Aquila dismounted and the three men bent
over the woman. Then Costobarus glanced up quickly at Laodice, made a
sign to Momus, who, with a face devoid of expression, climbed back
into his place on the neck of the camel.
The strange woman who had stood her ground was heard to say in a low
voice, half lost in the muffling of her wrappings:
"One!"
Momus drove on leisurely and Laodice, knowing that she must not look,
slipped down in her place and wrapped her vitta over her face.
Pestilence was riding with them.
After a long time, Costobarus' camel ambled up beside hers, and she
ventured to uncover her eyes. Her father smiled at her with that same
heart-breaking smile which her mother had for her in face of trouble.
"The frosts! The frosts!" he whispered to Momus, and the mute laid
goad about his camel.
Aquila, seeing this haste, checked his horse's gait and fell back
beside the strange woman. Together they permitted the rest of the
party to ride ahead, while they talked in voices too restrained to be
heard.
"There is pestilence in this company," Aquila said angrily; "will that
not persuade you to abandon this plan?"
"No. When all of you are like to die and leave this great treasure
sitting out in the wilderness without a guardian?" she said lightly.
There was no trace of a servant's humility in her tone.
"Hast had the plague that thou seem'st to feel secure from it?" he
demanded.
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