus give the order to pitch another tent at once on the opposite side for the prisoner." "But he will have her closely guarded." "To-night he is going on a reconnoitring expedition with all his incorruptible Illyrians. Batavians are to be on duty: they are fond of drinking; perhaps--" "Silence! This ring as a reward for the news. We don't yet know whether the plot against the old man will succeed, so we'll have two strings ready for our bow. And I hate her. I don't hate him; only I must have my inheritance quickly. So to-night! Hush, Prosper is coming! About the poison--in the two little vials--we'll say more later; you know where and when. First we'll wait to see what this night will bring forth." * * * * *