That his last sentence should practically duplicate the last sentence of the letter from Vedius was most incredible of all.

For if all Vedians were sure to be very decidedly hypercritical as to anyone likely to become Vedia's second husband, it was still more a certainty that the entire Satronian connection would scrutinize minutely everything concerning any man likely to come into control of the great properties which she had inherited from her husband, Satronius Patavinus.

That I should be disfavored by the entire Satronian connection had seemed to me more than likely.

Dromo's intimation of his warm approval of my suit for Vedia, coming on top of Caspo's, cleared of all obstacles my path towards matrimony with the woman of my heart's choice.

I was more than elated, I was drunk with ecstacy.
After I had finished reading, dead silence reigned in the _triclinium_; even Tanno was too dumbfounded to utter any sound.
Hirnio spoke first.
"Gentlemen," he said, "I beg of you to hear me out with attention.