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024 - Book 3 Chapter VII · Last Days of Pompeii

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  Speaker 1: Book three, Chapter seven of Last Days of Pompeii. This
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  Speaker 1: is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the
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  Speaker 1: public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit
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  Speaker 1: LibriVox dot org. Recording by Anne Boulay. Last Days of
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  Speaker 1: Pompeii by Edward G. Bulwer Lytten, Book three, Chapter seven,
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  Speaker 1: The Dressing Room of a Pompeii in beauty important conversation
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  Speaker 1: between Julia and Nydia. The elegant Julia sat in her chamber,
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  Speaker 1: with her slaves around her. Like the cubiculium which adjoined it.
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  Speaker 1: The room was small, but much larger than the usual
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  Speaker 1: apartments appropriated to sleep, which were so diminutive that few
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  Speaker 1: who have ever not seen the bed chambers, even in
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  Speaker 1: the gayest mansions, can form any notion of the petty
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  Speaker 1: pigeonholes in which the citizens of Pompeii evidently thought it
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  Speaker 1: desirable to pass the night. But in fact, bed with
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  Speaker 1: the ancients was not that grave, serious and important part
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  Speaker 1: of domestic mysteries which it is with us. The couch
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  Speaker 1: itself was more like a very narrow and small sofa,
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  Speaker 1: light enough to be transported easily and by the occupant
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  Speaker 1: himself from place to place, and it was no doubt
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  Speaker 1: constantly shifted from chamber to chamber according to the caprice
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  Speaker 1: of the inmate or the changes of the season, for
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  Speaker 1: that side of the house which was crowded in one
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  Speaker 1: month might perhaps be carefully avoided in the next. There
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  Speaker 1: was also among the Italians of that period a singular
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  Speaker 1: and fastidious apprehension of too much daylight. Their darkened chambers,
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  Speaker 1: which first appeared to us the result of a negligent architecture,
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  Speaker 1: were the effect of the most elaborate study. In their
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  Speaker 1: porticos and gardens, they courted the sun whenever it so
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  Speaker 1: pleased their luxurious tastes. In the interior of their houses,
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  Speaker 1: they sought rather the coolness and the shade. Julia's apartment
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  Speaker 1: at that season was in the lower part of the house,
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  Speaker 1: immediately beneath the state rooms above, and looking upon the
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  Speaker 1: garden with which it was on a level. The wide door,
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  Speaker 1: which was glazed, alone, emitted the morning rays. Yet her eye,
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  Speaker 1: accustomed to a certain darkness, was sufficiently acute to perceive
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  Speaker 1: exactly what colors were the most becoming, what shade of
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  Speaker 1: the delicate rouge gave the brightest beam to her dark
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  Speaker 1: glance and the most youthful freshness to her cheek. On
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  Speaker 1: the table before which she sat was a small and
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  Speaker 1: circular mirror of the most polished steel round which in
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  Speaker 1: precise order were arranged the cosmetics and unguents, the perfumes
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  Speaker 1: and the paints, the jewels and combs, the ribbons and
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  Speaker 1: the gold pins, which were destined to add to the
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  Speaker 1: natural attractions of beauty, the assistance of art, and the
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  Speaker 1: capricious allurements of fashion. Through the dimness of the room,
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  Speaker 1: glowed brightly the vivid and various colorings of the wall,
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  Speaker 1: in all the dazzling frescoes of Pompeiian taste. Before the
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  Speaker 1: dressing table and under the feet of Julia, was spread
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  Speaker 1: a carpet woven from the looms of the east. Near
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  Speaker 1: at hand, on another table was a silver basin and ewer,
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  Speaker 1: an extinguished lamp of most exquisite workmanship, in which the
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  Speaker 1: artists had represented a cupid reposing under the spreading branches
