248 FAUSTULA

Now she saw much more. Between Vesta
and Faustula was not only the thick barrier
of a natural indifference ; there stood a human
figure. It only partly comforted her to think
that Faustula was but a child of ten: she
would not always be a child and it was not safe,
with such a character, to count on forgetful-
ness.
"Was this long ago!" she asked at last.
"Yes. Long ago. When I was only six
years old."

Claudia could see how present it all was to
Faustula still.
"And he? How old was he?"

"Oh, much older than me. A big boy of
twelve. He is in the Army now: far away
from Rome, or he would have come to say fare-
well before I came here. All his family were
kind to me ; he is Fabian Acilius Glabrio."

"A Christian?"

"Oh, of course. They are all Christians.
They were aU good to me."

"Many of them, I Imow, are very good."

"Yes. Better than our people."

Claudia did not hke to hear her say this; it
sounded dangerous, and disloyal.
She sighed, and rose to tend the Sacred Fire,
without making any comment. Faustula



FAUSTULA 249

watched her, half thinking of her, and half of
what she had herself heen saying.
