And that you call honest!" cried the poetess, hitting the praetor a blow with the stick of the ostrich-feather fan she held in her hand. "Only listen, Lucilla, your husband declares he came here for my sake." The praetor looked reproachfully at the speaker, but she whispered: "Due punishment for a dishonest man." Then, raising her voice, she said: "Do you know, Lucilla, that if I remain unmarried, your husband is not wholly innocent in the matter." "Alas! yes, I was born too late for you," interrupted Verus, who knew very well what the poetess was about to say. "Nay--no misunderstanding!" cried Balbilla. "For how can a woman venture upon wedlock when she cannot but fear the possibility of getting such a husband as Verus." "And what man," retorted the praetor, "would ever be so bold as to court Balbilla, could he hear how cruelly she judges an innocent admirer of beauty?" "A husband ought not to admire beauty--only the one beauty who is his wife." "Ah Vestal maiden," laughed Verus. "I am meanwhile punishing you by withholding from you a great secret which interests us all. No, no, I am not going to tell--but I beg you my lady wife to take her to task, and teach her to exercise some indulgence so that her future husband may not have too hard a time of it." "No woman can learn to be indulgent," replied Lucilla. "Still we practise indulgence when we have no alternative, and the criminal requires us to make allowance for him in this thing or the other." Verus made his wife a bow and pressed his lips on her arm, then he asked. "And where is dame Julia?" "She is saving the sheep from the wolf," replied Balbilla. "Which means--?" "That as soon as you were announced she carried off little Roxana to a place of safety." "No, no," interrupted Lucilla. "The tailor was waiting in an inner room to arrange the charming child's costume. Only look at the lovely nosegay she brought to Julia. And do you deny my right to share your secret?" "How could I?" replied Verus. "He is very much in need of your making allowances!" laughed Balbilla, while the praetor went up to, his wife and told her in a whisper what he had learnt from Mastor. Lucilla clasped her hands in astonishment, and Verus cried to the poetess: "Now you see what a satisfaction your cruel tongue has deprived you of?" "How can you be so revengeful most estimable Verus," said the lady coaxingly. "I am dying of curiosity." "Live but a few days longer fair Balbilla, for my sake," replied the Roman, "and the cause of your early death will be removed." "Only wait, I will be revenged!" cried the girl threatening him with her finger, but Lucilla led her away saying: "Come now, it is time we should give Julia the benefit of our advice." "Do so," said Verus. "Otherwise I am afraid my visit to-day would seem opportune to no one.--Greet Julia from me."