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  Speaker 1: of a myrtle tree, and a small roll of papyrus
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  Speaker 1: containing the softest elegies of tibulus. Before the door, which
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  Speaker 1: communicated with the cubiculum, hung a curtain richly embroidered with
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  Speaker 1: gold flowers. Such was the dressing room of a beauty
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  Speaker 1: eighteen centuries ago. The fair Julia leaned indolently back on
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  Speaker 1: her seat, while the ornatrix i e. Hair dresser slowly
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  Speaker 1: piled one above the other a mass of small curls,
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  Speaker 1: dexterously weaving the false with the true, and carrying the
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  Speaker 1: whole fabric to a height that seemed to place the
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  Speaker 1: head rather at the center than the summit of the
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  Speaker 1: human form. Her tunic of a deep amber, which well
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  Speaker 1: set off her dark hair and somewhat in brown complexion,
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  Speaker 1: swept in ample folds to her feet, which were cased
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  Speaker 1: in slippers fastened round the slender ankle by white thongs,
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  Speaker 1: while a profusion of pearls were embroidered in the slipper itself,
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  Speaker 1: which was of purple and turned slightly upward, as do
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  Speaker 1: the Turkish slippers at this day. An old slave, skilled
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  Speaker 1: by long experience in the arcana of the toilet, stood
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  Speaker 1: beside the hair dresser, with the broad and studded girdle
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  Speaker 1: of her mistress over her arm, and giving, from time
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  Speaker 1: to time mingled with judicious flattery to the lady herself
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  Speaker 1: instructions to the mason of the ascending pile. Put that
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  Speaker 1: pin rather more to the right, lower, stupid one, do
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  Speaker 1: you not observe how even those beautiful eyebrows are You
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  Speaker 1: would think you were dressing Karina, whose face is all
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  Speaker 1: of one side. Now put in the flowers? What fool
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  Speaker 1: not that dull pink? You are not suiting the colors
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  Speaker 1: to the dim cheeks of Chlorus. It must be the
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  Speaker 1: brightest flowers that can al lone suit the cheek of
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  Speaker 1: the young Julia, gently said the lady, stamping her foot violently.
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  Speaker 1: You pull my hair as if you were plucking a weed.
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  Speaker 1: Dull thing, continued the directress of the ceremony. Do you
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  Speaker 1: not know how delicate is your mistress? You are not
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  Speaker 1: dressing the coarse horsehair of the widow Fulvia. Now then
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  Speaker 1: the ribbon. That's right, fair Julia, look in the mirror.
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  Speaker 1: Saw you ever anything so lovely as yourself? When after
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  Speaker 1: numerable comments, difficulties, and delays, the intricate tower was at
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  Speaker 1: length completed. The next preparation was that of giving to
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  Speaker 1: the eyes the soft languish produced by a dark powder
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  Speaker 1: applied to the lids and brows. A small patch cut
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  Speaker 1: in the form of a crescent, skillfully placed by the
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  Speaker 1: rosy lips, attracted attention to their dimples and to the teeth,
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  Speaker 1: to which already every art had been applied in order
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  Speaker 1: to heighten the dazzle of their natural whiteness. To another slave.
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  Speaker 1: Hitherto idle was now not consigned the charge of arranging
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  Speaker 1: the jewels, the earrings of pearl, two to each ear,
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  Speaker 1: the massive bracelets of gold, the chain formed of rings
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  Speaker 1: of the same metal, to which a talisman cut in
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  Speaker 1: crystals was attached. The graceful buckle on the left shoulder,
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  Speaker 1: in which was set an exquisite cameo of psyche, the
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  Speaker 1: girdle of purple ribbon, richly wrought with threads of gold
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  Speaker 1: and clasped by interlacing serpents. And lastly, the various rings
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  Speaker 1: fitted to every joint of the white and slender fingers.
