Wichita eagle., 1888-09-26

| thunder OF Iarann TO fall on my GeaQ. L
have entire confidence in you. VIII you not
soon be my wife! Ought you not to read my
soul like myself! Take then these tablets
wherein is written the secret of the Diorix.
1 know that in your hands they viii be as
safe as in my OWL"
'.No, cannot have you perjure yourself,
not even to prove to me your love"
SIS it to be perjured to have with ones
wife but one thought, one sentiments'
II supplicate you, keep these tablets So
cred.n
'No, take them. Our happiness exacts il"
| And, placing them in Lydia's hands, he
turned swiftly and strobe away. The girl
called him in vain. Then she ran after him,
but he had disappeared in the shadow of the
night which commenced to veil the hills of
Liusannunl.
A month has hardly passed and eli is ready
in the mansion of Balbuo for the celebration
OF the betrothal of the daughter of the pot
ter and the last of the Diorix.
In effect, Lydia was quickly treasured in
seeing that no obstacle could further retard
her happiness. She fastened to announce
her victory to her father. She showed him
the precious tablets, but refused TO allow
him to touch them, because, as she laugh
ingly said, they were the property of her
husband. Balbuo did not insist, telling him
self that from the moment that his daughter
had the tablets of the Diorix in her hands
the secret could not long remain unknown.
On his side, Robert, dominated by his love,
had easily stifled his remorse, Welcomed as
q son by his rich neighbor solitude no longer
saddened his life. He had found in the house
Of Balbuo a new family. Happy, he said
that his race bad given emperors to the Ro-
man world and there were no longer oppres-
sors nor oppressed.
The day has come for the betrothal ban
| quet. The factory of Balbuo holds festival.
The workmen and the slaves have quilted the
shops and the furnaces. Assembled in the
vast courts beneath the venerable oaks. some
drink the wine of the country, others sing
and dance upon the green.
In the spacious hall, with its marble walls
and mosaic pavement, a circular table is sur
rounded by the companions of Balbuo. Most
| of them wear the toga of white wool, Dor
dered with purple; others are covered with
the Greek pallium embroidered with gold.
Some Arvernes still preserve their national
costume Among them Robert is distin-
| guished by the brilliancy of his garments and
J the richness of his bracelets and collars The
/ women wear the peplum or the stole, secured
at the shoulder by clasps of gold. Among
them Lydia is remarkable for the simplicity
of her robe Of woven wool, fastened at one
/ shoulder by simple clasp, after the manner
of the Gauls The delicate attention has not
escaped Roberts notice.
/ The table is pompously served. The meats
smoke in silver dishes, by the side Of rose
hued vases ornamented with figures, contain
ing multicolored apples and rudy lunches
of grapes. The hagons of iridescent glass,
the amphoras, filed with Falernian and Mas
sique, sparkle near the two handled bowls
which contain the fermented liquors. The
autumn sun flashes across this mass of YES
sells, OF precious vases, fingers about the
colonnades of pink marble, and throws ray
upon the smiling mouth of the bronze Mer-
curry upright upon tripod of gold
Meanwhile the father of the family, to do
honor to his future son-in-law, filed, follow
ing the custom of the Gauls, large cup with
wine of Setia, put it to his lips and passed it
to his neighbor, saying: May this beverage
preserve your health" The cup circulated
from hand to hand around the table, and the
feast soon was at its height.
A slight uneasinesS at times, however, mod
Grated the hilarious joy Of the revelers 1t
was when they spoke of tho rapid march Ct
the men of the north, who had invaded Gaul
under command of Chrock, their king. The
last couriers had reported them as moving
toward Lyons. Might they not then invade
the country Of the Bituriges and even venture
as far as Arverniel But it was thought prob
able that they would descend toward the
south by the country Of the Allobroges. This
last opinion, more reassuring, obtained gen
eral assent, and the repast went on joyously.
As the feast was about to terminate Lydia,
pale with emotion, approached Robert, a
cup in her hand. She presented it to him.
saying: You are my husband and my master,
and | am your faithful servant" The young
Arverne took the cup half emptied it, and
returned it to Lydia. The girl carried it to
her lips, but she trenbled so tina. she let it
fall, and the cup, with its beautiful rose glaze,
was broken upon the mosaic pavement.
Many of the guests considered this incident
as of evil omen, but the emotion passed off
and the feast was ended to the sound of the
tibia and the Phrygian flute.
Robert and Lydia We're betrothed accord
ing to the rites and customs of Arvernie
Their MARRIAGE was to be celebrated few
days later, following the prescriptions of the
Roman law.
The day following this joyous feast, the
two lovers walked together in the neghbor-
ing forest. They exchanged soft words and
tender looks and formed a thousand projects
Meanwhile, the watchers, signaling from
hill to hill, had given notice of the appear
ance, ct a great distance, of some bands Of
Germans. The news ran through the city,
but with the carelessness of youth, the lovers
believed themselves sheltered from all danger
and nothing troubled their serenity.
They had arrived at the glade where they
had exchanged their first VOWS Lydia re-
called that it was also the place where the
power of her charms had triumphed over
Robert, and had won from him his secret
She wished to seat herself upon the messy
bank which had been witness Of their pledges
The sun was disappearing below the horizon.
The shades of the forest had q serene almost
sad aspect. The immense plain stretched
itself away to the foot of the sinuous line Of
the blue mountains. Suddenly somber and
cold tint replaced the vanishing rays, and
night had fallen.
Their gaze turned at the same moment in
the direction of Augusto-Nemetun- They
saw some light clouds of smoke forming over
the city. They thought it was only the
autumn mist, which sometimes covered all
the horizon. but the smoke became blacker
and more dense, and great flames seemed to
hex the foot OF the mountains Soon the
central conc, where stood the temple of Mer-
curry, appeared to be on fire, and tongues of
flame shot up against the sky as if volcano
had suddenly burst into eruption.
Then only, they began to think OF the warn
ings of the watchers, and their hands met in
mutual terror. Then only, Robert remem-
bered his oath and his ueri1ry