But now she is gone, and it may be impossible to find her; and should he find her, perhaps he will cause her death, and should he not cause her death, neither she nor Aulus nor Pomponia Graecina will favor him.

Here anger raised the hair on his head again; but his anger turned now, not against the house of Aulus, or Lygia, but against Petronius.

Petronius was to blame for everything.

Had it not been for him Lygia would not have been forced to wander; she would be his betrothed, and no danger would be hanging over her dear head.

But now all is past, and it is too late to correct the evil which will not yield to correction.
"Too late!" And it seemed to him that a gulf had opened before his feet.