Ahenobarbus started off for Puteoli in an excellent humour.
His litter had barely swung down the road from the villa before Cassandra was knocking at her mistress's chamber door.
"_Io!_ domina," was her joyful exclamation, "I think I have got every eavesdropper out of the way.

Ahenobarbus is off for Puteoli.

I have cooked up a story to keep the freedmen and other busybodies off.

You have a desperate headache, and cannot leave the room, nor see any one.
But remember the terrace over the water, where the colonnade shuts it in on all sides but toward the sea.

This afternoon, if a boat with two strange-looking fishermen passes under the embankment, don't be surprised." And having imparted this precious bit of information, the woman was off.