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diff --git a/47832.txt b/47832.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..7a2d134 --- /dev/null +++ b/47832.txt @@ -0,0 +1,7055 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Perpetua. A Tale of Nimes in A.D. 213 by +Sabine Baring-Gould + + + +This ebook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most +other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions +whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of +the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at +http://www.gutenberg.org/license. If you are not located in the United +States, you'll have to check the laws of the country where you are located +before using this ebook. + + + +Title: Perpetua. A Tale of Nimes in A.D. 213 + +Author: Sabine Baring-Gould + +Release Date: December 31, 2014 [Ebook #47832] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: US-ASCII + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK PERPETUA. A TALE OF NIMES IN A.D. 213*** + + + + + + PERPETUA + + A TALE OF NIMES IN A.D. 213 + + + BY THE + REV. S. BARING-GOULD, M.A. + + + + +NEW YORK +E. P. DUTTON & COMPANY +31 WEST TWENTY-THIRD STREET +1897 + + + + + + COPYRIGHT, 1897, BY + E. P. DUTTON & COMPANY + + + + + + CONTENTS + + +CHAPTER PAGE + I. EST 1 + II. AEMILIUS 14 + III. BAUDILLAS, THE DEACON 22 + IV. THE UTRICULARES 33 + V. THE LAGOONS 45 + VI. THE PASSAGE INTO LIFE 57 + VII. OBLATIONS 68 + VIII. THE VOICE AT MIDNIGHT 81 + IX. STARS IN WATER 93 + X. LOCUTUS EST! 105 + XI. PALANQUINS 117 + XII. REUS 128 + XIII. AD FINES 140 + XIV. TO THE LOWEST DEPTH 152 + XV. "REVEALED UNTO BABES" 165 + XVI. DOUBTS AND DIFFICULTIES 177 + XVII. PEDO 189 + XVIII. IN THE CITRON-HOUSE 204 + XIX. MARCIANUS 218 + XX. IN THE BASILICA 230 + XXI. A MANUMISSION 242 + XXII. THE ARENA 256 + XXIII. THE CLOUD-BREAK 270 + XXIV. CREDO 287 + + + + + + + PERPETUA + + A TALE OF NIMES IN A.D. 213 + + + + + + CHAPTER I + + EST + + +The Kalends (first) of March. + +A brilliant day in the town of Nemausus--the modern Nimes--in the Province +of Gallia Narbonensis, that arrogated to itself the title of being _the_ +province, a title that has continued in use to the present day, as +distinguishing the olive-growing, rose-producing, ruin-strewn portion of +Southern France, whose fringe is kissed by the blue Mediterranean. + +Not a cloud in the nemophyla-blue sky. The sun streamed down, with a heat +that was unabsorbed, and with rays unshorn by any intervenient vapor, as +in our northern clime. Yet a cool air from the distant snowy Alps touched, +as with the kiss of a vestal, every heated brow, and refreshed it. + +The Alps, though invisible from Nemausus, make themselves felt, now in +refreshing breezes, then as raging icy blasts. + +The anemones were in bloom, and the roses were budding. Tulips spangled +the vineyards, and under the olives and in the most arid soil, there +appeared the grape hyacinth and the star of Bethlehem. + +At the back of the white city stands a rock, the extreme limit of a spur +of the Cebennae, forming an amphitheatre, the stones scrambled over by blue +and white periwinkle, and the crags heavy with syringa and flowering +thorns. + +In the midst of this circus of rock welled up a river of transparent +bottle-green water, that filled a reservoir, in which circled white swans. + +On account of the incessant agitation of the water, that rose in bells, +and broke in rhythmic waves against the containing breastwork, neither +were the swans mirrored in the surface, nor did the white temple of +Nemausus reflect its peristyle of channeled pillars in the green flood. + +This temple occupied one side of the basin; on the other, a little +removed, were the baths, named after Augustus, to which some of the water +was conducted, after it had passed beyond the precinct within which it was +regarded as sacred. + +It would be hard to find a more beautiful scene, or see such a gay +gathering as that assembled near the Holy Fountain on this first day of +March. + +Hardly less white than the swans that dreamily swam in spirals, was the +balustrade of limestone that surrounded the sheet of heaving water. At +intervals on this breasting stood pedestals, each supporting a statue in +Carrara marble. Here was Diana in buskins, holding a bow in her hand, in +the attitude of running, her right hand turned to draw an arrow from the +quiver at her back. There was the Gallic god Camulus, in harness, holding +up a six-rayed wheel, all gilt, to signify the sun. There was a nymph +pouring water from her urn; again appeared Diana contemplating her +favorite flower, the white poppy. + +But in the place of honor, in the midst of the public walk before the +fountain, surrounded by acacias and pink-blossomed Judas trees, stood the +god Nemausus, who was at once the presiding deity over the fountain, and +the reputed founder of the city. He was represented as a youth, of +graceful form, almost feminine, and though he bore some military insignia, +yet seemed too girl-like and timid to appear in war. + +The fountain had, in very truth, created the city. This marvelous upheaval +of a limpid river out of the heart of the earth had early attracted +settlers to it, who had built their rude cabins beside the stream and who +paid to the fountain divine honors. Around it they set up a circle of rude +stones, and called the place _Nemet_--that is to say, the Sacred Place. +After a while came Greek settlers, and they introduced a new civilization +and new ideas. They at once erected an image of the deity of the fountain, +and called this deity Nemausios. The spring had been female to the Gaulish +occupants of the settlement; it now became male, but in its aspect the +deity still bore indications of feminine origin. Lastly the place became a +Roman town. Now beautiful statuary had taken the place of the monoliths of +unhewn stone that had at one time bounded the sacred spring. + +On this first day of March the inhabitants of Nemausus were congregated +near the fountain, all in holiday costume. + +Among them ran and laughed numerous young girls, all with wreaths of white +hyacinths or of narcissus on their heads, and their clear musical voices +rang as bells in the fresh air. + +Yet, jocund as the scene was, to such as looked closer there was +observable an under-current of alarm that found expression in the faces of +the elder men and women of the throng, at least in those of such persons +as had their daughters flower-crowned. + +Many a parent held the child with convulsive clasp, and the eyes of +fathers and mothers alike followed their darlings with a greed, as though +desirous of not losing one glimpse, not missing one word, of the little +creature on whom so many kisses were bestowed, and in whom so much love +was centered. + +For this day was specially dedicated to the founder and patron of the +town, who supplied it with water from his unfailing urn, and once in every +seven years on this day a human victim was offered in sacrifice to the god +Nemausus, to ensure the continuance of his favor, by a constant efflux of +water, pure, cool and salubrious. + +The victim was chosen from among the daughters of the old Gaulish families +of the town, and the victim was selected from among girls between the ages +of seven and seventeen. Seven times seven were bound to appear on this day +before the sacred spring, clothed in white and crowned with spring +flowers. None knew which would be chosen and which rejected. The selection +was not made by either the priests or the priestesses attached to the +temple. Nor was it made by the magistrates of Nemausus. No parent might +redeem his child. Chance or destiny alone determined who was to be chosen +out of the forty-nine who appeared before the god. + +Suddenly from the temple sounded a blast of horns, and immediately the +peristyle (colonnade) filled with priests and priestesses in white, the +former with wreaths of silvered olive leaves around their heads, the +latter crowned with oak leaves of gold foil. + +The trumpeters descended the steps. The crowd fell back, and a procession +advanced. First came players on the double flute, or syrinx, with red +bands round their hair. Then followed dancing girls performing graceful +movements about the silver image of the god that was borne on the +shoulders of four maidens covered with spangled veils of the finest +oriental texture. On both sides paced priests with brazen trumpets. + +Before and behind the image were boys bearing censers that diffused +aromatic smoke, which rose and spread in all directions, wafted by the +soft air that spun above the cold waters of the fountain. + +Behind the image and the dancing girls marched the priests and +priestesses, singing alternately a hymn to the god. + + "Hail, holy fountain, limpid and eternal, + Green as the sapphire, infinite, abundant, + Sweet, unpolluted, cold and clear as crystal, + Father Nemausus. + + Hail, thou Archegos, founder of the city, + Crowned with oak leaves, cherishing the olive, + Grapes with thy water annually flushing, + Father Nemausus. + + Thou to the thirsty givest cool refreshment, + Thou to the herdsman yieldeth yearly increase, + Thou from the harvest wardest off diseases, + Father Nemausus. + + Seven are the hills on which old Rome is founded, + Seven are the hills engirdling thy fountain, + Seven are the planets set in heaven ruling, + Father Nemausus. + + Thou, the perennial, lovest tender virgins, + Do thou accept the sacrifice we offer; + May thy selection be the best and fittest, + Father Nemausus." + +Then the priests and priestesses drew up in lines between the people and +the fountain, and the aedile of the city, standing forth, read out from a +roll the names of seven times seven maidens; and as each name was called, +a white-robed, flower-crowned child fluttered from among the crowd and was +received by the priestly band. + +When all forty-nine were gathered together, then they were formed into a +ring, holding hands, and round this ring passed the bearers of the silver +image. + +Now again rose the hymn: + + "Hail, holy fountain, limpid and eternal, + Green as the sapphire, infinite, abundant, + Sweet, unpolluted, cold and clear as crystal, + Father Nemausus." + +And as the bearers carried the image round the circle, suddenly a golden +apple held by the god, fell and touched a graceful girl who stood in the +ring. + +"Come forth, Lucilla," said the chief priestess. "It is the will of the +god that thou speak the words. Begin." + +Then the damsel loosed her hands from those she held, stepped into the +midst of the circle and raised the golden pippin. At once the entire ring +of children began to revolve, like a dance of white butterflies in early +spring; and as they swung from right to left, the girl began to recite at +a rapid pace a jingle of words in a Gallic dialect, that ran thus: + + "One and two + Drops of dew, + Three and four + Shut the door." + +As she spoke she indicated a child at each numeral, + + "Five and six + Pick up sticks, + Seven and eight + Thou must wait." + +Now there passed a thrill through the crowd, and the children whirled +quicker. + + "Nine and ten + Pass again. + Golden pippin, lo! I cast, + Thou, Alcmene, touched at last." + +At the word "last" she threw the apple and struck a girl, and at once left +the ring, cast her coronet of narcissus into the fountain and ran into the +crowd. With a gasp of relief she was caught in the arms of her mother, who +held her to her heart, and sobbed with joy that her child was spared. For +her, the risk was past, as she would be over age when the next septennial +sacrifice came round. + +Now it was the turn of Alcmene. + +She held the ball, paused a moment, looking about her, and then, as the +troop of children revolved, she rattled the rhyme, and threw the pippin at +a damsel named Tertiola. Whereupon she in turn cast her garland, that was +of white violets, into the fountain, and withdrew. + +Again the wreath of children circled and Tertiola repeated the jingle till +she came to "Touched at last," when a girl named AElia was selected, and +came into the middle. This was a child of seven, who was shy and clung to +her mother. The mother fondled her, and said, "My AElia! Rejoice that thou +art not the fated victim. The god has surrendered thee to me. Be speedy +with the verse, and I will give thee _crustulae_ that are in my basket." + +So encouraged, the frightened child rattled out some lines, then halted; +her memory had failed, and she had to be reminded of the rest. At last she +also was free, ran to her mother's bosom and was comforted with cakes. + +A young man with folded arms stood lounging near the great basin. He +occasionally addressed a shorter man, a client apparently, from his +cringing manner and the set smile he wore when addressing or addressed by +the other. + +"By Hercules!" said the first. "Or let me rather swear by Venus and her +wayward son, the Bow-bearer, that is a handsome girl yonder, she who is +the tallest, and methinks the eldest of all. What is her name, my +Callipodius?" + +"She that looks so scared, O supremity of excellent youths, AEmilius +Lentulus Varo! I believe that she is the daughter and only child of the +widow Quincta, who lost her husband two years ago, and has refused +marriage since. They whisper strange things concerning her." + +"What things, thou tittle-tattle bearer?" + +"Nay, I bear but what is desired of me. Didst thou not inquire of me who +the maiden was? I have a mind to make no answer. But who can deny anything +to thee?" + +"By the genius of Augustus," exclaimed the patron, "thou makest me turn +away my head at thy unctuous flattery. The peasants do all their cooking +in oil, and when their meals be set on the table the appetite is taken +away, there is too much oil. It is so with thy conversation. Come, thy +news." + +"I speak but what I feel. But see how the circle is shrunk. As to the +scandal thou wouldst hear, it is this. The report goes that the widow and +her daughter are infected with a foreign superstition, and worship an +ass's head." + +"An ass's head hast thou to hold and repeat such lies. Look at the virgin. +Didst ever see one more modest, one who more bears the stamp of sound +reason and of virtue on her brow. The next thou wilt say is----" + +"That these Christians devour young children." + +"This is slander, not scandal. By Jupiter Camulus! the circle is reduced +to four, and she, that fair maid, is still in it. There is Quinctilla, the +daughter of Largus; look at him, how he eyes her with agony in his face! +There is Vestilia Patercola. I would to the gods that the fair--what is her +name?" + +"Perpetua, daughter of Aulus Har----" + +"Ah!" interrupted the patron, uneasily. "Quinctilla is out." + +"Her father, Aulus Harpinius----" + +"See, see!" again burst in the youth AEmilius, "there are but two left; +that little brown girl, and she whom thou namest----" + +"Perpetua." + +Now arrived the supreme moment--that of the final selection. The choosing +girl, in whose hand was the apple, stood before those who alone remained. +She began: + + "One, two + Drops of dew." + +Although there was so vast a concourse present, not a sound could be +heard, save the voice of the girl repeating the jingle, and the rush of +the holy water over the weir. Every breath was held. + + "Nine and ten, + Pass again. + Golden pippin, now I cast, + Thou, Portumna, touched at last." + +At once the brown girl skipped to the basin, cast in her garland, and the +high priestess, raising her hand, stepped forward, pointed to Perpetua, +and cried, "Est." + + + + + + CHAPTER II + + AEMILIUS + + +When the lot had fallen, then a cry rang from among the spectators, and a +woman, wearing the white cloak of widowhood, would have fallen, had she +not been caught and sustained by a man in a brown tunic and _lacerna_ +(short cloak). + +"Be not overcome, lady," said this man in a low tone. "What thou losest is +lent to the Lord." + +"Baudillas," sobbed the woman, "she is my only child, and is to be +sacrificed to devils." + +"The devil hath no part in her. She is the Lord's, and the Lord will +preserve His own." + +"Will He give her back to me? Will He deliver her from the hands of His +enemies?" + +"The Lord is mighty even to do this. But I say not that it will be done as +thou desirest. Put thy trust in Him. Did Abraham withhold his son, his +only son, when God demanded him?" + +"But this is not God, it is Nemausus." + +"Nemausus is naught but a creature, a fountain, fed by God's rains. It is +the Lord's doing that the lot has fallen thus. It is done to try thy +faith, as of old the faith of Abraham was tried." + +The poor mother clasped her arms, and buried her head in them. + +Then the girl thrust aside such as interposed and essayed to reach her +mother. The priestesses laid hands on her, to stay her, but she said: + +"Suffer me to kiss my mother, and to comfort her. Do not doubt that I will +preserve a smiling countenance." + +"I cannot permit it," said the high priestess. "There will be resistance +and tears." + +"And therefore," said the girl, "you put drops of oil or water into the +ears of oxen brought to the altars, that they may nod their heads, and so +seem to express consent. Let me console my mother, so shall I be able to +go gladly to death. Otherwise I may weep, and thereby mar thy sacrifice." + +Then, with firmness, she thrust