The upholsteries and rugs were more splendid than any that Cornelia had seen gracing the palace of Roman patrician.
Thus it came to pass that Fabia repeated over and over again to Cornelia the tale of recent happenings, until the latter's sorely perturbed brain might comprehend.

And then, when Cornelia understood it all: how that she was not to go to Greece with Phaon; how that she was under the protection of a man who owed his life to Sextus Drusus, and hated the Ahenobarbi with a perfect hatred; how that Demetrius had sworn to carry her to Alexandria, where, safe out of the way of war and commotion, she might await the hour when Drusus should be free to come for her--when, we repeat, she understood all this, and how it came to pass that the Vestal herself was on the vessel,--then Cornelia strained Fabia to her breast, and laid her head on the elder woman's shoulder, and cried and cried for very relief of soul.

Then she arose and let the maids Demetrius had sent to serve her--dark-skinned Hindoos, whose words were few, but whose fingers quick and dexterous -- dress her from the very complete wardrobe that the sea prince had placed at her disposal.
Never before had the sunlight shone so fair; never before had the sniff of the sea-breeze been so sweet.

The galleys were still in the bay, close by Prochyta, scarce a mile and a half from the nearest mainland.

The pirates were landing to procure water from the desolate, unsettled isle.