Page:The Song of the Sirens.djvu/308

 come back. Yet it's not worrying me any. I'm as cool as possible."

"You look it," said Proculus, "and that's more than most of the audience look. I think it will be a hot day."

"It's cool enough here," said Balbinus, "but the upper tiers look hot already."

"I should think they would be," said Proculus. "Piled against each other as they are. I never sat before where I could see the top rows opposite me. You senators get a fine effect here, able to see up under the awning, clear to the arcade and the awning-poles. You can't imagine what a difference it makes."

"I can," said Balbinus. "For I never could see that much before. The sag of the awning, at its inner edge on the farther side, aways cut off my view of everything above the top tier of seats."

"I thought it was all because of our location," said Proculus. "What makes the difference?"

"It's the awning," said Balbinus. "It's the lightest they ever put up and it sags correspondingly less."

"What's it made of?" asked Proculus.

"Silk," said Balbinus. "Pure silk. Commodus started the fashion of full complete silk clothing for men and all the dandies are imitating him. Linen and wool for me though, yet. But Commodus,