“How?”
“Lygia is sick; influence Cæsar or Tigellinus to give her to Vinicius.”
“Dost thou think that I can do that?” asked she, in despair.
“Thou canst do something else. If Lygia recovers, she must die. Go thou to the temple of Vesta, and ask the virgo magna to happen near the Tullianum at the moment when they are leading prisoners out to death, and give command to free that maiden. The chief vestal will not refuse thee.”
“But if Lygia dies of the fever?”
“The Christians say that Christ is vengeful, but just; maybe thou wilt soften Him by thy wish alone.”
“Let Him give me some sign that will heal Rufius.”
Petronius shrugged his shoulders.
“I have not come as His envoy; O divinity, I merely say to thee, Be on better terms with all the gods, Roman and foreign.”
“I will go!” said Poppæa, with a broken voice.