through the belt of priestesses, and +clasped the almost fainting and despairing mother to her heart. + +"Be of good courage," she said. "Be like unto Felicitas, who sent her +sons, one by one, to receive the crown, and who--blessed mother that she +was--encouraged them in their torments to play the man for Christ." + +"But thou art my only child." + +"And she offered them all to God." + +"I am a widow, and alone." + +"And such was she." + +Then said the brown-habited man whom the lady had called Baudillas: + +"Quincta, remember that she is taken from an evil world, in which are +snares, and that God may have chosen to deliver her by this means from +some great peril to her soul, against which thou wouldst have been +powerless to protect her." + +"I cannot bear it," gasped the heart-broken woman. "I have lived only for +her. She is my all." + +Then Perpetua gently unclasped the arms of her mother, who was lapsing +into unconsciousness, kissed her, and said: + +"The God of all strength and comfort be to thee a strong tower of +defence." And hastily returned to the basin. + +The young man who before had noticed Perpetua, turned with quivering lip +to his companion, and said: + +"I would forswear Nemausus--that he should exact such a price. Look at her +face, Callipodius. Is it the sun that lightens it? By Hercules, I could +swear that it streamed with effulgence from within--as though she were one +of the gods." + +"The more beautiful and innocent she be, the more grateful is she to the +august Archegos!" + +"Pshaw!" scoffed the young man; his hand clutched the marble balustrade +convulsively, and the blood suffused his brow and cheeks and throat. "I +believe naught concerning these deities. My father was a shrewd man, and +he ever said that the ignorant people created their own gods out of +heroes, or the things of Nature, which they understood not, being beasts." + +"But tell me, AEmilius--and thou art a profundity of wisdom, unsounded as is +this spring--what is this Nemausus?" + +"The fountain." + +"And how comes the fountain to ever heave with water, and never to fail. +Verily it lives. See--it is as a thing that hath life and movement. If not +a deity, then what is it?" + +"Nay--I cannot say. But it is subject to destiny." + +"In what way?" + +"Ruled to flow." + +"But who imposed the rule?" + +"Silence! I can think of naught save the innocent virgin thus sacrificed +to besotted ignorance." + +"Thou canst not prevent it. Therefore look on, as at a show." + +"I cannot prevent it. I marvel at the magistrates--that they endure it. +They would not do so were it to touch at all those of the upper town. +Besides, did not the god Claudius----" + +"They are binding her." + +"She refuses to be bound." + +Shrieks now rang from the frantic mother, and she made desperate efforts +to reach her daughter. She was deaf to the consolations of Baudillas, and +to the remonstrances and entreaties of the people around her, who pitied +and yet could not help her. Then said the aedile to his police, "Remove the +woman!" + +The chief priest made a sign, and at once the trumpeters began to bray +through their brazen tubes, making such a noise as to drown the cries of +the mother. + +"I would to the gods I could save her," said AEmilius between his teeth. He +clenched his hands, and his eyes flashed. Then, without well knowing what +he did, he unloosed his toga, at the same time that the priestesses +divested Perpetua of her girded stole, and revealed her graceful young +form in the tunic bordered with purple indicative of the nobility of the +house to which she belonged. + +The priest had bound her hands; but Perpetua smiled, and shook off the +bonds at her feet. "Let be," she said, "I shall not resist." + +On her head she still wore a crown of white narcissus. Not more fresh and +pure were these flowers than her delicate face, which the blood had left. +Ever and anon she turned her eyes in the direction of her mother, but she +could no longer see her, as the attendants formed a ring so compact that +none could break through. + +"Elect of the god, bride of Nemausus!" said the chief priestess, "ascend +the balustrade of the holy perennial fountain." + +Without shrinking, the girl obeyed. + +She fixed her eyes steadily on the sky, and then made the sacred sign on +her brow. + +"What doest thou?" asked the priestess. "Some witchcraft I trow." + +"No witchcraft, indeed," answered the girl. "I do but invoke the Father of +Lights with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning." + +"Ah, Apollo!--he is not so great a god as our Nemausus." + +Then at a sign, the trumpeters blew a furious bellow and as suddenly +ceased. Whereupon to the strains of flutes and the tinkling of triangles, +the choir broke forth into the last verse of the hymn: + + "Thou, the perennial, loving tender virgins, + Do thou accept the sacrifice we offer; + May thy selection be the best and fittest, + Father Nemausus." + +As they chanted, and a cloud of incense mounted around her, Perpetua +looked down into the water. It was green as glacier ice, and so full of +bubbles in places as to be there semi-opaque. The depth seemed infinite. +No bottom was visible. No fish darted through it. An immense volume boiled +up unceasingly from unknown, unfathomed depths. The wavelets lapped the +marble breasting as though licking it with greed expecting their victim. + +The water, after brimming the basin, flowed away over a sluice under a +bridge as a considerable stream. Then it lost its sanctity and was +employed for profane uses. + +Perpetua heard the song of the ministers of the god, but gave no heed to +it, for her lips moved in prayer, and her soul was already unfurling its +pure wings to soar into that Presence before which, as she surely +expected, she was about to appear. + +When the chorus had reached the line: + + "May thy selection be the best and fittest, + Father Nemausus!" + +then she was thrust by three priestesses from the balustrade and +precipitated into the basin. She uttered no cry, but from all present a +gasp of breath was audible. + +For a moment she disappeared in the vitreous waters, and her white garland +alone remained floating on the surface. + +Then her dress glimmered, next her arm, as the surging spring threw her +up. + +Suddenly from the entire concourse rose a cry of astonishment and dismay. + +The young man, AEmilius Lentulus Varo, had leaped into the holy basin. + +Why had he so leaped? Why? + + + + + + CHAPTER III + + BAUDILLAS, THE DEACON + + +The chain of priests and priestesses could not restrain the mob, that +thrust forward to the great basin, to see the result. + +Exclamations of every description rose from the throng. + +"He fell in!" + +"Nay, he cast himself in. The god will withdraw the holy waters. It was +impious. The fountain is polluted." + +"Was it not defiled when a dead tom-cat was found in it? Yet the fountain +ceased not to flow." + +"The maiden floats!" + +"Why should the god pick out the handsomest girl? His blood is ice-cold. +She is not a morsel for him," scoffed a red-faced senator. + +"He rises! He is swimming." + +"He has grappled the damsel." + +"He is striking out! Bene! Bene!" + +"Encourage not the sacrilegious one! Thou makest thyself partaker in his +impiety!" + +"What will the magistrates do?" + +"Do! Coil up like wood-lice, and uncurl only when all is forgotten." + +"He is a Christian." + +"His father was a philosopher. He swears by the gods." + +"He is an atheist." + +"See! See! He is sustaining her head." + +"She is not dead; she gasps." + +"Body of Bacchus! how the water boils. The god is wroth." + +"Bah! It boils no more now than it did yesterday." + +In the ice-green water could be seen the young man with nervous arms +striking out. He held up the girl with one arm. The swell of the rising +volumes of water greatly facilitated his efforts. Indeed the upsurging +flood had such force, that to die by drowning in it was a death by inches, +for as often as a body went beneath the surface, it was again propelled +upwards. + +In a minute he was at the breastwork, had one hand on it, then called: +"Help, some one, to lift her out!" + +Thereupon the man clothed in brown wool put down his arms, clasped the +half-conscious girl and raised her from the water. Callipodius assisted, +and between them she was lifted out of the basin. The priests and +priestesses remonstrated with loud cries. But some of the spectators +cheered. A considerable portion of the men ranged themselves beside the +two who had the girl in their arms, and prevented the ministers of +Nemausus from recovering Perpetua from the hands of her rescuers. + +The men of the upper town--Greek colonists, or their descendants--looked +superciliously and incredulously on the cult of the Gallic deity of the +fountain. It was tolerated, but laughed at, as something that belonged to +a class of citizens that was below them in standing. + +In another moment AEmilius Lentulus had thrown himself upon the balustrade, +and stood facing the crowd, dripping from every limb, but with a laughing +countenance. + +Seeing that the mob was swayed by differing currents of feeling and +opinion, knowing the people with whom he had to do, he stooped, whispered +something into the ear of Callipodius; then, folding his arms, he looked +smilingly around at the tossing crowd, and no sooner did he see his +opportunity than, unclasping his arms, he assumed the attitude of an +orator, and cried: + +"Men and brethren of the good city of Nemausus! I marvel at ye, that ye +dare to set at naught the laws of imperial and eternal Rome. Are ye not +aware that the god Claudius issued an edict with special application to +Gaul, that forever forbade human sacrifices? Has that edict been +withdrawn? I have myself seen and read it graven in brass on the steps of +the Capitoline Hill at Rome. So long as that law stands unrepealed ye are +transgressors." + +"The edict has fallen into desuetude, and desuetude abrogates a law!" +called one man. + +"Is it so? How many have suffered under Nero, under Caius, because they +transgressed laws long forgotten? Let some one inform against the +priesthood of Nemausus and carry the case to Rome." + +A stillness fell on the assembly. The priests looked at one another. + +"But see!" continued AEmilius, "I call you to witness this day. The god +himself rejects such illegal offerings. Did you not perceive how he +spurned the virgin from him when ye did impiously cast her into his holy +urn? Does he not sustain life with his waters, and not destroy it? Had he +desired the sacrifice then would he have gulped it down, and you would +have seen the maiden no more. Not so! He rejected her; with his watery +arms he repelled her. Every crystal wave he cast up was a rejection. I saw +it, and I leaped in to deliver the god from the mortal flesh that he +refused. I appeal to you all again. To whom did the silver image cast the +apple? Was it to the maiden destined to die? Nay, verily, it was to her +who was to live. The golden pippin was a fruit of life, whereby he +designated such as he willed to live. Therefore, I say that the god loveth +life and not death. Friends and citizens of Nemausus, ye have transgressed +the law, and ye have violated the will of the divine Archegos who founded +our city and by whose largess of water we live." + +Then one in the crowd shouted: "There is a virgin cast yearly from the +bridge over the Rhodanus at Avenio." + +"Aye! and much doth that advantage the bridge and the city. Did not the +floods last November carry away an arch and inundate an entire quarter of +the town? Was the divine river forgetful that he had received his +obligation, or was he ungrateful for the favor? Naught that is godlike can +be either." + +"He demanded another life." + +"Nay! He was indignant that the fools of Avenio should continue to treat +him as though he were a wild beast that had to be glutted, and not as a +god. All you parents that fear for your children! Some of you have already +lost your daughters, and have trembled for them; combine, and with one +voice proclaim that you will no more suffer this. Look to the urn of the +divine Nemausus. See how evenly the ripples run. Dip your fingers in the +water and feel how passionless it is. Has he blown forth a blast of +seething water and steam like the hot springs of Aquae Sextiae? Has his +fountain clouded with anger? Was the god powerless to avenge the act when +I plunged in? If he had desired the death of the maiden would he have +suffered me, a mortal, to pluck her from his gelid lips? Make room on +Olympus, O ye gods, and prepare a throne for Common Sense, and let her +have domain over the minds of men." + +"There is no such god," called one in the crowd. + +"Ye know her not, so besotted are ye." + +"He blasphemes, he mocks the holy and immortal ones." + +"It is ye who mock them when ye make of them as great clowns as +yourselves. The true eternal gods laugh to hear me speak the truth. Look +at the sun. Look at the water, with its many twinkling smiles. The gods +approve." + +Whilst the young man thus harangued and amused the populace, Baudillas and +Quincta, assisted by two female slaves of the latter, removed the +drenched, dripping, and half-drowned girl. They bore her with the utmost +dispatch out of the crowd down a sidewalk of the city gardens to a bench, +on which they laid her, till she had sufficiently recovered to open her +eyes and recognize those who surrounded her. + +Then said the widow to one of the servants: "Run, Petronella, and bid the +steward send porters with a litter. We must convey Perpetua as speedily as +possible from hence, lest there be a riot, and the ministers of the devil +stir up the people to insist upon again casting her into the water." + +"By your leave, lady," said Baudillas, "I would advise that, at first, she +should not be conveyed to your house, but to mine. It is probable, should +that happen which you fear, that the populace may make a rush to your +dwelling, in their attempt to get hold of the lady, your daughter. It were +well that she remained for a while concealed in my house. Send for the +porters to bring the litter later, when falls the night." + +"You are right," said Quincta. "It shall be so." + +"As in the Acts of the Blessed Apostles it is related that the craftsmen +who lived by making silver shrines for Diana stirred up the people of +Ephesus, so may it be now. There are many who get their living by the old +religion, many whose position and influence depend on its maintenance, and +such will not lightly allow a slight to be cast on their superstitions +like as has been offered this day. But by evenfall we shall know the humor +of the people. Young lady, lean on my arm and let me conduct thee to my +lodging. Thou canst there abide till it is safe for thee to depart." + +Then the brown-habited man took the maiden's arm. + +Baudillas was a deacon of the Church in Nemausus--a man somewhat advanced +in life. His humility, and, perhaps, also his lack of scholarship, +prevented his aspiring to a higher office; moreover, he was an admirable +minister of the Church as deacon, at a period when the office was mainly +one of keeping the registers of the sick and poor, and of distributing +alms among such as were in need. + +The deacon was the treasurer of the Church, and he was a man selected for +his business habits and practical turn of mind. By his office he was more +concerned with the material than the spiritual distresses of men. +Nevertheless, he was of the utmost value to the bishops and presbyters, +for he was their feeler, groping among the poorest, entering into the +worst haunts of misery and vice, quick to detect tokens of desire for +better things, and ready to make use of every opening for giving +rudimentary instruction. + +Those who occupied the higher grades in the Church, even at this early +period, were, for the most part, selected from the cultured and noble +classes; not that the Church had respect of persons, but because of the +need there was of possessing men who could penetrate into the best houses, +and who, being related to the governing classes, might influence the upper +strata of society, as well as that which was below. The great houses with +their families of slaves in the city, and of servile laborers on their +estates, possessed vast influence for good or evil. A believing master +could flood a whole population that depended on him with light, and was +certain to treat his slaves with Christian humanity. On the other hand, it +occasionally happened that it was through a poor slave that the truth +reached the heart of a master or mistress. + +Baudillas led the girl, now shivering with cold, from the garden, and +speedily reached a narrow street. Here the houses on each side were lofty, +unadorned, and had windows only in the upper stories, arched with brick +and unglazed. In cold weather they were closed with shutters. + +The pavement of the street was of cobble-stones and rough. No one was +visible; no sound issued from the houses, save only from one whence came +the rattle of a loom; and a dog chained at a door barked furiously as the +little party went by. + +"This is the house," said Baudillas, and he struck against a door. + +After some waiting a bar was withdrawn within, and the door, that +consisted of two valves, was opened by an old, slightly lame slave. + +"Pedo," said the deacon, "has