For all this display of extravagance, Herennia was of only very mediocre beauty; and it was on this account that she was always glad to make uncomfortable flings at her "dear friend" Cornelia, whenever possible.
Herennia seated herself on a divan, and proceeded to plunge into all the flying gossip of the day.

Incidentally she managed to hint that Servius Maccus, her devoted admirer, had told her that the night before Lucius Ahenobarbus and some of his friends had attacked and insulted a lady on her way back from a late dinner.[87] [87] A common diversion for "young men of spirit." "The outrageous scapegrace!" cried Cornelia, while her maids hurried along a toilet which, if not as elaborate as Herennia's, took some little time.

"I imagined he might do such things! I always detested him!" "Then you are not so very fond of Lucius Ahenobarbus," said Herennia, raising her carefully painted eyebrows, as if in astonishment.

"I am really a little surprised." "Surprised ?" reﾃｫchoed Cornelia.

"What have I done or said that makes Lucius Ahenobarbus anything more than a very distant, a _very_ distant acquaintance ?" "My dear girl," exclaimed Herennia, throwing up her hands, "either you are the best actress, or the most innocent little wight, in Rome! Don't you know all that they say about you ?" "Who--say--what--about--me ?" stammered Cornelia, rising in her chair so suddenly, as to disarrange all the work Cassandra had been doing on her hair.
"Why, everybody," said Herennia, smiling with an exasperating deliberation.