"Then, without explanation ; I take the chil-
dren "

"No. I give them to you, freely. Or say,
lend them — ^polite people never call loans
gifts."

"But," his sister went on ruthlessly, "you are



FAUSTULA 37

to understand that Tatius returns to you pres-
ently — ^when he is old enough. As for Faus-
tula, should she be betrothed "

"The first I heard of it," Faustulus inter-
rupted blandly. "How time flies!"

"Should she be marriageable during my life
and be betrothed I will give her a dowry such
as I had from my father. And if I die first
she shall have such dowry laid up for her; that
is all. Most of what I have comes from my
husband and he has left relations. . . ."

"Not disagreeable I hope ? As husband's re-
lations are so apt to be."

"I see little of them. Some are Christians :
but not all. If they prove deserving the prop-
erty that came from their family shall go back
to it. Now I have said what I intended you
may be as tiresome as you please; and you are
enough to provoke the gods."

"They are not difficult to provoke. Their in-
firmities of temper are notorious."

"Faustulus! Your impiety "

"Impiety! My dear Sabina, the gods are
my very good friends. My conduct is largely
based on theirs ... I copy Jupiter in almost
everything but the thunderbolts. That I do
not attempt. In fact since the Neronian fire
the laws against incendiarism are so stringent
that I doubt if they would be permitted — es-



88 FAUSTULA

pecially in this neighbourhood, so near to the
Circus Maximus, where you will recollect, the
fire broke out. Perhaps the Divine Nero fell
into the mistake of discharging some among the
wooden booths there — ^it was rather a weakness
of his family to imagine themselves gods . . ."

But Sabina would not listen. It was enough
to bring a thunderbolt down on her brother's
head. She was, perhaps, more angry than
afraid, and turned to leave the room with un-
disguised displeasure.
