He looked for some time at the tablets and the signet; then raising his eyes to the old centurion, he said calmly,--"Wait, Hasta, in the atrium till the hostage is delivered to thee." After these words he passed to the other end of the house, to the hall called oecus, where Pomponia Graecina, Lygia, and little Aulus were waiting for him in fear and alarm.
"Death threatens no one, nor banishment to distant islands," said he; "still Caesar's messenger is a herald of misfortune.

It is a question of thee, Lygia." "Of Lygia ?" exclaimed Pomponia, with astonishment.
"Yes," answered Aulus.
And turning to the maiden, he began: "Lygia, thou wert reared in our house as our own child; I and Pomponia love thee as our daughter.

But know this, that thou art not our daughter.

Thou art a hostage, given by thy people to Rome, and guardianship over thee belongs to Caesar.

Now Caesar takes thee from our house." The general spoke calmly, but with a certain strange, unusual voice.
Lygia listened to his words, blinking, as if not understanding what the question was.