And, better than all, amid this scene of triumph, he had
not seemed unmindful of her, for he had looked up and waved to her a
salute, which the responsive crowd had joined in and carried along with
redoubled acclamations, and he had sent to her his most trusty slave
with a loving message. What, then, could she ask more?
Nothing that she could name, or that if she named, to others, would have
seemed a reasonable desire. And yet at her heart there was a certain
dim, indistinct foreboding of evil, which she could not entirely
repress. Was it that, in his glance, as he rode by and beheld her
awaiting him, there was less of longing love than of gratified pride? Or
did that flush upon his bronzed face indicate too surely his enjoyment
of this pageant for its own sake rather than for the pleasure which he
might have supposed that she would derive from it? Was it from
forgetfulness of her that, after he had ridden past, he did not again
look back to wave one more recognition, but rather seemed to gaze
eagerly forward to where the assembled senators stood ready to greet
him? Or, on the contrary, were all these merely vague and empty
imaginings arising from the exhaustion and wearisomeness of long,
impatient waiting?
At length, raising her head, she saw her attendant bondwoman standing at
the distance of a few paces, with her hands crossed upon her breast.
Pages:
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118