CHAPTER XXII

THE TRIUMPH

Another week went by and the eve of the Triumph was at hand. On the afternoon before the great day sewing-women had come to the house of Gallus, bringing with them the robe that Miriam must wear. As had been promised, it was splendid, of white silk covered with silver discs and having the picture of the gate Nicanor fashioned on the breast, but cut so low that it shamed Miriam to put it on.

"It is naught, it is naught," said Julia. "The designer has made it thus that the multitude may see those pearls from which you take your name." But to herself she thought: "Oh! monstrous age, and monstrous men, whose eyes can delight in the disgrace of a poor unfriended maiden. Surely the cup of iniquity of my people is full, and they shall drink it to the dregs!"

That same afternoon also came an assistant of the officer, who was called the Marshal, with orders to Gallus as to when and where he was to deliver over his charge upon the morrow. With him he brought a packet, which, when opened, proved to contain a splendid golden girdle, fashioned to the likeness of a fetter. The clasp was an amethyst, and round it were cut these words: "The gift of Domitian to her who to-morrow shall be his."

Miriam threw the thing from her as though it were a snake.

"I will not wear it," she said. "I say that I will not wear it; at least to-day I am my own," while Julia groaned and Gallus cursed beneath his breath. What are the answers to this following set of questions: 1. who came to the house?
2. did they come in the morning?
3. when?
4. who's home was it?
5. did women bring something?
6. what?
7. for who?
8. did she like it?
9. why did she dislike it?
10. did it have anything on it?
11. what?
12. where on it was that located?
13. what was the Marshal's position?
14. when did he enter into the story?
15. did he bring something?
16. what?
17. for who?
18. what did they say?
19. did he bring anything else?
20. what?
Answer: 1. sewing-women
2. No
3. in the afternoon
4. Gallus
5. Yes
6. the robe
7. Miriam
8. No
9. it was cut too low
10. Yes
11. the picture of the gate Nicanor
12. the breast
13. he was an assistant of the officer
14. hat same afternoon
15. Yes
16. orders
17. Gallus
18. when and where he was to deliver over his charge
19. Yes
20. a packet

BEIJING, China (CNN) -- When we requested an interview with members of the Communist Youth League, I expected an army of suits with well-rehearsed answers. Instead, we met three students casually dressed in jeans, just 18 to 23 years old.

Christina Zhang wants to be a linguistics teacher or professor. She plans to attend graduate school.

The interview was arranged by the State Council Information Office, in advance of the upcoming 60th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China.

Unlike many government-sanctioned shoots, it was not carefully choreographed or closely monitored. The students did arrive with a "minder" of sorts, but he was no older than them and didn't interrupt the conversation.

We sat down for tea at Ritan Park in downtown Beijing. My questions seemed to be more sensitive than they expected, but the students remained poised and answered every one.

All of the students are members of the Chinese Communist Party and the Communist Youth League, the same organization that launched the successful careers of Chinese President Hu Jintao and many of China's other top leaders.

"I think Communism is an ideal state of society that everyone should pursue," said Natalie Chen, an 18-year-old freshman and finance major at Peking University's Guanghua School of Management. "In the Communist society, everything is fair in economics, in politics, in education. Everybody has equal opportunity and that's a great society."

"Do you think everything is fair in China?" I asked Natalie.

"At present I have to say no," she said. "But, we are of course making progress towards it." Watch Chang's interview with the students " What are the answers to this following set of questions: 1. What kind of teacher does Christina Zhang wish to be?
2. Will she attend grad school?
3. The interview was to mark which anniversary?
4. Of what?
5. How old is Chen?
6. What is her first name?
7. Is she a freshman or senior?
8. What is her major?
9. What university does she attend?
10. What particular school at the university?
11. Did anyone show up to the Communist Youth League meeting in suits?
12. What did they wear?
13. What age was the youngest student there?
14. And the oldest?
Answer: 1. linguistics
2. She plans to
3. 60th
4. the founding of the People's Republic of China
5. 18
6. Natalie
7. freshman
8. finance
9. Peking University
10. Guanghua School of Management
11. No
12. jeans
13. 18
14. 23

CHAPTER XX.

HOW CAPTAIN USSHER SUCCEEDED.

Late the next morning, Feemy and the other girls got up; they had slept together to make room in the house for the victorious Bob, but as Father John had prophesied, they were all too tired to be much inconvenienced by this. Immediately after breakfast the car came round, and Feemy, afraid to wish her friends good bye too affectionately lest suspicion should be raised, and promising to come back again in a day or two, returned to Ballycloran.

Thady was out when she got there, but he was expected in to dinner. Her father was glad to see her, and began assuring her that he would do all in his power to protect her from the evil machinations of her brother, and then again took his grog and his pipe. She went into the kitchen, and summoning Biddy, desired her to follow her up to her bedroom. When there, she carefully closed the door, and sitting down on the bed, looked in her attendant's face and said,

"Biddy, if I told you a secret, you'd never betray me, would you?"

"Is it I, Miss Feemy, that's known you so long? in course I wouldn't," and the girl pricked up her ears, and looked all anxiety. "What is it, Miss?--Shure you know av you tould me to hould my tongue, never a word I'd spake to any mortial about anything."

"I know you wouldn't, Biddy; that's why I'm going to tell you; but you mustn't whisper it to Katty, for I think she'd be telling Thady." What are the answers to this following set of questions: 1. Who left after breakfast?
2. Where did she go?
3. Was Thady home?
4. Was anyone there when she got there?
5. Who
6. What is he smoking?
7. What does she need protection from?
8. Who is her servant?
9. When is she?
10. Where do they go?
11. Whose idea was that?
12. What does she want to tell Biddy?
13. Who can't she repeat it to?
14. Why not?
15. Can she trust Biddy?
16. Did she spend the night away from home?
17. Who said they would be tired?
18. Why did they need extra space in the home?
19. How soon after the meal did the vehicle come?
20. Did she slam the bedroom door?
Answer:
1. Feemy
2. Ballycloran
3. no
4. yes
5. Her father
6. his pipe
7. her brother
8. Biddy
9. in the kitchen
10. to Feemy's bedroom
11. Feemy's
12. a secret,
13. Katty
14. She'd tell Thady
15. yes
16. yes
17. Father John
18. for Bob
19. Immediately
20. no