all been well?" + +"All is well, master," answered the man. + +"Enter, ladies," said Baudillas. "My house is humble and out of repair, +but it was once notable. Enter and rest you awhile. I will bid Pedo search +for a change of garments for Perpetua." + +"Hark," exclaimed Quincta, "I hear a sound like the roar of the sea." + +"It is the voice of the people. It is a roar like that for blood, that +goes up from the amphitheater." + + + + + + CHAPTER IV + + THE UTRICULARES + + +The singular transformation that had taken place in the presiding deity of +the fountain, from being a nymph into a male god, had not been +sufficiently complete to alter the worship of the deity. As in the days of +Druidism, the sacred source was under the charge of priestesses, and +although, with the change of sex of the deity, priests had been appointed +to the temple, yet they were few, and occupied a position of subordination +to the chief priestess. She was a woman of sagacity and knowledge of human +nature. She perceived immediately how critical was the situation. If +AEmilius Lentulus were allowed to proceed with his speech he would draw to +him the excitable Southern minds, and it was quite possible might provoke +a tumult in which the temple would be wrecked. At the least, his words +would serve to chill popular devotion. + +The period when Christianity began to radiate through the Roman world was +one when the traditional paganism with its associated rights, that had +contented a simpler age, had lost its hold on the thoughtful and cultured. +Those who were esteemed the leaders of society mocked at religion, and +although they conformed to its ceremonial, did so with ill-disguised +contempt. At their tables, before their slaves, they laughed at the sacred +myths related of the gods, as absurd and indecent, and the slaves thought +it became them to affect the same incredulity as their masters. Sober +thinkers endeavored to save some form of religion by explaining away the +monstrous legends, and attributing them to the wayward imagination of +poets. The existence of the gods they admitted, but argued that the gods +were the unintelligent and blind forces of nature; or that, if rational, +they stood apart in cold exclusiveness and cared naught for mankind. Many +threw themselves into a position of agnosticism. They professed to believe +in nothing but what their senses assured them did exist, and asserted that +as there was no evidence to warrant them in declaring that there were +gods, they could not believe in them; that moreover, as there was no +revelation of a moral law, there existed no distinction between right and +wrong. Therefore, the only workable maxim on which to rule life was: "Let +us eat and drink, for to-morrow we may die." + +Over all men hung the threatening cloud of death. All must undergo the +waning of the vital powers, the failure of health, the withering of +beauty, the loss of appetite for the pleasure of life, or if not the loss +of appetite, at least the faculty for enjoyment. + +There was no shaking off the oppressive burden, no escape from the +gathering shadow. Yet, just as those on the edge of a precipice throw +themselves over, through giddiness, so did men rush on self-destruction in +startling numbers and with levity, because weary of life, and these were +precisely such as had enjoyed wealth to the full and had run through the +whole gamut of pleasures. + +What happened after death? Was there any continuance of existence? + +Men craved to know. They felt that life was too brief altogether for the +satisfaction of the aspirations of their souls. They ran from one pleasure +to another without filling the void within. + +Consequently, having lost faith in the traditional religion--it was not a +creed--itself a composite out of some Latin, some Etruscan, and some Greek +myth and cult, they looked elsewhere for what they required. Consciences, +agonized by remorse, sought expiation in secret mysteries, only to find +that they afforded no relief at all. Minds craving after faith plunged +into philosophic speculations that led to nothing but unsolved eternal +query. Souls hungering, thirsting after God the Ideal of all that is Holy +and pure and lovable, adopted the strange religions imported from the East +and South; some became votaries of the Egyptian Isis and Serapis, others +of the Persian Mithras--all to find that they had pursued bubbles. + +In the midst of this general disturbance of old ideas, in the midst of a +widespread despair, Christianity flashed forth and offered what was +desired by the earnest, the thoughtful, the down-trodden and the +conscience-stricken--a revelation made by the Father of Spirits as to what +is the destiny of man, what is the law of right and wrong, what is in +store for those who obey the law; how also pardon might be obtained for +transgression, and grace to restore fallen humanity. + +Christianity meeting a wide-felt want spread rapidly, not only among the +poor and oppressed, but extensively among the cultured and the noble. All +connected by interest, or prejudiced by association with the dominant and +established paganism, were uneasy and alarmed. The traditional religion +was honeycombed and tottering to its fall, and how it was to be revived +they knew not. That it would be supplanted by the new faith in Christ was +what they feared. + +The chief priestess of Nemausus knew that in the then condition of minds +an act of overt defiance might lead to a very general apostasy. It was to +her of sovereign importance to arrest the movement at once, to silence +AEmilius, to have him punished for his act of sacrilege, and to recover +possession of Perpetua. + +She snatched the golden apple from the hand of the image, and, giving it +to an attendant, said: "Run everywhere; touch and summon the Cultores +Nemausi." + +The girl did as commanded. She sped among the crowd, and, with the pippin, +touched one, then another, calling: "Worshippers of Nemausus, to the aid +of the god!" + +The result was manifest at once. It was as though an electrical shock had +passed through the multitude. Those touched and those who had heard the +summons at once disengaged themselves from the crush, drew together, and +ceased to express their individual opinions. Indeed, such as had +previously applauded the sentiments of AEmilius, now assumed an attitude of +disapprobation. + +Rapidly men rallied about the white-robed priestesses, who surrounded the +silver image. + +To understand what was taking place it is necessary that a few words +should be given in explanation. + +The Roman population of the towns--not in Italy only, but in all the +Romanized provinces, banded itself in colleges or societies very much like +our benefit clubs. Those guilds were very generally under the invocation +of some god or goddess, and those who belonged to them were entitled +"Cultores" or worshippers of such or such a deity. These clubs had their +secretaries and treasurers, their places of meeting, their common chests, +their feasts, and their several constitutions. Each society made provision +for its members in time of sickness, and furnished a dignified funeral in +the club Columbarium, after which all sat down to a funeral banquet in the +supper room attached to the cemetery. These colleges or guilds enjoyed +great privileges, and were protected by the law. + +At a time when a political career was closed to all but such as belonged +to the governing class, the affairs of these clubs engrossed the attention +of the members and evoked great rivalry and controversies. One admirable +effect of the clubs was the development of a spirit of fellowship among +the members, and another was that it tended in a measure to break down +class exclusiveness. Men of rank and wealth, aware of the power exercised +by these guilds, eagerly accepted the offices of patron to them, though +the clubs might be those of cord-wainers, armorers or sailmakers. And +those who were ordinary members of a guild regarded their patrons with +affection and loyalty. Now that the signal had been sent round to rally +the Cultores Nemausi, every member forgot his private feeling, sank his +individual opinion, and fell into rank with his fellows, united in one +common object--the maintenance by every available man, and at every +sacrifice, of the respect due to the god. + +These Cultores Nemausi at once formed into organized bodies under their +several officers, in face of a confused crowd that drifted hither and +thither without purpose and without cohesion. + +AEmilius found himself no longer hearkened to. To him this was a matter of +no concern. He had sought to engage attention only so as to withdraw it +from Perpetua and leave opportunity for her friends to remove her. + +Now that this object was attained, he laughingly leaped from the +balustrade and made as though he was about to return home. + +But at once the chief priestess saw his object, and cried: "Seize him! He +blasphemes the god, founder of the city. He would destroy the college. Let +him be conveyed into the temple, that the Holy One may there deal with him +as he wills." + +The Prefect of Police, whose duty it was to keep order, now advanced with +the few men he had deemed necessary to bring with him, and he said in +peremptory tone: + +"We can suffer no violence. If he has transgressed the law, let him be +impeached." + +"Sir," answered the priestess, "we will use no violence. He has insulted +the majesty of the god. He has snatched from him his destined and devoted +victim. Yet we meditate no severe reprisals. All I seek is that he may be +brought into the presence of the god in the adytum, where is a table +spread with cakes. Let him there sprinkle incense on the fire and eat of +the cakes. Then he shall go free. If the god be wroth, he will manifest +his indignation. But if, as I doubt not, he be placable, then shall this +man depart unmolested." + +"Against this I have naught to advance," said the prefect. + +But one standing by whispered him: "Those cakes are not to be trusted. I +have heard of one who ate and fell down in convulsions after eating." + +"That is a matter between the god and AEmilius Varo. I have done my duty." + +Then the confraternity of the Cultores Nemausi spread itself so as to +encircle the place and include AEmilius, barring every passage. He might, +doubtless, have escaped had he taken to his heels at the first summons of +the club to congregate, but he had desired to occupy the attention of the +people as long as possible, and it did not comport with his self-respect +to run from danger. + +Throwing over him the toga which he had cast aside when he leaped into the +pond, he thrust one hand into his bosom and leisurely strode through the +crowd, waving them aside with the other hand, till he stopped by the +living barrier of the worshippers of Nemausus. + +"You cannot pass, sir," said the captain of that party which intercepted +his exit. "The chief priestess hath ordered that thou appear before the +god in his cella and then do worship and submit thyself to his will." + +"And how is that will to be declared?" asked the young man, jestingly. + +"Sir! thou must eat one of the dedicated placenta." + +"I have heard of these same cakes and have no stomach for them." + +"Nevertheless eat thou must." + +"What if I will not?" + +"Then constraint will be used. The prefect has given his consent. Who is +to deliver thee?" + +"Who! Here come my deliverers!" + +A tramp of feet was audible. + +Instantly AEmilius ran back to the balustrade, leaped upon it, and, waving +his arm, shouted: + +"To my aid, Utriculares! But use no violence." + +Instantly with a shout a dense body of men that had rolled into the +gardens dashed itself against the ring of Cultores Nemausi. They +brandished marlin spikes and oars to which were attached inflated goat- +skins and bladders. These they whirled around their heads and with them +they smote to the left and to the right. The distended skins clashed +against such as stood in opposition, and sent them reeling backward; +whereat the lusty men wielding the wind-bags thrust their way as a wedge +through their ranks. The worshippers of Nemausus swore, screamed, +remonstrated, but were unable to withstand the onslaught. They were beaten +back and dispersed by the whirling bladders. + +The general mob roared with laughter and cheered the boatmen who formed +the attacking party. Cries of "Well done, Utriculares! That is a fine +delivery, Wind-bag-men! Ha, ha! A hundred to five on the Utriculares! You +are come in the nick of time, afore your patron was made to nibble the +poisoned cakes." + +The men armed with air-distended skins did harm to none. Their weapons +were calculated to alarm and not to injure. To be banged in the face with +a bladder was almost as disconcerting as to be smitten with a cudgel, but +it left no bruise, it broke no bone, and the man sent staggering by a +wind-bag was received in the arms of those in rear with jibe or laugh and +elicited no compassion. + +The Utriculares speedily reached AEmilius, gave vent to a cheer; they +lifted him on their shoulders, and, swinging the inflated skins and +shouting, marched off, out of the gardens, through the Forum, down the +main street of the lower town unmolested, under the conduct of +Callipodius. + + + + + + CHAPTER V + + THE LAGOONS + + +The men who carried and surrounded AEmilius proceeded in rapid march, +chanting a rhythmic song, through the town till they emerged on a sort of +quay beside a wide-spreading shallow lagoon. Here were moored numerous +rafts. + +"Now, sir," said one of the men, as AEmilius leaped to the ground, "if you +will take my advice, you will allow us to convey you at once to Arelate. +This is hardly a safe place for you at present." + +"I must thank you all, my gallant fellows, for your timely aid. But for +you I should have been forced to eat of the dedicated cakes, and such as +are out of favor with the god--or, rather, with the priesthood that lives +by him, as cockroaches and black beetles by the baker--such are liable to +get stomach aches, which same stomach aches convey into the land where are +no aches and pains. I thank you all." + +"Nay, sir, we did our duty. Are not you patron of the Utriculares?" + +"I am your patron assuredly, as you did me the honor to elect me. If I +have lacked zeal to do you service in time past, henceforward be well +assured I will devote my best energies to your cause." + +"We are beholden to you, sir." + +"I to you--the rather." + +Perhaps the reader will desire to understand who the wind-bag men were who +had hurried to the rescue of AEmilius. For the comprehension of this +particular, something must be said relative to the physical character of +the country. + +The mighty Rhone that receives the melted snows of the southern slope of +the Bernese Oberland and the northern incline of the opposed Pennine Alps +receives also the drain of the western side of the Jura, as well as that +of the Graian and Cottian Alps. The Durance pours in its auxiliary flood +below Avignon. + +After a rapid thaw of snow, or the breaking of charged rain clouds on the +mountains, these rivers increase in volume, and as the banks of the Rhone +below the junction of the Durance and St. Raphael are low, it overflows +and spreads through the flat alluvial delta. It would be more exact to say +that it was wont to overflow, rather than that it does so now. For at +present, owing to the embankments thrown up and maintained at enormous +cost, the Rhone can only occasionally submerge the low-lying land, whereas +anciently such floods were periodical and as surely expected as those of +the Nile. + +The overflowing Rhone formed a vast region of lagoons that extended from +Tarascon and Beaucaire to the Gulf of Lyons, and spread laterally over the +Crau on one side to Nimes on the other. Nimes itself stood on its own +river, the Vistre, but this fed marshes and "broads" that were connected +with the tangle of lagoons formed by the Rhone. + +Arelate, the great emporium of the trade between Gaul and Italy, occupied +a rocky islet in the midst of water that extended as far as the eye could +reach. This tract of submerged land was some sixty miles in breadth by +forty in depth, was sown with islets of more or less elevation and extent. +Some were bold, rocky eminences, others were mere rubble and sand-banks +formed by the river. Arelate or Arles was accessible by vessels up and +down the river or by rafts that plied the lagoons, and by the canal +constructed by Marius, that traversed them from Fossoe Marino. As the +canal was not deep, and as the current of the river was strong, ships were +often unable to ascend to the city through these arteries, and had to +discharge their merchandise on the coast upon rafts that conveyed it to +the great town, and when the floods permitted, carried much to Nemausus. + +As the sheets of water were in places and at periods shallow, the rafts +were made buoyant, though heavily laden, by means of inflated skins and +bladders placed beneath them. + +As the conveyance of merchandise engaged a prodigious number of persons, +the raftsmen had organized themselves into the guild of Utriculares, or +Wind-bag men, and as they became not infrequently involved in contests +with those whose interests they crossed, and on whose privileges they +infringed, they enlisted the aid of lawyers to act as their