Homo Sum -- Volume 02

while the slave lightly touched the shining tresses here and there with perfumed oil which she had poured into the palm of her hand; then she f

d metal, then she sighed again; she picked up the little greyhound that lay at

ide these four walls, want to see anything lik

embles! I believe it longs to be back again at Arelas, and is afraid

n the slight straps, but Sirona flung her hair off her face with the back of h

trived, as though gilt sandals had never yet trodden it. It was surrounded by buildings; on one s

ves lived. In front lay a heap of black charcoal, which was made on the spot by burning the wood of the thorny sajala species of acacia; and there too lay a goodly row of well smoothed mill-stones, which were shaped in the quarry, and exported to Egypt. At this early hour the whole unlovely domain lay in deep shadow, and was crowded wit

mistress of a larger room, the dwellin

ks at us the first thing in the morning through the window; as if the day wer

d stammered an answer, "Phoe

which was particularly sweet, trembled slightl

window than altogether pleases him, and it seems to him, that you occupy yourself more t

with glowing cheeks, and she pointe

"He went out before sunrise. You are not to wa

e with her from her home, closely to her bosom; for an unwonted sense of wretchedness weighed upon her heart, and she felt as lonely, friendless, and abandoned, as if she were driving alone-alone-over a wide and shoreless sea. She shuddered, as if she were cold-for she t

tive town, and he had lived opposite the circus, where, being of a stern temper, he had never permitted his daughters to look on at the games; but h

cessary occupations, for her mother died before she was fully grown up, and she was compelled to take charge of the eight younger children. This she did in all fideli

e was there so much that was splendid to see and to admire. So, when the Centurion Phoebicius, the commandant of the garrison of her native town, was transferred to Rome, and when he d

by sea from Massilia, accompanied by an old relat

im, but constantly in the society of her old duenna, she gave herself up with th

er at first, it spoilt many of her pleasures, when the Romans, young and old, began to follow and court her. At last Phoebicius arriv

free from frivolity, but she had learnt early from her strict father, as being the guide of her younger sisters, to distinguish clearly right from wrong, and the pure from the unclean; and s

out to her, but what was hurtful to the feelings of a pure woman. Pleasure became her torment, for the sweetest wine is repulsive when it has been tasted by impure lips. After every feast and spectacle he loaded her with outrageous reproaches, and

f brass between him and her; and as this something had led to his banishment to the remote oasis, and to his degradation to the rank of captain of a miserable maniple, instead of his obtaining his hoped for promotion, he began to torment her systematically whil

, warm-hearted kindliness and child-like merriment woke up to new life, and their fairest blossom

r to the point of exhaustion, while on the other hand he frequently drank with his

person of this man with his eyes, that now were dull with sleep and now glowed with rage, and she asked herself whether it were indeed possible that of her own free will she had chosen to become his wife. Her bosom heaved with quicker breathing as she remembered the ignominy he had subjected her to in Rome, an

disabling darkness so soon as the rays of light have fallen on it, no gloom of suffering touched her so deeply that the lightest breath of a new pleasure could not blow her troubles to the winds. Many rivers are quite different in color at their source and at their mouth, and so it was often with her tears

her, and that the sight of her had stirred his youthful blood. A woman-still more a woman who is pleased to please-forgives any sin that is committed for her beauty's sake, and Sirona's voice had a friendly ring in it as she bid Hermas good-morning and asked him

e is still very weak. Perhaps some good wine would be of service to him-not to-day, but to-morrow or the day after. Only come t

r in all confidence, he took courage and succeeded in stammer

s' house fell down with a loud clatter. Sirona started and drew back from the window, the grey-hound

nd the pile of stones, and vanished swiftly and silently into the slaves' quarters. These were by this time deserted by their inhabi

ut ill-folded bandage, all askew on the deep wound in his bend. As soon as this task was fulfilled she left the room again, placed herself behind the half open door which led in

d it had an irresistible effect upon her. She raised her head quickly from her hand, and her elbow from the knee on which it was resting, sprang to her feet, and went out into the yard. She was hidden by the mill-stones, but she could see Hermas lost in admiration. She followed the direction of his eyes and saw the same image which had fascinated his gaze-Sirona's lovely form, flooded with sunlight. She looked as if formed out of snow, and roses, and gold, lik

own to the ground, and suck the very blood from her red lips like a vampire, till she lay at her feet as pale as the corpse of a man dead of

ened with danger. She blushed for Sirona, and had actually opened her lips to call, when the greyhound barked and the dialogue began. Not a word escaped her sharp ears, and when he told Sirona that she was as good

with Dorothea, and she could see that he glanced up again at Sirona; but a spiteful smile passed ov

olykarp had ridden by on his father's fine horse, had greeted her as he passed, and had dropped a rose on the roadway.

the flower, blew away the road-side dust that had clung to it, rearranged the tumbled delicate petals with her finger- tips, and said, while she seemed to give the

d charming man, and has finer and more expressive eyes than any other here, if he were not always ta