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  Speaker 1: The toilet was now arranged according to the last mode
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  Speaker 1: of rome. The fair Julia regarded herself with a last
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  Speaker 1: gaze of complacent vanity, and reclining again upon her seat,
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  Speaker 1: she bade the youngest of her slaves, in a listless tone,
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  Speaker 1: to read to her the enamored couplets of Tabolus. This
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  Speaker 1: lecture was still preceding when a female slave admitted Nydia
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  Speaker 1: into the presence of the lady of the place, salve A. Julia,
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  Speaker 1: said the flower Girl, arresting her steps within a few
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  Speaker 1: paces from the spot where Julia sat and crossing her
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  Speaker 1: arms upon her breast. I have obeyed your commands. You
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  Speaker 1: have done well, flower girl, answered the lady. Approach, you
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  Speaker 1: may take a seat. One of the slaves placed a
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  Speaker 1: stool by Julia, and Nydia seated herself. Julia looked hard
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  Speaker 1: at the Thessalian for some moments in rather an embarrassed silence.
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  Speaker 1: She then motioned her attendants to withdraw and to close
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  Speaker 1: the door. When they were alone, she said, looking mechanically
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  Speaker 1: at Nydia, and forgetting that she was with one who
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  Speaker 1: could not observe her countenance. You serve the neopolitan Ione.
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  Speaker 1: I am with her at present, answered Nydia. Is she
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  Speaker 1: as handsome as they say? I know? Not, replied Nydia.
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  Speaker 1: How can I judge? Ah? I should have remembered, but
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  Speaker 1: thou hast ears? If not eyes, do thy fellow slaves
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  Speaker 1: tell thee she is handsome? Slaves talking with one another
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  Speaker 1: forget to flatter even their mistress. They tell me that
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  Speaker 1: she is beautiful. Hum they say that she is tall? Yes,
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  Speaker 1: why so am I? Dark haired? I have heard so
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  Speaker 1: so am I? And doth Glaucus visit her much? Daily,
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  Speaker 1: replied Nydia, with a half suppressed sigh. Daily. Indeed, does
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  Speaker 1: he find her handsome? I should think so, since they
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  Speaker 1: are soon to be wetted wedded, cried Julia, turning pale
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  Speaker 1: even through the false roses on her cheek and starting
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  Speaker 1: from her couch. Nydia did not, of course, perceive the
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  Speaker 1: emotion she had caused. Julia remained a long time silent,
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  Speaker 1: but her heaving breast and flashing eyes would have betrayed
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  Speaker 1: to one who could have seen the wound her vanity
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  Speaker 1: had sustained. They tell me thou art a Thessalian, she said,
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  Speaker 1: at last, breaking silence. And truly Vassily is a land
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  Speaker 1: of magic and of witches, of talismen and of love filters,
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  Speaker 1: said Julia. It has ever been celebrat for its sorcerers,
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  Speaker 1: returned Nitdia. Timidly knowest thou then, blind Thessalian of any
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  Speaker 1: love charms? I said, the flower girl coloring, I how
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  Speaker 1: should I know? Assuredly not the worse for thee. I
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  Speaker 1: could have given thee gold enough to purchase thy freedom,
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  Speaker 1: hadst thou been more wise? But what asked Nitia can
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  Speaker 1: induce the beautiful and wealthy Julia to ask that question
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  Speaker 1: of her servant? Has she not money and youth and loveliness?
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  Speaker 1: Are they not love charms enough to dispense with magic
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  Speaker 1: to all? But one person in the world, answered Julia haughtily.
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  Speaker 1: But methinks thy blindness is infectious. But no matter, And
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  Speaker 1: that one person said, Nydia eagerly, is not. Glaucus, replied Julia,
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  Speaker 1: with the customary deceit of her sex. Glaucus No. Nidia
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  Speaker 1: drew her breath more freely, and after a short pause
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  Speaker 1: Julia recommenced. But talking of Glaucus and his attachment to
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  Speaker 1: this Neapolitan reminded me of the influence of love spells, which,
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  Speaker 1: for I aught know or care she may have exercised
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  Speaker 1: upon him. Blind girl, I love, and shall Julia live
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  Speaker 1: to say it am loved? Not in return? This humbles, nay,
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  Speaker 1: not humbles, but it stings my pride. I would see
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  Speaker 1: this ingrate at my feet, not in order that I
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  Speaker 1: might raise, but that I might spurn him. When they
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  Speaker 1: told me, thou wert the Saalian. I imagine thy young
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  Speaker 1: mind might have learned the dark secrets of thy clime.