patrons, to +bully their enemies, and to fight their battles against assailants. Among +the numerous classic monumental inscriptions that remain in Provence, +there are many in which a man of position is proud to have it recorded +that he was an honorary member of the club of the inflated-skin men. + +Nemausus owed much of its prosperity to the fact that it was the trade +center for wool and for skins. The Cevennes and the great limestone +plateaux that abut upon them nourished countless herds of goats and flocks +of sheep, and the dress of everyone at the period being of wool the demand +for fleeces was great; consequently vast quantities of wool were brought +from the mountains of Nimes, whence it was floated away on rafts sustained +by the skins that came from the same quarter. + +The archipelago that studded the fresh-water sea was inhabited by +fishermen, and these engaged in the raft-carriage. The district presented +a singular contrast of high culture and barbarism. In Arles, Nimes, +Narbonne there was a Greek element. There was here and there an infusion +of Phoenician blood. The main body of the people consisted of the dusky +Ligurians, who had almost entirely lost their language, and had adopted +that of their Gaulish conquerors, the Volex. These latter were +distinguished by their fair hair, their clear complexions, their stalwart +frames. Another element in the composite mass was that of the colonists. +After the battle of Actium, Augustus had rewarded his Egypto-Greek +auxiliaries by planting them at Nemausus, and giving them half the estates +of the Gaulish nobility. To these Greeks were added Roman merchants, +round-headed, matter-of-fact looking men, destitute of imagination, but +full of practical sense. + +These incongruous elements that in the lapse of centuries have been fused, +were, at the time of this tale, fairly distinct. + +"You are in the right, my friends," said AEmilius. "The kiln is heated too +hot for comfort. It would roast me. I will go even to Arelate, if you will +be good enough to convey me thither." + +"With the greatest of pleasure, sir." + +AEmilius had an office at Arles. He was a lawyer, but his headquarters were +at Nemausus, to which town he belonged by birth. He represented a good +family, and was descended from one of the colonists under Agrippa and +Augustus. His father was dead, and though he was not wealthy, he was well +off, and possessed a villa and estates on the mountain sides, at some +distance from the town. In the heats of summer he retired to his villa. + +On this day of March there had been a considerable gathering of raftsmen +at Nemausus, who had utilized the swollen waters in the lagoons for the +conveyance of merchandise. + +AEmilius stepped upon a raft that seemed to be poised on bubbles, so light +was it on the surface of the water, and the men at once thrust from land +with their poles. + +The bottom was everywhere visible, owing to the whiteness of the limestone +pebbles and the sand that composed it, and through the water darted +innumerable fish. The liquid element was clear. Neither the Vistre nor the +stream from the fountain brought down any mud, and the turbid Rhone had +deposited all its sediment before its waters reached and mingled with +those that flowed from the Cebennae. There was no perceptible current. The +weeds under water were still, and the only thing in motion were the +darting fish. + +The raftmen were small, nimble fellows, with dark hair, dark eyes and +pleasant faces. They laughed and chatted with each other over the incident +of the rescue of their patron, but it was in their own dialect, +unintelligible to AEmilius, to whom they spoke in broken Latin, in which +were mingled Greek words. + +Now and then they burst simultaneously into a wailing chant, and then +interrupted their song to laugh and gesticulate and mimic those who had +been knocked over by their wind-bags. + +As AEmilius did not understand their conversation and their antics did not +amuse him, he lay on the raft upon a wolfskin that had been spread over +the timber, looking dreamily into the water and at the white golden +flowers of the floating weeds through which the raft was impelled. The +ripples caused by the displacement of the water caught and flashed the sun +in his eyes like lightning. + +His mind reverted to what had taken place, but unlike the raftmen he did +not consider it from its humorous side. He wondered at himself for the +active part he had taken. He wondered at himself for having acted without +premeditation. Why had he interfered to save the life of a girl whom he +had not known even by name? Why had he been so indiscreet as to involve +himself in a quarrel with his fellow-citizens in a matter in no way +concerning him? What had impelled him so rashly to bring down on himself +the resentment of an influential and powerful body? + +The youth of Rome and of the Romanized provinces was at the time of the +empire very blase. It enjoyed life early, and wearied rapidly of pleasure. +It became skeptical as to virtue, and looked on the world of men with +cynical contempt. It was selfish, sensual, cruel. But in AEmilius there was +something nobler than what existed in most; the perception of what was +good and true was not dead in him; it had slept. And now the face of +Perpetua looked up at him out of the water. Was it her beauty that had so +attracted him as to make him for a moment mad and cast his cynicism aside, +as the butterfly throws away the chrysalis from which it breaks? No, +beautiful indeed she was, but there was in her face something +inexpressible, undefinable, even mentally; something conceivable in a +goddess, an aura from another world, an emanation from Olympus. It was +nothing that was subject to the rule. It was not due to proportion; it +could be seized by neither painter nor sculptor. What was it? That puzzled +him. He had been fascinated, lifted out of his base and selfish self to +risk his life to do a generous, a noble act. He was incapable of +explaining to himself what had wrought this sudden change in him. + +He thought over all that had taken place. How marvelous had been the +serenity with which Perpetua had faced death! How ready she was to cast +away life when life was in its prime and the world with all its pleasures +was opening before her! He could not understand this. He had seen men die +in the arena, but never thus. What had given the girl that look, as though +a light within shone through her features? What was there in her that made +him feel that to think of her, save with reverence, was to commit a +sacrilege? + +In the heart of AEmilius there was, though he knew it not, something of +that same spirit which pervaded the best of men and the deepest thinkers +in that decaying, corrupt old world. All had acquired a disbelief in +virtue because they nowhere encountered it, and yet all were animated with +a passionate longing for it as the ideal, perhaps the unattainable, but +that which alone could make life really happy. + +It was this which disturbed the dainty epicureanism of Horace, which gave +verjuice to the cynicism of Juvenal, which roused the savage bitterness of +Perseus. More markedly still, the craving after this better life, on what +based, he could not conjecture, filled the pastoral mind of Virgil, and +almost with a prophet's fire, certainly with an aching desire, he sang of +the coming time when the vestiges of ancient fraud would be swept away and +the light of a better day, a day of truth and goodness would break on the +tear- and blood-stained world. + +And now this dim groping after what was better than he had seen; this +inarticulate yearning after something higher than the sordid round of +pleasure; this innate assurance that to man there is an ideal of spiritual +loveliness and perfection to which he can attain if shown the way--all this +now had found expression in the almost involuntary plunge into the +Nemausean pool. He had seen the ideal, and he had broken with the regnant +paganism to reach and rescue it. + +"What, my AEmilius! like Narcissus adoring thine incomparable self in the +water!" + +The young lawyer started, and an expression of annoyance swept over his +face. The voice was that of Callipodius. + +"Oh, my good friend," answered AEmilius, "I was otherwise engaged with my +thoughts than in thinking of my poor self." + +"Poor! with so many hides of land, vineyards and sheep-walks and olive +groves! Aye, and with a flourishing business, and the possession of a +matchless country residence at Ad Fines." + +"Callipodius," said the patron, "thou art a worthy creature, and lackest +but one thing to make thee excellent." + +"And what is that?" + +"Bread made without salt is insipid, and conversation seasoned with +flattery nauseates. I have heard of a slave who was smeared with honey and +exposed on a cross to wasps. When thou addressest me I seem to feel as +though thou wast dabbing honey over me." + +"My AEmilius! But where would you find wasps to sting you?" + +"Oh! they are ready and eager--and I am flying them--all the votaries of +Nemausus thou hast seen this day. As thou lovest me, leave me to myself, +to rest. I am heavy with sleep, and the sun is hot." + +"Ah! dreamer that thou art. I know that thou art thinking of the fair +Perpetua, that worshiper of an----" + +"Cease; I will not hear this." AEmilius made an angry gesture. Then he +started up and struck at his brow. "By Hercules! I am a coward, flying, +flying, when she is in extreme peril. Where is she now? Maybe those +savages, those fools, are hunting after her to cast her again into the +basin, or to thrust poisoned cakes into her mouth. By the Sacred Twins! I +am doing that which is unworthy of me--that for which I could never +condone. I am leaving the feeble and the helpless, unassisted, unprotected +in extremity of danger. Thrust back, my good men! Thrust back! I cannot to +Arelate. I must again to Nemausus!" + + + + + + CHAPTER VI + + THE PASSAGE INTO LIFE + + +AEmilius had sprung to his feet and called to the men to cease punting. +They rested on their poles, awaiting further instructions, and the impetus +given to the raft carried it among some yellow flags and rushes. + +Callipodius said: "I mostly admire the splendor of your intellect, that +shines forth with solar effulgence. But there are seasons when the sun is +eclipsed or obscured, and such is this with thee. Surely thou dost not +contemplate a return to Nemausus to risk thy life without being in any way +able to assist the damsel. Consider, moreover--is it worth it--for a girl?" + +"Callipodius," said the young lawyer in a tone of vehemence, "I cannot fly +and place myself in security and leave her exposed to the most dreadful +danger. I did my work by half only. What I did was unpremeditated, but +that done must be made a complete whole. When I undertake anything it is +my way to carry it out to a fair issue." + +"That is true enough and worthy of your excellent qualities of heart and +mind. But you know nothing of this wench, and be she all that you imagine, +what is a woman that for her you should jeopardize your little finger? +Besides, her mother and kinsfolk will hardly desire your aid, will +certainly not invoke it." + +"Why not?" + +Callipodius shrugged his shoulders. "You are a man of the world--a votary +of pleasure, and these people are Christians. They will do their utmost +for her. They hang together as a swarm of bees." + +"Who and what are these people--this mother and her kinsfolk?" + +"I know little about them. They occupy a house in the lower town, and that +tells its own tale. They do not belong to the quality to which you belong. +The girl has been reputed beautiful, and many light fellows have sought to +see and have words with her. But she is so zealously guarded, and is +herself so retiring and modest that they have encountered only rebuff and +disappointment." + +"I must return. I will know for certain that she is in safety. Methinks no +sooner were they balked of me than they would direct all their efforts to +secure her." + +"You shall not go back to Nemausus. You would but jeopardize your own +valuable life without the possibility of assisting her; nay, rather +wouldst thou direct attention to her. Leave the matter with me and trust +my devotion to thine interests." + +"I must learn tidings of her. I shall not rest till assured that she is +out of danger. By the infernal gods, Callipodius, I know not what is come +upon me, but I feel that if ill befall her, I could throw myself on a +sword and welcome death, life having lost to me all value." + +"Then I tell thee this, most resolute of men," said Callipodius, "I will +return to the town. My nothingness will pass unquestioned. Thou shalt +tarry at the house of Flavillus yonder on the promontory. He is a timber +merchant, and the place is clean. The woman bears a good name, and, what +is better, can cook well. The house is poor and undeserving of the honor +of receiving so distinguished a person as thyself; but if thou wilt +condescend----" + +"Enough. I will do as thou advisest. And, oh, friend, be speedy, relieve +my anxiety and be true as thou dost value my esteem." + +Then AEmilius signed to the raftmen to put him ashore at the landing place +to the timber yard of Flavillus. + +Having landed he mounted a slight ascent to a cottage that was surrounded +by piles of wood--of oak, chestnut, pine and olive. Flavillus was a +merchant on a small scale, but a man of energy and industry. He dealt with +the natives of the Cebennae, and bought the timber they felled, conveyed it +to his stores, whence it was distributed to the towns in the neighborhood; +and supplies were furnished to the shipbuilders at Arelate. + +The merchant was now away, but his wife received AEmilius with deference. +She had heard his name from the raftmen, and was acquainted with +Callipodius, a word from whom sufficed as an introduction. + +She apologized because her house was small, as also because her mother, +then with her, was at the point of death from old age, not from any fever +or other disorder. If AEmilius Lentulus, under the circumstances, would +pardon imperfection in attendance, she would gladly extend to him such +hospitality as she could offer. AEmilius would have gone elsewhere, but +that the only other house he could think of that was near was a tavern, +then crowded by Utriculares, who occupied every corner. He was sorry to +inconvenience the woman, yet accepted her offer. The period was not one in +which much consideration was shown to those in a lower grade. The citizens +and nobles held that their inferiors existed for their convenience only. +AEmilius shared in the ideas of his time and class, but he had sufficient +natural delicacy to make him reluctant to intrude where his presence was +necessarily irksome. Nevertheless, as there was no other place to which he +could go, he put aside this feeling of hesitation. + +The house was small, and was constructed of wood upon a stone basement. +The partitions between the rooms were of split planks, and the joints were +in places open, and knots had come out, so that what passed in one +apartment was audible, and, to some extent, visible in another. A bedroom +in a Roman house was a mere closet, furnished with a bed only. All washing +was done at the baths, not in the house. The room had no window, only a +door over which hung a curtain. + +AEmilius divested himself of his wet garment and gave it to his hostess to +dry, then wrapped himself in his toga and awaited supper. + +The meal was prepared as speedily as might be. It consisted of eggs, eels, +with melon, and apples of last year. Wine was abundant, and so was oil. + +When he had eaten and was refreshed, moved by a kindly thought AEmilius +asked if he might see the sick mother. His hostess at once conducted him +to her apartment, and he stood by the old woman's bed. The evening sun +shone in at the door, where stood the daughter holding back the curtain, +and lighted the face of the aged woman. It was thin, white and drawn. The +eyes were large and lustrous. + +"I am an intruder," said the young man, "yet I would not sleep the night +in this house without paying my respects to the mother of my kind hostess. +Alas! thou art one I learn who is unable to escape that which befalls all +mortals. It is a lot evaded only by the gods, if there be any truth in the +tales told concerning them. It must be a satisfaction to you to +contemplate the many pleasures enjoyed in a long life, just as after an +excellent meal we can in mind revert to it and retaste in imagination +every course--as indeed I do with the supper so daintily furnished by my +hostess." + +"Ah, sir," said the old woman, "on the couch of death one looks not back +but forward." + +"And that also is true," remarked AEmilius. "What is before you but +everything that can console the mind and gratify the ambition. With your +excellent daughter and the timber-yard hard by, you may calculate on a +really handsome funeral pyre--plenty of olive wood and fragrant pine logs +from the Cebennae. I myself will be glad to contribute a handful of +oriental spices to throw into the flames." + +"Sir, I think not of that." + +"And the numbers who will attend and the orations that will be made +lauding your many virtues! It has struck me that one thing only is wanting +in a funeral to make it perfectly satisfactory, and that is that the +person consigned to the flames should be able to see the pomp and hear the +good things said of him." + +"Oh, sir, I regard not that!" + +"No, like a wise woman, you look beyond." + +"Aye! aye!" she folded her hands and a light came into her eyes. "I look +beyond." + +"To the mausoleum and the cenotaph. Unquestionably the worthy Flavillus +will give you a monument as handsome as his means will permit, and for +many centuries your name will be memorialized thereon." + +"Oh, sir! my poor name! what care I for that? I ask Flavillus to spend no +money over my remains; and may my name be enshrined in the heart of my +daughter. But--it is written elsewhere--even in Heaven." + +"I hardly comprehend." + +"As to what happens to the body--that is of little concern to me. I desire +but one thing--to be dissolved, and to be with Christ." + +"Ah!