This girl is not Pearl-Maiden. Pearl-Maiden
fetched so great a price that it was impossible that I should buy her,
even for you----"
He stopped, for suddenly Domitian's face had become terrible. All the
drunkenness had left it, to be replaced by a mask of savage cruelty
through which glared the pale and glittering eyes. The man appeared as
he was, half satyr and half fiend.
"A mistake----" he said. "Oh! a mistake? And I have been counting on
her all these weeks, and now some other man has taken her from me--the
prince Domitian. And you--you dare to come to me with this tale, and
to bring this slut with you instead of my Pearl-Maiden----" and at the
thought he fairly sobbed in his drunken, disappointed rage. Then he
stepped back and began to clap his hands and call aloud.
Instantly slaves and guards rushed into the chamber, thinking that their
lord was threatened with some evil.
"Men," he said, "take that woman and kill her. No, it might make a stir,
as she was one of Titus's captives. Don't kill her, thrust her into the
street."
The girl was seized by the arms and dragged away.
"Oh! my lord," began Saturius.
"Silence, man, I am coming to you. Seize him, and strip him. Oh! I know
you are a freedman and a citizen of Rome.
Pages:
457
458
459
460
461
462
463
464
465
466
467
468
469
470
471
472
473
474
475
476
477
478
479
480
481