The Roman Traitor Volume Ii Part 41

"Thy fault, old Pansa, how can that be, my friend?-who slew him?"

Once more the rigid features of Catiline relaxed into a horrid smile, the glaring eyes again opened, and starting half upright he shook his hand aloft, and with a frightful effort, half laugh, half groan, half words articulate, sneered fiendishly-"I! I. Ha! ha! I did. Ha! ha! ha! ha!"-

But at the same instant there was a joyous cry from the officers who had lifted Paullus, and a rapturous shriek from Julia.

"He is not dead!"

"His hurts are not mortal, lady, it is but loss of blood,"

"He lives! he lives!"-

"Curses! cur-cur-ha! ha!-this-this is-Hades!"

The fierce sneer died from the lips, a look of horror glared from the savage eyes, the jaw gibbered and fell, a quick spasm shook the strong frame, and in a paroxysm of frustrated spite, and disappointed fury, the dark spirit, which had never spared or pitied, went to its everlasting home.

It was the dead of winter, when the flame of rebellion was thus quenched in rebel blood; Cicero still was consul. But it was blithesome springtide, and the great orator had long since sworn THAT HE HAD SAVED HIS COUNTRY, among the acclamations of a people for once grateful; had long since retired into the calm serenity of private life and literary leisure, when Paullus was sufficiently recovered from his wounds to receive the thanks of his friend and benefactor; to receive in the presence of the good and great Consular his best reward in the hand of his sweet Julia. It was balmy Italian June, and all in Rome was peace and prosperity, most suitable to the delicious season, when on the sacred day of Venus,(16) clad in her snowwhite bridal robe, with its purple ribands and fringes, her blus.h.i.+ng face concealed by the saffron-colored nuptial veil, the lovely girl was borne, a willing bride, over the threshold of her n.o.ble husband's mansion, amid the merry blaze of waxen torches, and the soft swell of hymeneal music, and the congratulations of such a train of consuls, consulars, senators and patricians, as rarely had been seen collected at any private festival. In a clear voice, though soft and gentle, she addressed Paullus with the solemn formula-

"Where thou art Caius, I am Caia."

Thenceforth their trials ceased; their happiness began; and thenceforth, they two were one for ever. And, for years afterward, when Roman maidens called blessings down upon a kindred bride, they had no fairer fate to wish her than to be happy as Arvina's Julia.

And how should any man be blessed, in this transitory life, if not by the love of such a girl as Julia, the friends.h.i.+p of such a man as Cicero, the fame of such a deed, as the death of THE ROMAN TRAITOR.

THE END

NOTES TO THE ROMAN TRAITOR.

It is perhaps hardly necessary to state, that the oration of Cicero in the 37th page of the second volume, those of Caesar and Cato in the 137th and 142d pages, and that of Catiline in the 217th page of the same, are all literal translations from the actual speeches delivered on those occasions, and recorded by Cicero and Sall.u.s.t.

It was absolutely necessary for the truth and spirit of the romance, that these speeches should be inserted; and the author considered that it would be equally vain and absurd to attempt fict.i.tious orations, when these master-pieces of ancient eloquence were extant.

This brief explanation made, no farther notes will, I believe, be found necessary; as the few Latin words which occur in the body of the work are explained therein; and the costumes and customs are described so much in detail, that they will be readily comprehended even by the uncla.s.sical reader.

A table is appended, containing the Roman and English Calendars of the three months during which all the events of the conspiracy occurred, ill.u.s.trating the complicated and awkward mode of Roman computation; and this, I believe, is all that is needful in the way of simplifying or elucidating the narrative.