--so--with Christ!" + +AEmilius rubbed his chin. + +"He is my Hope. He is my Salvation. In Him I shall live. Death is +swallowed up in Victory." + +"She rambles in her talk," said he, turning to the daughter. + +"Nay, sir, she is clear in her mind and dwells on the thoughts that +comfort her." + +"And that is not that she will have an expensive funeral?" + +"Oh, no, sir!" + +"Nor that she will have a commemorative cenotaph belauding her virtues?" + +Then the dying woman said: "I shall live--live forevermore. I have passed +from death unto life." + +AEmilius shook his head. If this was not the raving of a disordered mind, +what could it be? + +He retired to his apartment. + +He was tired. He had nothing to occupy him, so he cast himself on his bed. + +Shortly he heard the voice of a man. He started and listened in the hopes +that Callipodius had returned, but as the tones were strange to him he lay +down again. + +Presently a light struck through a knot in the boards that divided his +room from that of the dying woman. Then he heard the strange voice say: +"Peace be to this house and to all that dwell therein." + +"It is the physician," said AEmilius to himself. "Pshaw! what can he do? +She is dying of old age." + +At first the newcomer did inquire concerning the health of the patient, +but then rapidly passed to other matters, and these strange to the ear of +the young lawyer. He had gathered that the old woman was a Christian; but +of Christians he knew no more than that they were reported to worship the +head of an ass, to devour little children, and to indulge in debauchery at +their evening banquets. + +The strange man spoke to the dying woman--not of funeral and cenotaph as +things to look forward to, but to life and immortality, to joy and rest +from labor. + +"My daughter," said the stranger, "indicate by sign that thou hearest me. +Fortified by the most precious gift thou wilt pass out of darkness into +light, out of sorrow into joy, from tears to gladness of heart, from where +thou seest through a glass darkly to where thou shalt look on the face of +Christ, the Sun of Righteousness. Though thou steppest down into the +river, yet His cross shall be thy stay and His staff shall comfort thee. +He goeth before to be thy guide. He standeth to be thy defence. The +spirits of evil cannot hurt thee. The Good Shepherd will gather thee into +His fold. The True Physician will heal all thine infirmities. As the +second Joshua, He will lead thee out of the wilderness into the land of +Promise. The angels of God surround thee. The light of the heavenly city +streams over thee. Rejoice, rejoice! The night is done and the day is at +hand. For all thy labors thou shalt be recompensed double. For all thy +sorrows He will comfort thee. He will wipe away thy tears. He will cleanse +thee from thy stains. He will feed thee with all thy desire. Old things +are passed away; all things are made new. Thy heart shall laugh and +sing--Pax!" + +AEmilius, looking through a chink, saw the stranger lay his hand on the +woman's brow. He saw how the next moment he withdrew it, and how, turning +to her daughter, he said: + +"Do not lament for her. She has passed from death unto life. She sees Him, +in whom she has believed, in whom she has hoped, whom she has loved." + +And the daughter wiped her eyes. + +"Well," said AEmilius to himself, "now I begin to see how these people are +led to face death without fear. It is a pity that it should be delusion +and mere talk. Where is the evidence that it is other? Where is the +foundation for all this that is said?" + + + + + + CHAPTER VII + + OBLATIONS + + +The house into which the widow lady and her daughter entered was that used +by the Christians of Nemausus as their church. A passage led into the +_atrium_, a quadrangular court in the midst of the house into which most +of the rooms opened, and in the center of which was a small basin of +water. On the marble breasting of this tank stood, in a heathen household, +the altar to the _lares et penates_, the tutelary gods of the dwelling. +This court was open above for the admission of light and air, and to allow +the smoke to escape. Originally this had been the central chamber of the +Roman house, but eventually it became a court. It was the focus of family +life, and the altar in it represented the primitive family hearth in times +before civilization had developed the house out of the cabin. + +Whoever entered a pagan household was expected, as token of respect, to +strew a few grains of incense on the ever-burning hearth, or to dip his +fingers in the water basin and flip a few drops over the images. But in a +Christian household no such altar and images of gods were to be found. A +Christian gave great offense by refusing to comply with the generally +received customs, and his disregard on this point of etiquette was held to +be as indicative of boorishness and lack of graceful courtesy, as would be +the conduct nowadays of a man who walked into a drawing-room wearing his +hat. + +Immediately opposite the entrance into the _atrium_, on the further side +of the tank, and beyond the altar to the _lares et penates_, elevated +above the floor of the court by two or three white-marble steps, was a +semicircular chamber, with elaborate mosaic floor, and the walls richly +painted. This was the _tablinum_. The paintings represented scenes from +heathen mythology in such houses as belonged to pagans, but in the +dwelling of Baudillas, the deacon, the pictures that had originally +decorated it had been plastered over, and upon this coating green vines +had been somewhat rudely drawn, with birds of various descriptions playing +among the foliage and pecking at the grapes. + +Around the wall were seats; and here, in a pagan house, the master +received his guests. His seat was at the extremity of the apse, and was of +white marble. When such a house was employed for Christian worship, the +clergy occupied the seat against the wall and the bishop that of the +master in the center. In the chord of the apse above the steps stood the +altar, now no longer smoking nor dedicated to the _Lar pater_, but devoted +to Him who is the Father of Spirits. But this altar was in itself +different wholly from that which had stood by the water tank. Instead of +being a block of marble, with a hearth on top, it consisted of a table on +three, sometimes four, bronze legs, the slab sometimes of stone, more +generally of wood.(1) + +The _tablinum_ was shut off from the hall or court, except when used for +the reception of guests, by rich curtains running on rings upon a rod. +These curtains were drawn back or forward during the celebration of the +liturgy, and this has continued to form a portion of the furniture of an +Oriental church, whether Greek, Armenian, or Syrian. + +In like manner the _tablinum_, with its conch-shape termination, gave the +type to the absidal chancel, so general everywhere except in England. + +On the right side of the court was the _triclinium_ or dining-room, and +this was employed by the early Christians for their love-feasts. + +Owing to the protection extended by law to the colleges or clubs, the +Christians sought to screen themselves from persecution by representing +themselves as forming one of these clubs, and affecting their usages. Even +on their tombstones they so designated themselves, "Cultores Dei," and +they were able to carry on their worship under the appearance of +frequenting guild meetings. One of the notable features of such secular or +semi-religious societies was the convivial supper for the members, +attended by all. The Church adopted this supper, called it Agape, but of +course gave to it a special signification. It was made to be a symbol of +that unity among Christians which was supposed to exist between all +members. The supper was also a convenient means whereby the rich could +contribute to the necessities of the poor, and was regarded as a +fulfilment of the Lord's command: "When thou makest a feast, call the +poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind." + +Already, in the third century, the believers who belonged to the superior +classes had withdrawn from them, and alleged as their excuse the command: +"When thou makest a dinner or a supper, call not thy friends, nor thy +brethren, neither thy kinsman, nor thy rich neighbors." Their actual +reason was, however, distaste for associating with such as belonged to the +lower orders, and from being present at scenes that were not always +edifying. + +The house of Baudillas had once been of consequence, and his family one of +position; but that had been in the early days of the colony before the +indigenous Gaulish nobility had been ousted from every place of authority, +and the means for enriching themselves had been drawn away by the greed of +the conquerors. The quarter of the town in which was his mansion had +declined in respectability. Many of the houses of the old Volcian gentry +had been sold and converted into lodgings for artisans. In this case the +ancestral dwelling remained in the possession of the last representative +of the family, but it was out of repair, and the owner was poor. + +"I hardly know what should be done," said Baudillas to himself, rather +than to the ladies he was escorting. "The Church has been enjoined to +assemble this afternoon for the Agape, and our bishop, Castor, is absent +at this critical juncture. He has gone on a pastoral round, taking +advantage of the floods to visit, in boat, some of the outlying hamlets +and villages where there are believers. It seems to me hardly prudent for +us to assemble when there is such agitation of spirits. Ladies, allow my +house-keeper--she was my nurse--to conduct you where you can repose after +the fatigue and distress you have undergone. She will provide dry garments +for Perpetua, and hot water for her feet. The baths are the proper place, +but it would be dangerous for her to adventure herself in public." + +Baudillas paced the court in anxiety of mind. He did not know what course +to adopt. He was not a man of initiative. He was devoted to his duty and +discharged whatever he was commanded to do with punctilious nicety; but he +was thrown into helpless incapacity when undirected by a superior mind, or +not controlled by a dominant will. + +It would be difficult to communicate with the brethren. He had but one +male servant, Pedo, who had a stiff hip-joint. He could not send him round +to give notice of a postponement, and Baudillas was not the man to take +such a step without orders. Probably, said he to himself, the commotion +would abate before evening. There would be much feasting in the town that +afternoon. The Cultores Nemausi had their club dinner; and the families of +Volcian descent made it a point of honor to entertain on that day, +dedicated to their Gallic founder and hero-god. It was precisely for this +reason that the Agape had been appointed to be celebrated on the first of +March. When all the lower town was holding debauch, the harmless reunion +of the Christians would pass unregarded. + +"What shall I do?" said the deacon. "Castor, our bishop, should not have +absented himself at such a time, but then how could he have foreseen what +has taken place? I will take care that the ladies be provided with +whatever they may need, and then will sally forth and ascertain what +temper our fellow-citizens are in. We southerners blaze up like a fire of +straw, and as soon does our flame expire. If I meet some of the brethren, +I will consult with them what is to be done. As it is we have postponed +the Agape till set of sun, when we deemed that all the town would be +indoors merry-making." + +An hour later, a slave of the lady Quincta arrived to say that her house +was watched, and that the servants did not deem it advisable to leave with +the litter, lest some attempt should be made to track them to the house +where their mistress was concealed, in which case the rabble might even +try to get possession of Perpetua. + +Quincta was greatly alarmed at the tidings, and bade that the litter +should on no account be sent. When those watching her door had been +withdrawn, then a faithful slave was to announce the fact, and she and her +daughter would steal home afoot. Thus passed the time, with anxiety +contracting the hearts of all. Quincta was a timid woman, Baudillas, as +already said, irresolute. In the afternoon, gifts began to arrive for the +love-feast. Slaves brought hampers of bread, quails, field-fare stuffed +with truffles; brown pots containing honey were also deposited by them in +the passage. Others brought branches of dried raisins, apples, eggs, +flasks of oil, and bouquets of spring flowers.(2) + +Baudillas was relieved when the stream of oblations began to flow in, as +it decided for him the matter of the Agape. It must take place--it could +not be deferred, as some of the food sent was perishable. + +A slave arrived laden with an _amphora_--a red earthenware bottle, pointed +below, so that to maintain it upright it had to be planted in sand or +ashes. On the side was a seal with the sacred symbol, showing that it +contained wine set apart for religious usage.(3) + +"Sir!" said the bearer, "happy is the man who tastes of this wine from +Ambrussum (near Lunel).(4) It is of the color of amber, it is old, and +runs like oil. The heat of the Provence sun is gathered and stored in it, +to break forth and glow in the veins, to mount into and fire the brain, +and to make and kindle a furnace in the heart." + +"It shall be used with discretion, Tarsius," said the deacon. + +"By Bacchus!--I ask your pardon, deacon! Old habits are not easily laid +aside. What was I saying? Oh--you remarked something about discretion. For +my part I consider that my master has exercised none in sending this to +your love-feast. Bah! it is casting pearls before swine to pour out this +precious essence into the cups of such a beggarly, vagabond set as +assemble here. The quality folk are becoming weary of these banquets and +hold aloof." + +"That is sadly true," observed Baudillas, "and the effect of this +withdrawal is that it aggravates the difficulties of myself and my +brethren." + +"The choice liquor is thrown away on such as you have as congregation. How +can they relish the Ambrussian if they have not had their palates educated +to know good liquor from bad? On my faith as a Christian! were I master +instead of slave, I would send you the wine of the year when Sosius Falco +and Julius Clarus were consuls--then the grapes mildewed in the bunch, and +the wine is naught but vinegar, no color, no bouquet, no substance. +Gentlemen and slaves can't drink it. But I reckon that my master thinks to +condone his absence by sending one of his choicest flasks." + +"You are somewhat free of tongue, Tarsius." + +"I am a frank man though enslaved. Thoughts are free, and my tongue is not +enchained. I shall attend the banquet this evening. The master and +mistress remain at home that we, believing members of the family, may be +present at the Agape. I will trouble you, when pouring out the Ambrussian +wine, not to forget that I had to sweat under the flask, to your house." + +"I think, Tarsius, I cannot do better than place the bottle under your +charge. You know its value, and the force of the wine. Distribute as you +see fit." + +"Aye; I know who will appreciate it, and who are unworthy of a drop. I +accept the responsibility. You do wisely, deacon, in trusting me--a knowing +one," and he slapped his breast and pursed up his mouth. + +Then another servant appeared with a basket. + +"Here, sir!" said he to the deacon. "I bring you honey-cakes. The lady +Lampridia sends them. She is infirm and unable to leave her house, but she +would fain do something for the poor, the almoners of Christ. She sends +you these and also garments that she has made for children. She desires +that you will distribute them among such parents as have occasion for +them." + +Next came a man of equestrian rank, and drew the deacon aside. + +"Where is Castor?" he inquired in an agitated voice. "I cannot appear this +evening. The whole town is in effervescence. Inquisition may be made for +us Christians. There will be a tumult. When they persecute you in one +city--fly to another! That is the divine command, and I shall obey it to +the letter. I have sent forward servants and mules--and shall escape with +my wife and children to my villa." + +"The bishop is away. He will be back this evening. I have not known what +to do, whether or not to postpone the Agape