There she heard her childish voice imperiously ordering a servant to attend the mistress' latest guest.
Prisca appeared and silently served Laodice with melon, honey-cakes and milk.

Other of the house-servants were visible from time to time.
This, then, manifestly was not the breakfast of the menials.

She glanced toward the cluster of tall plants.

Through an interstice she was able to see all the persons seated at the other table.
There first was the blue-eyed, golden-haired girl.

Beside her was a youth, slim, dark, exquisitely fashioned, with limbs and arms as strong as were ever displayed in the games, yet powerful without brutality, graceful without weakness--marks of the ideal athlete that had long since disappeared with the coming of the Roman gladiator.
Opposite was a grown man, tall, broad and deep chested, with prominent eyes wide apart and a large mouth.