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THE CRIME 25
tirement of Sinuessa, to lay aside the superb state of the
imperial household. Usually when he was at Eome the hall
was crowded with guests but on this ; day he had desired
that only a few friends should be present. At the sigma, or
semicircular table at which he reclined, there were no others
except Agrippina, who was next to him, Pallas, Octavia, and
Nero. Burrus, the commander of the Praetorian camp, was in
attendance, and Seneca, Nero's tutor; but they were at
another sigma, with one or two distinguished senators who
had been asked to meet them.
Except Halotus and Pallas, there was not one person in
the room who had the least suspicion of the tragedy which
was about to be enacted. Yet there fell on all the guests
one of those unaccountable spells of silence and depression
which are so often the prelude to great calamities. At the
lower table, indeed, Burrus tried to enliven the guests with
the narrative of scenes which he had witnessed in Germany
and Britain in days of active service, and told once more
how he had received the wound which disabled his left
hand. But to these stories they listened with polite apathy,
nor could they be roused from their languor by the studied
impromptus of Seneca. At the upper table Nero, startled
by a few vague words which his mother had dropped early
in the day, was tirnid and restless. The young Octavia
she was but fourteen years old was habitually taciturn
in the presence of her husband, Nero, who even in these
early days had conceived an aversion, which he was not always
able to conceal, for the bride who had been forced upon
him by his mother's ambition. Claudius talked but little,
Caesar,' said,
for he was intent, as usual, on the pleasures of the table,
and all conversation with him soon became impossible, as
he drained goblet after goblet of Massic wine. Agrippina
alone affected cheerfulness as she congratulated the Emperor
on his improving health, and praised the wisdom which
had at last induced him to yield to her loving entreaties,
and to
And
take a much-needed holiday.
I have a little surprise for
'
now, she
'
you. There is, I know, nothing which you like better than
these rare boleti. They are entirely for ourselves. I shall
take some ;
the rest are for you, especially this the finest
I could procure.'