to another day." + +"No harm will come of it if you hold the feast. None will attend save the +poor and such as are on the books of the Church, the widows and those to +whom a good meal is a boon. The authorities will not trouble themselves +about the like of them. I don't relish the aspect of affairs, and shall be +off before the storm breaks." Then the knight added hastily, "Here is +money, distribute it, and bid the recipients pray for me and mine, that no +harm befall us." + +Baudillas saw that the man was quaking with apprehension. "Verily," said +he to himself, "It is a true saying, 'How hardly shall they that have +riches enter into the kingdom of Heaven.' I wonder now, whether I have +acted judiciously in entrusting that old Ambrussian to Tarsius? If the +bishop had been here, I could have consulted him." + +So a weak, but good man, may even do a thing fraught with greater mischief +than can be done with evil intent by an adversary. + + + + + + CHAPTER VIII + + THE VOICE AT MIDNIGHT + + +As soon as dusk began to veil the sky, Christians in parties of three and +four came to the house of Baudillas. They belonged for the most part to +the lowest classes. None were admitted till they had given the pass-word. + +An _ostiarius_ or porter kept the door, and as each tapped, he said in +Greek: "Beloved, let us love one another." Whereupon the applicant for +admission replied in the same tongue, "For love is of God." + +Owing to the Greek element in the province, large at Massilia, Arelate and +Narbo, but not less considerable at Nemausus, the Hellenic tongue, though +not generally spoken, was more or less comprehended by all in the towns. +The Scriptures were read in Greek; there was, as yet, no Italic version, +and the prayers were recited, sometimes in Greek, sometimes in Latin. In +preaching, the bishops and presbyters employed the vernacular--this was a +conglomerate of many tongues and was in incessant decomposition, flux, and +recomposition. It was different in every town, and varied from year to +year. + +In the sub-apostolic church it was customary for a banquet to be held in +commemoration of the Paschal Supper, early in the afternoon, lasting all +night, previous to the celebration of the new Eucharistic rite, which took +place at dawn. The night was spent in hymn singing, in discourses, and in +prayer. + +But even in the Apostolic age, as we learn from St. Paul's first Epistle +to the Corinthians, great abuses had manifested themselves, and very +speedily a change was made. The Agape was dissociated from the Eucharist +and was relegated to the evening after the celebration of the Sacrament. +It was not abolished altogether, because it was a symbol of unity, and +because, when under control, it was unobjectionable. Moreover, as already +intimated, it served a convenient purpose to the Christians by making +their meetings resemble those of the benefit clubs that were under legal +protection. + +It may be conjectured that where the bulk of the members were newly +converted, and were ignorant, there would speedily manifest itself among +them a tendency to revert to their pagan customs, and a revolt against the +restraints of Christian sobriety. And this actually took place, causing +much embarrassment to the clergy, and giving some handle to the heathen to +deride these meetings as scenes of gross disorder. + +No sooner did persecution cease, and the reason for holding love-feasts no +longer held, than they were everywhere put down and by the end of the +fourth century had absolutely ceased. + +In the third century Tertullian, in his "Apology" addressed to the +heathen, gave a rose-colored description of the institution; but in his +"Treatise on Fasting" addressed to the faithful, he was constrained to +admit that it was a nursery of abuses. But this, indeed, common sense and +a knowledge of human nature would lead us to suspect. + +We are prone to imagine that the first ages of the Church saw only saints +within the fold, and sinners without. But we have only to read the +writings of the early Fathers to see that this was not the case. If we +consider our mission stations at the present day, and consult our +evangelists among the heathen, we shall discover that the newly converted +on entering the Church, bring with them much of their past: their +prejudices, their superstitions, their ignorance, and their passions. The +most vigilant care has to be exercised in watching against relapse in the +individual, and deterioration of the general tone. The converts in the +first ages were not made of other flesh and blood than those now +introduced into the sheepfold, and the difficulties now encountered by +missionaries beset the first pastors of Christ fifteen and sixteen hundred +years ago. + +In an honest attempt to portray the condition of the Church at the opening +of the third century, we must describe things as they were, and not as we +should wish them to have been. + +The _atrium_ or courtyard was not lighted; there was sufficient +illumination from above. The curtains of the _tablinum_ were close drawn, +as the reception chamber was not to be put in requisition that night. The +_triclinium_ or dining-room that received light through the doorway only +would have been dark had not a lamp or two been kindled there. + +About thirty persons were present, male and female, but no children. Some +were slaves from believing households; there were a few freedmen. Some +were poor artisans, weavers, bakers, and men who sold charcoal, a porter, +and a besom-maker. + +Quincta and Perpetua were the highest in social position of those present. +A second deacon, named Marcianus, was there, a handsome man, peremptory in +manner, quick in movement; in every point a contrast with his timid, +hesitating brother in the ministry. + +The bishop had not arrived when the Agape began, and the blessing was +spoken by an aged and feeble presbyter. The tables were spread with +viands, and the deacons and deaconesses ministered to those who reclined +at them. There was not room for all in the dining-chamber, and a table and +couches had been spread in the court for such as could not be accommodated +within. + +The proceedings were marked by the strictest propriety, the eating and +drinking were in moderation, conversation was edifying, and general +harmony prevailed. During the meal, a knocking was heard at the outer +gate, and when the porter asked the name of the applicant for admission, +the password was given, and he was admitted. + +All rose to receive Castor, the bishop. + +"Recline again, my friends," said he. "I have come from the house of +Flavillus, the timber merchant on the _stagna_; his wife's mother has +endured that which is human. She sleeps, and her spirit is with the Lord. +I have been delayed. I was doing the work of my Master. One, a stranger to +the faith, questioned me, and I tarried to converse with him, and disclose +to his dark mind some ray of light. If the supper be ended, I will offer +thanks." + +Then, standing at one of the tables, he made prayer to God, and thanked +Him who had caused the corn to spring out of the earth, and had gathered +the many grains into one bread; who had watered the vine from heaven, and +had flushed the several grapes with generous juice, uniting the many into +one bunch. + +The thanksgiving ended, lights were introduced in considerable numbers. +There is no twilight in southern climes; when night falls, it falls +darkly. Now all who had eaten went to the _impluvium_, dipped their hands, +and washed their lips, then wiped them on towels held by the deaconesses. + +The tables were quickly removed, and the benches ranged in the +_triclinium_, so as to accommodate all. + +No sooner was the whole congregation assembled, than the president, +Castor, invited all such as had a psalm, an interpretation, a vision, or +an edifying narrative, to relate or recite it. + +Then up started a little man, who held a lyre. + +"Sir," said he, "I have composed a poem in honor of Andeolus, the martyr +of Gentibus." + +He struck a chord on his instrument, and sang. The composition was devoid +of poetry, the meter halting, the Latin full of provincialisms, and the +place of poetic imagery was filled with extravagances of expression. When +he had concluded, he perhaps inadvertently wound up with the words, +"Generous audience, grant me your applause!"--the usual method of +conclusion on the stage. + +And the request met with favor--hands were clapped. + +Then Bishop Castor rose, and with a grave face, said: + +"We have listened to Lartius Garrulus with interest and with edification. +It is well to glorify the memories of the holy ones who have witnessed a +good confession, who have fought the fight, and have shed their blood as a +testimony. But a poet in treating of such subjects, should restrain his +too exuberant fancy, and not assert as facts matters of mere conjecture, +nor should he use expressions that, though perhaps endurable in poetry, +cannot be addressed to the martyrs in sober prose. The ignorant are too +ready to employ words without considering their meaning with nicety, and +to quote poets as licensing them to do that which their pastors would +forbid." + +"But," said the deacon Marcianus, "what if this be uttered by +inspiration?" + +"The Spirit of God," answered Castor, "never inspires the mind to import +into religion anything that is not true." Turning round, he said: "I call +on Turgellius to interpret a portion of the Epistle of the Blessed Paul, +the Apostle to the Romans, translating it into the vulgar tongue, as there +be those present who comprehend Greek with difficulty." + +This done, one rose, and said: + +"Sir, suffer me to disclose a revelation. I was asleep on my bed, three +nights agone, and I had a dream, or vision, from on high. I beheld a snow- +white flock pasturing on a mountain; there was abundance of herbage, and +the sky was serene. The shepherd stood regarding them, leaning on his +staff, and the watch-dog slept at his feet in the grass. Then, suddenly, +the heavens became obscured, lightning flashed, thunder rolled: the flock +was terrified and scattered. Thereupon came wolves, leaping among the +sheep, and rending them; and I beheld now that some which I had taken to +be sheep, cast their skins, and disclosed themselves to be ravening +beasts. What may be signified by the vision, I know not, but I greatly +fear that it portends an evil time to the Church." + +"That is like enough," said Baudillas, "after what has occurred this day. +If the bishop has not heard, I will relate all to him in order." + +"I have been informed of everything," said Castor. + +"It is well that there should be a sifting of the wheat from the chaff," +said Marcianus. "Too long have we had wolves masquerading among us clothed +in sheepskins. See!" He threw back his mantle, and extended his hand. "On +my way hither, I passed by the fountain of Nemausus, and none were there. +Then my soul was wrath within me at the idolatry and worship of devils +that goes on in the temple and about the basin. So I took up a stone, and +I climbed upon the pedestal, and I beat till I had broken this off." Then +he rolled an alabaster sculptured head on the floor. With a contemptuous +kick, he sent it spinning. "This is their god Nemausus. A deacon of +Christ's Church, with a bit of stone, is able to break his neck, and carry +off his head!" Then he laughed. But none laughed in response. + +A thrill of dismay ran through the assembly. + +A woman fell into hysterics and screamed. Some called out that she +prophesied, others that she spake with tongues. Baudillas appeased the +excitement. "The tongue she speaks," said he, "is the Ligurian of the +Cebennae, and all she says is that she wishes she were safe with her +children in the mountains, and had never come into the town. Now, indeed, +it seems that the evil days foreseen by Pantilius Narbo will come on the +Church. The people might forget that the god was robbed of his victim, but +not that his image has been defaced." + +"Well done, I say!" shouted a man, thrusting himself forward. His face was +inflamed and his eyes dazed. "I--I, Tarsius the slave, and Marcianus, the +deacon, are the only Christians with any pluck about us. Cowards that ye +all are, quaking at the moment of danger--hares, ye are, hares afraid of +the whistling of the wind in the grass. I--I----" + +"Remove that man," said the bishop. "He has been drinking." + +"I--I drinking. I have supped the precious Ambrussian wine, too good for +the rag-tag. Dost think I would pour out to him who binds brooms? Or to +her--a washerwoman from the mountains? Ambrussian wine for such as +appreciate good things--gold as amber, thick as oil, sweet as honey." + +"Remove him," said the bishop firmly. + +Hands were laid on the fellow. + +Then turning to Marcianus, Castor said sternly, "You have acted +inconsiderately and wrongly, against the decrees of the Fathers." + +"Aye!--of men who were timorous, and forbade others doing that from which +they shrank themselves. I have not so learned Christ." + +"Thou thyself mayest be strong," said Castor, "but thine act will bring +the tempest upon the Church, and it will fall upon the weak and young." + +"Such as cannot stand against the storm are good for naught," said +Marcianus. "But the storm is none of my brewing. It had arisen before I +intervened. The escape of the lady Perpetua from the fountain--that was the +beginning, I have but added the final stroke." + +"Thou hast acted very wrongly," said the bishop. "May God, the God of all +comfort, strengthen us to stand in the evil day. In very truth, the powers +of darkness will combine against the Church. The lightnings will indeed +flash, the sheep be scattered, and those revealed whom we have esteemed to +be true disciples of Christ, but who are far from Him in heart. Many that +are first shall be last, and the last first. It is ever so in the Kingdom +of Christ--hark!" + +Suddenly a strange, a terrible sound was heard--a loud, hoarse note, like a +blast blown through a triton's shell, but far louder; it seemed to pass in +the air over the house, and set the tiles quivering. Every wall vibrated +to it, and every heart thrilled as well. Men rushed into the _atrium_ and +looked up at the night sky. Stars twinkled. Nothing extraordinary was +visible. But those who looked expected to see some fire-breathing monster +flying athwart the dark, heavenly vault, braying; and others again cried +out that this was the trumpet of the archangel, and that the end of all +things was come. + +Then said Marcianus, "It is the voice of the devil Nemausus! He has thus +shouted before." + + + + + + CHAPTER IX + + STARS IN WATER + + +As an excuse for not appearing in time at the Agape, Castor had asserted +that he had been engaged on his Master's work elsewhere. That was true. He +had been at the house of the timber merchant as we have seen, and he had +been detained by AEmilius as he left it. This latter had been lying on his +bed resting, whilst his garments were being dried. + +He had overheard what had passed in the room of the dying woman. + +When the bishop went forth, then AEmilius rose from his bed, cast the ample +toga about him, and walked forth. He caught Castor as he descended to the +water's edge to be paddled away. + +After a short salutation, the young lawyer said: "A word with you, sir, if +your time is as generously to be disposed of to a stranger as it is +lavished on the poor and sick." + +"I am at your service," answered the bishop. + +"My name," said the young man, "is AEmilius Lentulus Varo. My profession is +the law. I am not, I believe, unknown in Nemausus, or at Arelate, where +also I have an office. But you, sir, may not have heard of me--we have +assuredly never met. Your age and gravity of demeanor belong to a social +group other than mine. You mix with the wise, the philosophers, and not +with such butterflies as myself, who am a ridiculous pleasure +seeker--seeking and never finding. If I am not in error, you are Castor +Lepidus Villoneos, of an ancient magisterial family in Nemausus and the +reputed head of the Christian sect." + +"I am he," answered the bishop. + +"It may appear to you a piece of idle curiosity," said the young man, "if +I put to you certain questions, and esteem it an impertinence, and so send +me away empty. But I pray you to afford me--if thy courtesy will suffer +it--some information concerning a matter on which I am eager to obtain +light. I have been in the apartment adjoining that in which the mother of +the hostess lay, and I chanced--the partition being but of plank--to +overhear what was said. I confess that I am inquisitive to know something +more certain of this philosophy or superstition, than what is commonly +reported among the people. On this account, I venture to detain you, as +one qualified to satisfy my greed for knowledge." + +"My time is at your disposal." + +"You spoke to the dying woman as though she were about to pass into a new +life. Was that a poetic fancy or a philosophic speculation?" + +"It was neither, it was a religious conviction. I spoke of what I knew to +be true." + +"Knew to be true!" laughed AEmilius. "How so? Have you traveled into the +world of spirits, visited the _manes_, and returned posted up in all +particulars concerning them?" + +"No. I receive the testimony from One I can trust." + +"One! All men are liars. I