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  Speaker 1: Alas no, murmured Nydia. Would it had? Thanks at least
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  Speaker 1: for that kindly wish, said Julia, unconscious of what was
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  Speaker 1: passing in the breast of the flower girl. But tell me,
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  Speaker 1: thou hurtest the gossip of slaves, always prone to these
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  Speaker 1: dim beliefs, always ready to apply sorcery for their own
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  Speaker 1: low loves. Hast thou ever heard of an Eastern magician
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  Speaker 1: in this city who possesses the art of which thou
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  Speaker 1: art ignorant, No vain heiromancer, no juggler of the market place,
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  Speaker 1: But some more potent and mighty magician of India or
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  Speaker 1: of Egypt. Of Egypt, Yes, said Nydia, shuddering. What Pompeian
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  Speaker 1: has not heard of our bases? Our bases, true, replied Julia,
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  Speaker 1: grasping at the recollection. They say he is a man
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  Speaker 1: above all the petty and false impostures of dull pretenders,
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  Speaker 1: that he is versed in the learning of the stars
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  Speaker 1: and the secrets of the ancient knocks. Why not in
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  Speaker 1: the mysteries of love? If there be one magician living
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  Speaker 1: whose art is above that of others. It is that
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  Speaker 1: dread man, answered Nydia, and she felt her talisman while
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  Speaker 1: she spoke. Is he too wealthy to divine for money?
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  Speaker 1: Continued Julia, sneeringly. Can I not visit him? It is
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  Speaker 1: an evil mansion for the young and the beautiful, replied Nydia.
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  Speaker 1: I have heard too that he languishes in an evil mansion,
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  Speaker 1: said Julia, catching only the first sentence. Why so the
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  Speaker 1: orgies of his midnight leisure are impure and polluted? At
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  Speaker 1: least so says rumor by Ceres, by pan by Civilly.
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  Speaker 1: Thou dost but provoke my curiosity instead of exciting my fears,
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  Speaker 1: returned the wayward and pampered Pompeiian. I will seek in
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  Speaker 1: question of his lore. If to these orgies love be admitted,
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  Speaker 1: why the more likely he knows its secrets. Nydia did
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  Speaker 1: not answer. I will seek him this very day, resumed Julia. Nay,
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  Speaker 1: why not this very hour, at daylight, and in his
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  Speaker 1: present state? Thou hast assuredly, the less to fear, answered Nydia,
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  Speaker 1: yielding to her own sudden and secret wish to learn
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  Speaker 1: if the dark Egyptian were indeed possessed of those spells
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  Speaker 1: to rivet and attract love of which the Thessalian had
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  Speaker 1: so often heard. And who dare in the rich daughter
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  Speaker 1: of Diomed? Said Julia haughtily, I will go. May I
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  Speaker 1: visit thee afterwards to learn the result, asked Nydia, anxiously,
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  Speaker 1: kiss me for thy interest in Julia's honor, answered the lady, Yes, assuredly.
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  Speaker 1: This eve we sup abroad. Come hither at the same
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  Speaker 1: hour tomorrow, and thou shalt know all. I may have
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  Speaker 1: to employ THEE too, But enough for the present, stay
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  Speaker 1: take this bracelet for the new thought thou hast inspired
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  Speaker 1: me with. Remember, if thou servest Julia, she is grateful
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  Speaker 1: and she is generous. I cannot take thy present, said Nydia,
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  Speaker 1: putting aside the bracelet. But young as I am, I
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  Speaker 1: can sympathize unbought with those who love and love in vain,
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  Speaker 1: sayest thou, so returned Julia, Thou speakest like a free woman,
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  Speaker 1: and thou shalt yet be free. Farewell and of Book three,
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  Speaker 1: Chapter seven,