‘Ah,’ replied Priscus, with a smirk, a bow, and a flash of his snowy fingers, ‘would to heaven your summons came oftener to bid me attend your presence. In the matter of the potter and his glass, which was, as you say, so highly remarkable, there followed a long discussion, of which, to my deep sorrow, I am utterly unable to give you a detailed account. I believe the fellow is still detained during Caesar’s pleasure, and the decided opinion last night was, that his new fashioned glass, if brought into general use, would sadly interfere with the more highly esteemed metals. So that, in case this opinion be retained, I should say the unlucky man will have small cause to rejoice in his invention.’ ‘A very hard fate, no doubt, after his toil.’ ‘Doubtless,’ said Priscus, shrugging his shoulders; ‘but it cannot be helped. If his invention be disadvantageous, Caesar must interdict it in the interest of all.’ ‘Naturally! And so, noble Priscus, let me thank you for your courtesy. I am sorry to think the poor man will be no gainer—he seemed so intelligent, I was quite interested.’ ‘Undoubtedly above the standard of his class.’ ‘He seems, moreover, to be tolerably well known,’ uttered Plautia, with a careless yawn. ‘Somebody about me—I know not who—told me he possessed a daughter at home, a girl of surpassing loveliness.’ ‘Ah, indeed!’ said the knight, with the slightest wrinkle of his brows. ‘Now, to my humble taste, that would be infinitely more interesting than the child of his genius—a glass bowl. But yet to speak of surpassing loveliness when the beauteous Plautia is not excepted is absurd.’ Priscus bowed and smirked again with effusive gallantry which Plautia, as affectedly, returned. ‘And now I will detain you no longer, my friend,’ said Plautia; ‘forgive my idle message!’ ‘Ah, say no more of that—would I could remain! But there is an excursion half resolved upon to‐day to inspect the works at the new villa of Mars. You will doubtless hear of it in due course, if finally resolved on. Till then farewell, noble Plautia.’ As the day wore on, Priscus came again with the anticipated invitation for Plautia to accompany the afternoon’s expedition. The effect of yesterday’s experience had far from passed away from her mind, and, although she had recovered much of her nerve, there yet remained a dread of appearing among the people. The hesitation did not last long. Her courage was equal to the occasion, and she had now, moreover, a definite plan of action. The man before her, she thought, as that individual chattered away, must know, if any one knew, of every rumour and piece of gossip current in the villa and island. She longed to question him, but her pride recoiled from the attempt.