Livia--or Livilla, as hereafter she shall be called, in order to distinguish her from Livia, the mother of Tiberius--was at this time in the bloom of her womanhood. She was the daughter of Drusus and Antonia. Drusus was the brother of Tiberius; Antonia, the daughter of Marc Antony and Octavia, the sister of Augustus. Therefore there flowed in the veins of Livilla the blood of both the Julian and Claudian families. She was a sister of Claudius and Germanicus. She had married Drusus, the son of Tiberius, and she made the emperor and her husband happy by giving birth first to a daughter, Julia, and then to male twins. In these boys centred the hopes of Tiberius for the continuation of the Claudian family as rulers of the empire. The wife of Drusus was considered the most beautiful woman in Rome. Her face was purely Roman. She had large, black, dreamy eyes that shone through long lashes, a prominent but handsome nose, lips that were red and voluptuous, and a bold forehead, crowned with black and lustrous hair. When Gannon presented the letter from Sejanus, she was languidly reclining upon a cushioned couch in a small but beautifully furnished room. As she lay there, the graceful lines of her figure were revealed through the folds of a loose tunica, or dress, held closely to her figure by bands of light-blue silk. There was a certain fervor in her languid movement that made Gannon retreat a few steps; for her fingers had touched his, and slightly pressed them. Her whole form seemed to palpitate under the voluptuous impulse of an evil thought. After she had read the letter, she looked at Gannon and softly said: “Why standest thou so far away? What fearest thou?” “I fear nothing,” Gannon timidly replied, with a slight smile; “but I know not the etiquette required before great people, my lady.” “For thee there is nothing to learn. Be natural,” said Livilla. She turned her handsome face towards Gannon. She smiled, and showed her pretty teeth as she added, “Come hither.” Gannon, somewhat embarrassed, bashfully approached. “Has no one told thee that thou art handsome?” she asked. “Why should they?” shyly asked Gannon. “Because ’tis true. Thine eyes and mouth are too handsome for a lad. They would make the fairest woman in Rome proud. Hast thou a brother?” “Nay, my lady. I have only a sister.” “Thy parents are living?” “Ay, my lady.” “What is the name of thy sister?” “Psyche--” “Is she pretty?” “Beautiful, my lady. She dances at the theatre.” “I have seen her,” said Livilla. Seeing that Gannon was more at ease, she asked him, “Wouldst thou like to be a lady’s secretary?” “I do not know, my lady.” “Come, leave the service of Sejanus. I will pay thee more, and thy duties will be lighter. Come, take care of my correspondence.”