"Oh!"
"Aye! a traitor must suffer even in death. His body shall be given to the dogs, his blood to the carrion...."
"Silence, Licinia!" broke in Dea Flavia sternly, "fill not mine ears with thy hideous talk. Every word thou dost utter is impiety and sacrilege, and I would smite thee for them had I but the strength.
"But I am so tired," she added after a slight pause, with a weary little sigh, even whilst Licinia, subdued and frightened, stood silently by: "I would like to sleep."
"Then sleep, my goddess," said the old woman, "I'll watch over thee."
"No! no! I could not sleep if I were watched," rejoined Dea Flavia with the fretfulness of a tired child. "I would rather be alone."
"But thou'lt have bad dreams."
"Order Blanca to lie across the threshold. I can then send her to fetch thee, if I have need of thee."
"I would rather lie across thy threshold myself," muttered the old woman.
"Good Licinia, do as I tell thee," said Dea, now with marked impatience. "And—stay—" she added as Licinia still grumbling prepared reluctantly to obey—"I pray thee find out for me all that is going on in the city. Mayhap Tertius will know what has happened—or Piso.... Go seek them, Licinia, and find out all that there is to know, so that thou canst tell me everything anon, when I wake."