knew a fellow who related that he had fallen +into an epileptic fit, and that during the fit his spirit had crossed the +Styx. But as he had no penny wherewith to pay the fare, I did not believe +him. Moreover, he never told the story twice alike, and in other matters +was an arrant liar." + +"Whom would you believe?" + +"None, nothing save my own experience." + +"Not Him who made and who sustains your existence, my good sir?" + +"Yes, if I knew Him and were assured He spoke." + +"That is the assurance I have." + +AEmilius shook his head. "When, how, where, and by whom did He declare to +men that there is a life beyond the tomb?" + +"The _when_ was in the principate of Tiberius Caesar, the _how_ was by the +mouth of His only-begotten Son, the _where_ was in Palestine." + +The young lawyer laughed. "There is not a greater rogue and liar on the +face of the earth than a Jew. I cannot believe in a revelation made +elsewhere than at the center of the world, in the city of Rome." + +"Rome is the center of the world to you--but is it so to the infinite God?" + +AEmilius shrugged his shoulders contemptuously. "I am a lawyer. I ask for +evidence. And I would not trust the word of a Jew against that of a common +Gaulish peasant." + +"Nor need you. The witness is in yourself." + +"I do not understand you." + +"Have not all men, at all times and everywhere desired to know what is to +be their condition after death? Does not every barbarous people harbor the +conviction that there is a future life? Do not you civilized Romans, +though you have no evidence, act as though there were such a life, and +testify thereto on your monumental cenotaphs?" + +"I allow all that. But what of it?" + +"How comes it that there should be such a conviction based on no grounds +whatever, but a vague longing, unless there were such a reality provided +for those who have this desire in them? Would the Creator of man mock him? +Would He put this hunger into him unless it were to be satisfied? You have +eyes that crave for the light, and the light exists that satisfies this +longing! You have ears that desire sounds, and the world is full of voices +that meet this desire. Where there is a craving there is ever a reality +that corresponds with and gives repose to that desire. Look," said the +bishop, and pointed to the water in which were reflected the stars that +now began to glitter in the sky. "Do you see all those twinkling points in +the still water? They correspond to the living luminaries set above in the +vault. You in your soul have these reflections--sometimes seen, sometimes +obscured, but ever returning. They answer to realities in the celestial +world overhead. The reflections could not be in your nature unless they +existed in substance above." + +"There is a score of other things we long after in vain here." + +"What things? I believe I know. Purity, perfection, justice. Well, you do +not find them here entire--only in broken glints. But these glints assure +you that in their integrity they do exist." + +A boat was propelled through the water. It broke the reflections, that +disappeared or were resolved into a very dust of sparkles. As the wavelets +subsided, however, the reflections reformed. + +Castor walked up and down beside AEmilius in silence for a few turns, then +said:-- + +"The world is full of inequalities and injustices. One man suffers +privation, another is gorged. One riots in luxury at the expense of the +weak. Is there to be no righting of wrongs? no justice to be ever done? If +there be a God over all, He must, if just--and who can conceive of God, +save as perfectly just?--He must, I say, deal righteous judgment and smooth +out all these creases; and how can he do so, unless there be a condition +of existence after death in which the wrongs may be redressed, the evil- +doers be punished, and tears be wiped away?" + +"There is philosophy in this." + +"Have you not in your conscience a sense of right as distinct from +wrong--obscured often, but ever returning--like the reflection of the stars +in the water? How comes it there unless there be the verities above? +Unless your Maker so made you as to reflect them in your spirit?" + +AEmilius said nothing. + +"Have you not in you a sense of the sacredness of Truth, and a loathing +for falsehood? How comes that, unless implanted in you by your Creator, +who is Truth itself?" + +"But we know not--in what is of supreme interest to us--in matters connected +with the gods, what our duties, what our destiny--what is the Truth." + +"Young man," said the bishop, "thou art a seeker after the kingdom of +Heaven. One word further, and I must leave thee. Granted there are these +scintillations within--" + +"Yes, I grant this." + +"And that they be reflections of verities above." + +"Possibly." + +"Whence else come they?" + +AEmilius did not, could not answer. + +"Then," said Castor, "is it not antecedently probable that the God who +made man, and put into his nature this desire after truth, virtue, +holiness, justice, aye, and this hunger after immortality, should reveal +to man that without which man is unable to direct his life aright, attain +to the perfection of his being, and look beyond death with confidence?" + +"If there were but such a revelation!" + +"I say--is it conceivable that the Creator should not make it?" + +"Thou givest me much food for thought," said the lawyer. + +"Digest it--looking at the reflection of the stars in the water--aye! and +recall what is told by Aristotle of Xenophanes, how that casting his eyes +upward at the immensity of heaven, he declared _The One_ is God. That +conviction, at which the philosopher arrived at the summit of his +research, is the starting point of the Christian child. Farewell. We shall +meet again. I commend thee to Him who set the stars in heaven above, and +the lights in thine own dim soul." + +Then the bishop sought a boat, and was rowed in the direction of the town. + +AEmilius remained by the lagoon. + +Words such as these he had heard were novel. The thoughts given him to +meditate on were so deep and strange that he could not receive them at +once. + +The night was now quite dark, and the stars shone with a brilliancy to +which we are unaccustomed in the North, save on frosty winter nights. + +The Milky Way formed a sort of crescent to the north, and enveloped +Cassiopeia's Chair in its nebulous light. To the west blazed Castor and +Pollux, and the changing iridescent fire of Algol reflected its varying +colors in the water. + +AEmilius looked up. What those points of light were, none could say. How +was it that they maintained their order of rising and setting? None could +answer. Who ruled the planets? That they obeyed a law, was obvious, but by +whom was that law imposed? + +AEmilius paced quicker, with folded arms and bowed head, looking into the +water. The heavens were an unsolved riddle. The earth also was a riddle, +without interpretation. Man himself was an enigma, to which there was no +solution. Was all in heaven, in earth, to remain thus locked up, +unexplained? + +How was it that planets and constellations fulfilled the law imposed on +them without deviation, and man knew not a law, lived in the midst of a +cobweb of guesses, entangling himself in the meshes of vain speculations, +and was not shown the commandment he must obey? Why had the Creator +implanted in his soul such noble germs, if they were not to fructify--if +only to languish for lack of light? + +Again he lifted his eyes to the starry vault, and repeated what had been +said of Xenophanes, "Gazing on the immensity of heaven, he declared that +the One was God." And then, immediately looking down into the depths of +his own heart, he added: "And He is reflected here. Would that I knew +Him." + +Yet how was he to attain the desired knowledge? On all sides were +religious quacks offering their nostrums. What guarantee did Christianity +offer, that it was other than the wild and empty speculations that +swarmed, engaged and disappointed the minds of inquirers? + +Unconscious how time passed, AEmilius paced the bank. Then he stood still, +looking dreamily over the calm water. A couple of months more and the air +would be alive with fire-flies that would cluster on every reed, that +would waver in dance above the surface of the lagoon, tens of thousands of +drifting stars reflecting themselves in the water, and by their effulgence +disturbing the light of the stars also there mirrored. + +Thinking of this, AEmilius laughed. + +"So is it," said he, "in the world of philosophic thought and religious +aspiration. The air is full of fire-flies. They seem to be brilliant +torch-bearers assuring us guidance, but they are only vile grubs, and they +float above the festering pool that breeds malarial fevers. Where is the +truth, where?" + +From the distant city sounded a hideous din, like the bellow of a gigantic +bull. + +AEmilius laughed bitterly. + +"I know what that is, it is the voice of the god--so say the priestesses of +Nemausus. It is heard at rare intervals. But the mason who made my baths +at Ad Fines, explained it to me. He had been engaged on the temple and saw +how a brazen instrument like a shell of many convolutions had been +contrived in the walls and concealed, so that one woman's breath could +sound it and produce such a bellow as would shake the city. Bah! one +religion is like another, founded on impostures. What are the stars of +heaven but fire-flies of a higher order, of superior flight? We follow +them and stumble into the mire, and are engulfed in the slough." + + + + + + CHAPTER X + + LOCUTUS EST! + + +Every house in Nemausus thrilled with life. Sleep was driven from the +drowsiest heads. The tipsy were sobered at once. Those banqueting desisted +from conversation. Music was hushed. Men rushed into the street. The +beasts in the amphitheater, startled by the strange note, roared and +howled. Slowly the chief magistrate rose, sent to summon an edile, and +came forth. He was not quick of movement; it took him some time to resolve +whether he or his brother magistrate was responsible for order; when he +did issue forth, then he found the streets full, and that all men in them +were talking excitedly. + +The god Nemausus, the _archegos_, the divine founder and ancestor had +spoken. His voice was rarely heard. It was told that before the Cimbri and +Teutones had swept over the province, he had shouted. That had been in +ages past; of late he had been sparing in the exercise of his voice. He +was said to have cried out at the great invasion of the Helvetii, that had +been arrested by Julius Caesar; again to have trumpeted at the outbreak of +Civilis and Julius Sabinus, which, however, had never menaced Narbonese +Gaul, though at the time the god had called the worst was anticipated. The +last time he had been heard was at the revolt of Vindex that preceded the +fall of Nero. + +Some young skeptics whispered: "By Hercules, the god has a brazen throat." + +"It is his hunting horn that peals to call attention. What he will say +will be revealed to the priestess." + +"Or what the priestess wishes to have believed is his message." + +But this incredulous mood was exhibited by very few. None ventured openly +to scoff. + +"The god hath spoken!" this was the cry through the streets and the forum. +Every man asked his fellow what it signified. Some cried out that the +prince--the divine Aurelius Antoninus (Caracalla)--had been assassinated, +just as he was about to start from Rome for Gaul. Others that the +privileges of the city and colony were going to be abrogated. But one said +to his fellow, "I augured ill when we heard that the god had been cheated +of his due. No marvel he is out of humor, for Perpetua is esteemed the +prettiest virgin in Nemausus." + +"I wonder that the rescue passed off without notice being taken of the +affair by the magistrates." + +"Bah! it is the turn of the Petronius Alacinus now, and he will not bestir +himself unnecessarily. So long as the public peace be not broken----" + +"But it was--there was a riot, a conflict." + +"A farcical fight with wind-bags. Not a man was hurt, not a drop of blood +flowed. The god will not endure to be balked and his sacrifice made into a +jest." + +"He is hoarse with rage." + +"What does it all mean?" + +Then said a stout man: "My good friend, it means that which always happens +when the priesthood is alarmed and considers that its power is menaced--its +credit is shaken. It will ask for blood." + +"There has been a great falling off of late in the worshipers of the gods +and in attendance at the games." + +"This comes of the spread of the pestilent sect of the Christians. They +are the enemies of the human race. They eat little children. The potter +Fusius lost his son last week, aged six, and they say it was sacrificed by +these sectaries, who stuck needles into it." + +"Bah! the body was found in the channel of the stream the child had fallen +in." + +"I heard it was found half eaten," said a third. + +"Rats, rats," explained another standing by. + +"Well, these Christians refuse to venerate the images of the Augustus, and +therefore are foes to the commonwealth. They should be rooted out." + +"You are right there. As to their religious notions--who cares about them? +Let them adore what they will--onions like the Egyptians, stars like the +Chaldeans, a sword like the Scythians--that is nothing to us; but when they +refuse to swear by the Emperor and to offer sacrifice for the welfare of +the empire then, I say, they are bad citizens, and should be sent to the +lions." + +"The lions," laughed the stout man, "seem to respond to the voice, which +sounded in their ears, 'Dinner for you, good beasts!' Well, may we have +good sport at the games founded by Domitius Afer. I love to lie in bed +when the _circius_ (mistral) howls and the snowflakes fly. Then one feels +snug and enjoys the contrast. So in the amphitheater one realizes the +blessedness of life when one looks on at wretches in the hug of the bear, +or being mumbled by lions, or played with by panthers." + +Perhaps the only man whom the blast did not startle was Tarsius, the +inebriated slave, who had been expelled the house of Baudillas, and who +was engrossed only with his own wrongs, and who departed swearing that he +excommunicated the Church, not the Church him. He muttered threats; he +stood haranguing on his own virtues, his piety, his generosity of spirit; +he recorded many acts of charity he had done. "And I--I to be turned out! +They are a scurvy lot. Not worthy of me. I will start a sect of my own, +see if I do not." + +Whilst reeling along, growling, boasting, confiding his wrongs to the +walls on each side, he ran against Callipodius just as the words were in +his mouth: "I am a better Christian than all of them. I don't affect +sanctimoniousness in aspect, but I am sound, sound in my life--a plain, +straight-walking man." + +"Are you so?" asked Callipodius. "Then I wish you would not festoon in +such a manner as to lurch against me. You are a Christian. Hard times are +coming for such as you." + +"Aye, aye! I am a Christian. I don't care who knows it. I'm not the man to +lapse or buy a _libellus_,(5) though they have turned me out." + +Callipodius caught the fellow by the shoulder and shook him. + +"Man," said he. "Ah, a slave! I recognize you. You are of the family of +Julius Largus Litomarus, the wool merchant. Come with me. The games are in +a few days, and the director of the sports has been complaining that he +wanted more prisoners to cast to the beasts. I have you in the nick of +time. I heard you with these ears confess yourself to be a Christian, and +the sole worthy one in the town. You are the man for us--plump and juicy, +flushed with wine. By the heavenly twins, what a morsel you will make for +the panthers! Come with me. If you resist I will summon the crowd, then +perhaps they will elect to have you crucified. Come quietly, and it shall +be panthers, not the cross. I will conduct you direct to the magistrate +and denounce you." + +"I pray you! I beseech you! I was talking nonsense. I was enacting a part +for the theater. I am no Christian; I was, but I have been turned out, +excommunicated. My master and mistress believe, and just to please them +and to escape stripes, and get a few favors such as are not granted to the +others, I have--you understand." The slave winked. + +Beside Callipodius was a lad bearing a torch. He held it up and the flare +fell over the face of the now sobered Tarsius. + +"Come with me, fellow," said Callipodius. "Nothing will save you but +perfect obedience and compliance with what I direct. Hark! was not that +the howl of the beasts. Mehercule! they snuff you already. My good friend +AEmilius Lentulus Varo, the lawyer, will be your patron; a strong man. But +you must answer my questions. Do you know the Lady Quincta and her +daughter? Quincta is the widow of Harpinius Laeto." + +"Aye, aye! the wench was fished out of the pond to-day." + +"That is right. Where are they, do you know their house?" + +"Yes, but they are not at home now." + +"Where are they then?" + +"Will you denounce them?" asked the slave nervously. + +"On the contrary. They are menaced. I seek to save them." + +"Oh! if that be all, I am your man. They are in the mansion of Baudillas, +yonder--that is--but mum, I say! I must not speak. They kicked me out, but I +am not ungenerous. I will