‘You are rather thick and heavy with flesh and years to do that,’ observed the young lady satirically; ‘nevertheless, I am assured you will hasten on your legs as fast as you can. I am indebted to you for several favours lately, Glaucus——’
‘The noble Plautia deigns to be gracious to her humble freedman,’ said he, smirking and bowing to the ground.
’See you that small drawer in the citron-wood table? Open it—there is a purse within it!’
The freedman did as he was desired with alacrity, and took out the purse.
‘Transfer the contents to your own pocket and replace the purse,’ said Plautia.
Glaucus did so with admirable celerity, and gushed into profuse expressions of gratitude.
‘Enough—you are a good man,’ said his patroness, nodding toward the door. He took the hint and withdrew, and after a few moments’ reflection, Plautia went to a writing-table, and indited the following laconic epistle:—
‘Come and see me at your earliest.’
Sealing it up, she gave it into the hands of a slave, with instructions to deliver it to the Prefect himself, wheresoever he might find him. When the slave had gone she wrote another letter, which she destroyed as soon as she had read it over. She composed an amended one, which shared the fate of the former, and not until four or five had been ruthlessly sacrificed to her fastidious taste, did she succeed in completing one sufficiently satisfactory to her mind to fold up. It was put into a secret drawer, and its fair author proceeded to pass the hours with her usual occupations, which were mainly the reception of visitors, and the lengthy and elaborate business of the bath.
The time had long passed since her slave had returned from his errand, and his embassy had, so far, been followed by no result. Her impatient temper suffered considerably, and she was about to send off a more peremptory mandate, when the appearance of the tall form of the Prefect himself concluded the matter.