Clœlia had donned her best robe, which was plain in colour and material, and had no embroidery or ornament except the purple segmentum, which is the badge of widowhood. Clœlia wore a veil over her silvery hair, and walked with the graceful dignity which distinguished the Roman matron. As they passed along Clœlia pointed out to Hyacintha the principal objects of interest, and paused at the Forum, where a variety of business and some religious rites were going on. A sacrifice was being offered before the temple of Dioscuri, and a large car, drawn by milk-white horses, and preceded by a band of girls and boys playing on silver trumpets, was followed by a large crowd. Clœlia paused by one of the huge pillars, which seemed to lift its head to the very skies, and bade Hyacintha look round at the grand statues and buildings which were on every side. From one rostrum an orator was speaking to a listening crowd, and accompanied his oration with the graceful action which kept up the rhythm of the words as they left his lips, and attracted many to his feet. A large caravan rolled past, which seemed to attract attention. From their post of observation at the base of the pillar, Clœlia addressed a woman, a widow like herself, and asked, nodding her head in the direction of the caravan-- “More beasts for the arena?” “Yes,” was the answer, “and more sport for them. A whole body of Christians have been seized to-day while burrowing like ants in their underground resort. There will be good sport to-morrow or next day. Will you not come with me to see it? They have two huge Barbary lions in that caravan, six leopards, and a panther that has already done to death two of his keepers.” “Yes, there will be fine sport,” the woman repeated, her dark eyes flashing with a cruel light. “Ah! They have caught another. See! Two!--three more! Look! they are trying to escape; they are seized by the lictors. One looks as if she would be a sweet mouthful for the lion. I must hasten to find out who they are.” The woman turned away, and Hyacintha could distinguish three figures being borne off by the guards, one a girl of her own age, the others two older women. “They refused to do homage on their knees at the sacrifice,” a voice said near them. “The vile wretches! It seems they can never be stamped out.” “No,” laughed another man. “They swarm like lizards on a sunny wall. They say the Governor in Britain has done good service, and several of the reptiles have been caught and made an end of. The Emperor has vowed he will never stop till he has got rid of the whole brood, and those fellows in that caravan will be happy to carry out his intentions!” A laugh greeted this sally, and, as if in reply, a loud roar from the captive lion sounded through the Forum. Then the laugh was repeated, and Clœlia and Hyacintha, as they moved away, heard the cry of the people answering the roar of the lions.