[Pearl-Maiden by H. Rider Haggard]@TWC D-Link bookPearl-Maiden CHAPTER XXII 7/21
Then she went on eating the bread and milk till her hunger was satisfied. Scarcely had she finished her meal, when an officer entered the cell and led her out into a great square, where she was marshalled amongst many other prisoners.
By now the sun was up and she saw before her a splendid building, and gathered below the building all the Senate of Rome in their robes, and many knights on horses, and nobles, and princes from every country with their retinues--a very wonderful and gallant sight. In front of the building were cloisters, before which were set two ivory chairs, while to right and left of these chairs, as far as the eye could reach, were drawn up thousand upon thousands of soldiers; the Senate, the Knights and the Princes, as she could see from the rising ground whereon she stood, being in front of them and of the chairs.
Presently from the cloisters, clad in garments of silk and wearing crowns of laurel, appeared the Caesars, Vespasian and Titus, attended by Domitian and their staffs.
As they came the soldiers saw them and set up a mighty triumphant shout which sounded like the roar of the sea, that endured while the Caesars sat themselves upon their thrones.
Up and up went the sound of the continual shouting, till at length Vespasian rose and lifted his hand. Then silence fell and, covering his head with his cloak, he seemed to make some prayer, after which Titus also covered his head with his cloak and offered a prayer.
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