The mute leaped down from his place and in an instant Costobarus joined him.

Alarmed without understanding, Laodice had risen and was drawn as far as she might from the serving-woman.
Momus, lifting himself by the stirrup, seized the stiff figure and laid it down upon the sands.

Aquila dismounted and the three men bent over the woman.

Then Costobarus glanced up quickly at Laodice, made a sign to Momus, who, with a face devoid of expression, climbed back into his place on the neck of the camel.
The strange woman who had stood her ground was heard to say in a low voice, half lost in the muffling of her wrappings: "One!" Momus drove on leisurely and Laodice, knowing that she must not look, slipped down in her place and wrapped her vitta over her face.
Pestilence was riding with them.
After a long time, Costobarus' camel ambled up beside hers, and she ventured to uncover her eyes.

Her father smiled at her with that same heart-breaking smile which her mother had for her in face of trouble.
"The frosts! The frosts!" he whispered to Momus, and the mute laid goad about his camel.
Aquila, seeing this haste, checked his horse's gait and fell back beside the strange woman.