“Oh no, no!” interrupted Claudia. “The worthy Baucis may remain at home. When we get into the laurel groves[301] we shall walk, and Baucis is so slow that she would be a hindrance.” The litter was soon ready. Four Numidians, with waving feathers in their heads, marched in front, and they proceeded northwards, by the same way which Quintus had taken two days since, in the moonless night. “I am glad that we left Baucis at home,” said Claudia in Greek. “We can talk undisturbed for once. You are so dreadfully sleepy, when we go to bed....” “And with good reason,” replied Lucilia, also in Greek. “I am tired out and over-excited. The amusements of the last few days are telling on my nerves. First, there was the evening at Cornelia’s; then a recitation for two hours from the charming Claudia on the merits of Caius Aurelius....” “I beg your pardon, but you are reversing the position. It was mistress Lucilia, who went on talking about Caius Afranius.” “Indeed! and why? Simply and solely as a counterpoise, an antidote to Aurelius. Besides, with your kind permission, his name is not Caius, but Cneius Afranius. Of course, you have nothing but Caius running in your head.” “That is just like you now,” said Claudia with a sigh. “Lately there has been no speaking a rational word to you.” “I am over-tired,” Lucilia repeated. “Two cantos of Statius yesterday morning, two more again this morning; to-morrow, two cantos of Statius, that involves a fourth! It is a mercy, that the Thebais consists only of twelve altogether, so it must come to an end at last! Certainly, when we have done Statius, he might read us Virgil[302] and afterwards the Battle of the Frogs and Mice.”[303] “Go, Lucilia--you are quite odious--and I wanted to confess something to you.” “A confession? my darling Claudia, a confession?” cried Lucilia, seizing her sister’s hand. “Will you own at last that you love him? That you are a perfect fool about him? Oh! silly child! did you not perceive, that I only wanted to punish you for trying to deceive me?” Claudia colored deeply, and involuntarily drew the embroidered curtain, as if she feared that the litter-bearers might read her secret in her face. “Not so loud!” she whispered, and then she softly kissed her cheek. “You confess?” asked Lucilia. But the only answer was a closer caress and a fervent kiss on her lips. “That is enough,” said Lucilia. “Your kiss says everything. No girl gives such a kiss as that, who is not desperately in love. It was meant for Caius Aurelius.” “Hush!” Claudia entreated, laying her hand on the audacious girl’s mouth. “Promise me....”