She was very affectionate to Virgilia and her offense
was no more mentioned, nor was she required to worship the gods. Her
mother left this fever to run its course and be healed by new scenes
and costly jewels.
Even Virgilia, herself, grew interested in the preparations for her
departure to her husband's house, which had been fixed for a day in
November, when the religious ceremony should take place. There were
cedar chests to be filled with piles of linen, woven by the slaves.
One very handsome oak marriage chest was full of silks and gauzes of
much price, brought on the ships which sailed up the Tiber from the
port of Ostia, on their return from Egypt.
A copper box held jewels, set in Etruscan gold, exquisitely chased by
the cunning hands of workers in the Way of the Goldsmiths. There were
opals, shimmering in the sunrays, alive with inner fires of flame-
color. There were diamonds, half-cut, and pearls found in the Ganges,
with emeralds and sapphires, rubies and garnets, many of them gifts
from friends to whom announcements of the betrothal had been sent on
ivory tablets engraved in blue.
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