The time had long passed since her slave had returned from his errand, and his embassy had, so far, been followed by no result. Her impatient temper suffered considerably, and she was about to send off a more peremptory mandate, when the appearance of the tall form of the Prefect himself concluded the matter. ‘You sent for me, Empress—here I am!’ said he, smiling gaily, and pinching her beautiful cheek. She pushed his hand away. Had she been really the exalted personage he jokingly termed her, her gesture could not have been haughtier in manner. He laughed. ‘Forgive me, beautiful Plautia! I ought to have known that my salutation should have been warmer. Be not offended! I will hallow with my lips what my fingers have profaned.’ He bent down his lips, as if to kiss her rich‐hued cheek, but she pushed him away, and reared her head with an angry flash of her black eyes. ‘Alas! wherefore did you send for me to be so cruel?’ sighed he, with burlesque sorrow and pain. ‘Psa!’ she said scornfully. ‘It was not so always,’ observed the Prefect, with an affected sigh. ‘And should be less so now,’ was the rejoinder; ‘the noble Livia should be granted some measure of faithfulness—at the first at least.’ ‘Ho! ho! jealous?’ She gave him a momentary glance of surprise, and then exploded into uncontrollable laughter. Peal after peal rolled full and musically through the apartment, and yet so freely and spontaneously, as to forbid any idea of its mirth being forced. ‘Well—you seem amused at something,’ said the Prefect presently, with a frown. ‘Jealous, mighty Prefect, on your account!’ quoth Plautia, sinking on a couch with a sigh, and the fitful mutterings of her laughter. ‘I can freely pay tribute to your invincible fascinations, but I am not jealous. Never allow your conceit to grow at such a rate, Prefect, or it will do you serious harm.’ ‘There is no fear,’ he replied, biting his lip; ‘but whence did you know concerning Livia?’ ‘A bird of the air brought it this morning.’ ‘If I could net that same bird I would, perhaps, clip its wings.’ ‘To what purpose, but the pleasure of playing the tyrant? All Rome must know, and speedily too, of the Prefect’s last move.’ ‘That is true; but simply to teach him or her caution. Another time it might happen to be a more secret matter, premature exposure of which might lead to serious results. Bid your newsbearers be more wary, sweet lady. But you have not yet told me why you sent for me.’ ‘Partly for one more look at you, ere you depart on your matrimonial expedition,’ she said satirically. ‘Do you also know that?’ ‘It is part and parcel with the other.’ She rested her hand gently on his arm, and smiled in his face. ‘You are going to Capreae—to your Livia,’ continued she. ‘I congratulate you on the success of the whole affair. What follows then, Sejanus?’—she dropped her voice in a low tone—‘Tiberius is an old man.’ ‘What do you mean?’ said he, bending on her a cold, stony glance.