'Yes,' she said. 'It can only be that.'
I myself was wondering if the Ubara could be taught to writhe in chains, or to move on the floor in such a way, so prettily, that the master would not lash her for clumsiness.
'Is Master listening?' asked Lavinia.
'Yes,' I said.
'She then rose up from her chair, and came down to where I knelt, back-braceleted and fastened to the rings.'
'Of what are you?' she asked.
'Of the house of Appanius, Mistress,' I said.
'But surely that would have been suggested by my collar! Surely she had been apprised of this sort of thing by the guards, even when I was still on the street outside!'
'Continue,' I said.
'Kneel straight, and lift your chin,' she said. 'Put your head further back!' she said. She then bent down, and put her hands on the collar, and checked it. 'RETURN ME TO APPANIUS OF AR' she read. 'A suitable legend for a collar,' she smiled, straightening up, 'fitting for an animal.'
'Yes, Mistress,' I said.
'You are an animal, you know,' she said.
' 'Yes, Mistress, I said.
' 'Incredible, she marveled, 'the difference between one such as I and one such as you. ' 'Yes, Mistress, I said.
' 'What are you called? she asked.
' 'Lavinia, I said.
' 'That is a pretty name, she said.
' 'Thank you, Mistress, I said.
' 'That is a pretty name, she said.'
' 'Thank you, Mistress, I said.'
' 'And you are a pretty girl, Lavinia, she said.
' 'Thank you, Mistress, I said.
' 'Very pretty, she said.
' 'Thank you, Mistress, I said.
' 'Do not dare to bring your head forward! she said.
' 'No, Mistress! I said.
'Then she took my collar in her hands and held it, and looked down, angrily, into my eyes. 'Meaningless, collared chit! she exclaimed.
' 'Yes, Mistress! I gasped, frightened. But, Master, if she were in a collar, do you think she would be so much more than I?'
'No,' I said.
'It would be, as fixed upon her as upon me! She would be as helpless in it as I! She would be no more able to remove it from her neck than I!'
'No,' I said. 'Such collars are not made to be removed by girls.'
' 'What are you to Milo? she asked, suddenly.
' 'Nothing, Mistress! I cried. 'Nothing, Mistress! ' 'How is it, she asked, 'that you have brought this message? Keep your head in position! ' 'I have been assigned by my master, Appanius, to Milo, to be a personal serving slave to him, to clean his quarters, run his errands, and such. ' 'And does he sleep you at his slave ring? she asked.
' 'No, Mistress,' I gasped, 'he sleeps me on my mat, in the corner of his room, and I am not permitted to leave it until morning! ' 'Absurd! she said.
' 'No, Mistress! I said.
' 'And has he never touched you, in the way of the man? she asked.
' 'No, Mistress! I said.
' 'Do you expect me to believe that? she asked.
' 'Yes, Mistress! I begged.
'She glared down at me.
' 'I am to Milo only a meaningless serving slave, I said.
' 'But you would be more! she said.
' 'Please do not make me speak! I wept.
'She looked down upon me, and laughed. Oh, Master, how that laugh cut me! How deeply was I would by that sound!
' 'Do not presume above your station, silly little slave girl, she said. ' 'Forgive me, Mistress,' I said. Why was she so cruel to me, only a slave?' 'Continue,' I said.
' 'Your hair is too short,' she said to me.
' 'Yes, Mistress,' I said. 'I served in the fields. ' 'You are pretty to have been put in the fields, she said.
' 'I was punished, I said. 'I served the paga of one of my master's retainers at an incorrect temperature. ' 'Stupid slave, she said.
' 'Yes, Mistress, I said.
' 'And after your time in the fields you were returned to the house, and assigned to the quarters of Milo? ' 'Yes, Mistress. ' 'Keep your head in position, she said.
' 'Yes, Mistress, I said.
' 'And Milo has never touched you? she said.
' 'No, Mistress, I said.
' 'Interesting, she said.
' 'I fear he has thoughts, and eyes, for only one woman, I said.
' 'Oh? she said.
' 'Yes, Mistress, I said. 'And I fear it is she, and she alone, to whom his heart belongs. ' 'And who might this woman be? she asked.
' 'Perhaps Mistress can guess, I said.
' 'He is a fool to write such a note, she suddenly said, touching her robes, within which she had concealed the note.
'I did not respond, Master, but surely Milo is no fool!'
'I do not know if he is a fool or not,' I said, 'but he did not, at any rate, write the note.'
'True,' she said.
'Continue,' I said.
' 'Are we the only ones who know of this note, she asked, 'Milo, I and yourself? ' 'I think so, Mistress, I said.
' 'Then, she said, 'perhaps I should have your tongue cut out, and then have you skinned alive.'
'She would not do that,' I said, 'as she would need you as a go-between.' 'I trust Master is correct in his assumption,' said Lavinia.
'I would think so,' I said.
'That would seem to borne out by her subsequent remark, that she herself would not be so foolish as to have written such a note.'
I nodded. 'After a time, she said, 'You may bring your head forward. ' 'Thank you, Mistress, I said.
' 'Do you think we should have our mad, rash boy, Milo, burned alive? she asked.
' 'I would hope, I said, 'that Mistress would to some extent, in view of her fabled beauty and the damage that even the thought of it may wreak in the hearts of poor men, be rather moved to pity, be rather moved to look leniently on this bold transgression. 'She smiled.
' 'Is morning to be blamed that it should glow in the light of the sun, or the tides that they are drawn by the moons, or oil that it cannot help but burn at the touch of fire? ' 'Perhaps not, she said, the vain, haughty thing!'
'Continue,' I said.
' 'Whereas you must understand that I am not personally in the least interested in matters such as these,
