The grey-headed porter silently
admitted him, and he passed by a narrow corridor into a hall lighted
as usual from above, paved with red tiles, here and there trodden
away, the walls coloured a dusky yellow, and showing an imaginary
line of pillars painted in blue. A tripod table, a couch, and a few
chairs were the only furniture. When the visitor had waited for a
few moments a curtain concealing the entrance to the inner part of
the house moved aside, and Aurelia's voice bade her cousin come
forward. He entered a smaller room opening upon a diminutive court
where a few shrubs grew; around the walls hung old and faded
tapestry; the floor was of crude mosaic; the furniture resembled
that of the atrium, with the addition of a brasier.
'I have been anxious for your coming,' were Aurelia's first words.
'Do you think they will let us depart without hindrance? Yesterday I
saw the owner of this house to transact my business with him. It is
Venustus, a curial, a man who has always been well disposed to me.
He said that he must perforce make known to the governor my
intention of leaving the city, and hoped no obstacle would be put in
our way.
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