She was cruelly treated by the wife of Burbo.
Glaucus bought her, took her to his home, and her sweetest joy was to
minister to the comfort and entertainment of her deliverer. The vines
that grew upon the walls of the peristyle were not more graceful, their
tendrils not more trusting and tender, nor the flowers woven into
wreaths and garlands by her skillful fingers more beautiful than the
blind flower-girl of the house of Glaucus.
As the months went on what wonder that the kind words and sympathetic
voice which had been the first that had sounded musically to her ear
should awaken in the breast of Nydia a deeper love than that which
springs from gratitude alone! What wonder that in her innocence and
blindness she knew no reason why the most brilliant and the most
graceful of the young nobles of Pompeii should entertain none other than
feelings of friendship for her! When the Athenian drew her unconsciously
to his breast, deeming her still a child--when he kissed her cheek and
wound his arm around her trembling form, Nydia felt that those feelings
she had innocently cherished were of love.
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