denounce nobody. But if you want to save the +ladies, I will help you with alacrity. They charged me with being +drunk--not the ladies--the bishop did that--more shame to him. I but rinsed +out my mouth with the Ambrussian. Every drop clear as amber. Ah, sir! in +your cellar have you----" + +A rush of people up the street shouting, "The will of the god! the will of +the god! It is being proclaimed in the forum." + +They swept round Callipodius and the slave, spinning them, as leaves are +spun in a corner by an eddy of wind, then swept forward in the direction +of the great square. + +"Come aside with me, fellow," said Callipodius, darting after the slave +who was endeavoring to slink away. "What is your name? I know only your +face marked by a scar." + +"Tarsius, at your service, sir!" + +"Good Tarsius, here is money, and I undertake to furnish you with a bottle +of my best old Ambrussian for your private tipple, or to make merry +therewith with your friends. Be assured, no harm is meant. The priests of +Nemausus seek to recover possession of the lady Perpetua, and it is my aim +to smuggle her away to a place of security. Do thou watch the door, and I +will run and provide litters and porters. Do thou assure the ladies that +the litters are sent to convey them in safety to where they will not be +looked for; say thy master's house. I will answer for the rest. Hast thou +access to them?" + +"Aye! I know the pass-word. And though I have been expelled, yet in the +confusion and alarm I may be suffered again to enter." + +"Very excellent. Thou shalt have thy flask and an ample reward. Say that +the litters are sent by thy master, Largus Litomarus." + +"Right, sir! I will do thy bidding." + +Then Callipodius hastened in the direction of the habitation of AEmilius. + +Meanwhile the forum filled with people, crowding on one another, all +quivering with excitement. Above were the stars. Here and there below, +torches. Presently the chief magistrate arrived with his lictors, and a +maniple of soldiers to keep order and make a passage through the mob +between the Temple of Nemausus and the forum. + +Few women were present. Such as were, belonged to the lowest of the +people. But there were boys and men, old and young, slaves, artisans, +freedmen, and citizens. + +Among the ignorant and the native population the old Paganism had a strong +hold, and their interests attached a certain number of all classes to it. +But the popular Paganism was not a religion affecting the lives by the +exercise of moral control. It was devoid of any ethic code. It consisted +in a system of sacrifice to obtain a good journey, to ward off fevers, to +recover bad debts, to banish blight and mildew. The superstitious lived in +terror lest by some ill-considered act, by some neglect, they should incur +the wrath of the jealous gods and bring catastrophe on themselves or their +town. They were easily excited by alarm, and were unreasonable in their +selfish fervor. + +Ever in anticipation of some disaster, an earthquake, a murrain, fire or +pestilence, they were ready to do whatever they were commanded, so as to +avert danger from themselves. The words of the Apostle to the Hebrews +describing the Gentiles as being through fear of death all their lifetime +subject to bondage, were very true. The ignorant and superstitious may be +said to have existed on the verge of a panic, always in terror lest their +gods should hurt them, and cringing to them in abject deprecation of evil. +It was this fear for themselves and their substance that rendered them +cruel. + +The procession came from the temple. Torches were borne aloft, a long +wavering line of lurid fire, and vessels were carried in which danced +lambent flames that threw out odoriferous fumes. + +First came the priests; they walked with their heads bowed and their arms +folded across their breasts, and with fillets of wool around their heads. +Then followed the priestesses shrouded in sable mantles over their white +tunics. All moved in silence. A hush fell on the multitude. Nothing was +heard in the stillness save the tramp of feet in rhythm. When the +procession had reached the forum, the chief priestess ascended the +rostrum, and the flambeau-bearers ranged themselves in a half-circle +below. She was a tall, splendidly formed woman, with profuse dark hair, an +ivory complexion, flashing black eyes under heavy brows. + +Suddenly she raised her arms and extended them, letting the black pall +drop from her shoulders, and reveal her in a woven silver robe, like a web +of moonlight, and with white bare arms. In her right she bore an ivory +silver-bound wand with mistletoe bound about it, every berry of +translucent stone. + +Then amidst dead silence she cried: "The god hath spoken, he who founded +this city, from whom are sprung its ancient patrician families, who +supplieth you with crystal water from his urn. The holy one demands that +she who hath been taken from him be surrendered to him again, and that +punishment be inflicted on the Christians who have desecrated his statue. +If this, his command, be not fulfilled, then will he withhold the waters, +and deliver over the elect city to be a desolation, the haunt of the +lizard and the owl and bat. To the lions with the Christians! _Locutus est +Divus Archegos!_" + + + + + + CHAPTER XI + + PALANQUINS + + +With the exception of the bishop, Marcianus, and a few others, all +assembled at the Agape were struck with the liveliest terror. They +entertained no doubt but that the sound that shook the walls was provoked +by the outrage on the image of the tutelary god, following on the rescue +of the victim allotted to him. + +The pagan inhabitants of Nemausus were roused to exasperation. The +priesthood would employ every available means to work this resentment to a +paroxysm, and the result would be riot and murder, perhaps an organized +persecution. + +It must be understood that although the Roman State recognized other +religions than the established paganism, as that of the Jews, and allowed +the votaries freedom of worship, yet Christianity was not of this number. +It was in itself illegal, and any magistrate, at his option, in any place +and at any time, might put the laws in force against the members of the +Church. Not only so, but any envious, bigoted, or resentful person might +compel a magistrate to take cognizance of the presence of Christians in +the district under his jurisdiction, and require him to capitally convict +those brought before him. + +The system in the Roman Commonwealth for the maintenance of order was that +every man was empowered to act as spy upon and delate another. Any man +might accuse his neighbor, his brother, before the court; and if he could +prove his charge, the magistrate had no option--he must sentence. +Consequently the Christians depended for their safety on the favor of +their fellow-citizens, on their own abstention from giving offence. + +The sole protection against false accusations in the Roman Commonwealth +lay in the penalties to which an accuser was subject should he fail to +establish his charge. But as on conviction a portion of the estate of the +guilty person was handed over to the accuser, there was an inducement to +delation. + +Under the Julian and Claudian Caesars the system had worked terribly. An +entire class of men made denunciation their trade. They grew rich on the +spoils of their victims, they spared none, and the judges themselves lived +in fear of them. The evil became so intolerable that measures were taken +to accentuate the risk to the accusers. If the Christians were not oftener +denounced, the reason was that in the event of one lapsing, and through +terror or pain abjuring Christ, then immediately the tables were turned, +and the accuser was placed in danger of his life. + +When an Emperor issued an edict against the Christians he enacted no new +law; he merely required that the existing laws should be put in force +against them, and all risk to delators was removed in that no delation was +exacted. On such an occasion every citizen and householder was required to +appear before the court and offer a few grains of incense on an altar to +the genius of the empire or of the prince. Should any one refuse to do +this, then he was convicted of high treason and delivered over to the +executioner to be either tortured or put to death off-hand. When the +magistrate deemed it important to obtain a recantation, then he had +recourse to the rack, iron hooks, torches, thumbscrews as means of forcing +the prisoner through pain to abjure Christ. + +The Christians in Nemausus had lived in complete tranquillity. There had +been no persecution. They had multiplied. + +The peace enjoyed by the Church had been to it of a mixed advantage. Many +had been included whose conversion was due to questionable motives. Some +had joined through sincere conviction; more from conviction seasoned with +expectation of advantage. The poor had soon learned that a very rich and +abundant stream of charity flowed in the Church, that in it the sick and +feeble were cared for and their necessities were supplied, whereas in the +established paganism no regard was paid to the needy and suffering. Among +the higher classes there were adherents who attached themselves to the +Church rather because they disbelieved in heathenism than that they held +to the Gospel. Some accepted the truth with the head, but their hearts +remained untouched. + +None had given freer expression to his conviction that there were weak- +kneed and unworthy members than Marcianus the deacon. He had remonstrated +with the bishop, he had scolded, repelled, but without effect. And now he +had taken a daring step, the consequence of which would be that the +members of the community would indeed be put to the test whether they were +for Christ or Mammon. The conviction that a time of trial was come broke +on the community like a thundercloud, and produced a panic. Many doubted +their constancy, all shrank from being brought to a trial of their faith. +The congregation in the house of Baudillas, when it had recovered from the +first shock, resolved itself into groups agitated by various passions. +Some launched into recrimination against Marcianus, who had brought them +into jeopardy; some consulted in whispers how to escape the danger; a few +fell into complete stupefaction of mind, unable to decide on any course. +Others, again, abandoned themselves to despair and shrieked forth +hysterical lamentations. Some crowded around Castor, clung to his garments +and entreated him to save them. Others endeavored to escape from a place +and association that would compromise them, by the back entrance to the +servants' portion of the house. + +A few, a very few maintained their composure, and extending their arms +fell to prayer. + +Baudillas hurried from one party to another uttering words of reassurance, +but his face was blanched, his voice quivered, and he was obviously +employing formal expressions that conveyed no strength to his own heart. +Marcianus, with folded arms, looked at him scornfully, and as he passed, +said, "The bishop should not have ordained such an unstable and quaking +being as thyself to serve in the sacred ministry." + +"Ah, brother," sighed Baudillas, "it is with me as with Peter. The spirit +truly is willing, but the flesh is weak." + +"That was spoken of him," answered Marcianus, "before Pentecost and the +outpouring of the spirit of strength. Such timidity, such feebleness are +unworthy of a Christian." + +"Pray for me that my faith fail not," said Baudillas, and passed on. By +action he deadened his fears. Now came in Pedo, the old servant of the +house, who had been sent forth to reconnoiter. His report was not +reassuring. The mob was sweeping through the streets, and insisting on +every household producing an image at its doors and placing a light before +it. There were fuglemen who directed the crowd, which had been divided +into bands to perambulate every division of the town and make inquisition +of every house. The mob had begun by breaking into such dwellings as were +not protected by an image, and wrecking them. But after one or two of such +acts of violence, the magistrates had interfered, and although they +suffered the people to assemble before the houses and to clamor for the +production of an image and a light, yet they sent _vigiles_ (_i.e._, the +watch) to guard such dwellings as remained undecorated. When the master of +the house refused obedience to the mandate of the mob, then an officer +ordered him to open the door, and he summoned him to appear next day in +court and there do sacrifice. By this means the mob was satisfied and +passed on without violence. + +But as the crowd marched down the streets it arrested every man and woman +that was encountered, and insisted on their swearing by the gods and +blaspheming Christ. + +Castor ordered the congregation to depart by twos and by threes, to take +side alleys, and to avoid the main thoroughfares. This was possible, as +the _posticum_, a back door, communicated with a mean street that had the +city wall for one side. + +"My sons and daughters in Christ," said the bishop with composure, +"remember that greater is He that is with us than those that be against +us. When the servant of Elisha feared, then the Lord opened his eyes that +he might behold the angels with chariots and horses of fire prepared to +defend His servant. Avoid danger, but if it cannot be avoided stand firm. +Remember His words, 'He that confesseth me before men, him will I also +confess before my Father which is in heaven.'" + +As soon as all had departed, but not till then, did Castor leave. +Marcianus turned with a sneer to his fellow-deacon and said, "Fly! you +have full license from the bishop; and he sets the example himself." + +"I must tarry in my own house," answered Baudillas. "I have the ladies +Quincta and Perpetua under my protection. They cannot return to their home +until they be fetched." + +"So! they lean on a broken reed such as thee!" + +"Alack! they have none other to trust to." + +"The mob is descending our street," cried the slave, Pedo, limping in. + +"What are we to do?" asked Quincta trembling. "If they discover me and my +daughter here we are undone. They will tear her from my arms." + +The deacon Baudillas clasped his hands to his head. Then his slave said: +"Master, Tarsius is at the door with litters and bearers. He saith he hath +been sent for the lady Perpetua." + +"And for me?" asked Quincta eagerly. + +"And for thee also, lady. It is said that guards are observing thy house +and that, therefore, thy slaves cannot venture hither. Therefore, so says +Tarsius, his master, the wool-merchant, Julius Largus, hath sent his +litters and porters." + +"But his house will be visited!" + +"The bearers have instructions as to what shall be done." + +"This is strange," said Quincta. "I did not suppose that Largus Litomarus +would have shown such consideration. We are not acquainted--indeed we +belong to different classes----" + +"Yet are ye one in Christ," said the deacon. "Call in Tarsius, he shall +explain the matter. But let him be speedy or the rabble will be on us." + +"They are at the head of the street," said the slave, "and visit the door +of Terentius Cominius." + +"He believes." + +"And he has set out a figure of the Good Shepherd before his door with a +lamp. The crowd regards it as a Mercury and has cheered and gone on to the +next door." + +Tarsius, thoroughly recovered from his intoxication, was now admitted. He +looked none in the face, and stumbled through his tale. Julius Largus +Litomarus had bidden him offer his litters; there were curtains closing +them, and his servants would convey the ladies to a place of security. + +Quincta was too frightened, too impatient to be off, to question the man, +nor was the deacon more nice in inquiry, for he also was in a condition of +nervous unrest. + +The shouts of the mob could be heard. + +"I do not wholly trust this man," said Baudillas. "He was expelled for +misconduct. Yet, what can we do? Time presses! Hark!--in a brief space the +rabble will be here. Next house is a common lodging and will not detain +them. Would that Marcianus had remained. He could have advised us. Madam, +act as you think best." + +"The mob is on the move," said Pedo. "They have been satisfied at the +house of Dulcius Liber, and now Septimus Philadelphus is bringing out +half-a-dozen gods. Master--there is not a moment to be lost." + +"Let us fly--quick!" gasped Quincta. + +She plucked her daughter's arm, and fairly dragged her along the passage +out of the house. + +In the street they saw a flare. The rabble, held in control by some +directing spirit, was furnished with torches. It was roaring outside a +house, impatient because no statue was produced, and proceeded to throw +stones and batter the door. + +"That house is empty," whispered Pedo. "The master was bankrupt and +everything sold. There is not a person in it." + +Quincta mounted the _lectica_ or palanquin that was offered, without +looking whether her daughter were safe, and allowed the bearers, nay urged +them, to start at a trot. + +Tarsius remained behind. He handed Perpetua into the second closed litter, +then gave the word, and ran beside it, holding the curtains together with +one hand. + +Baudillas trembling for himself was now left alone. + + + + + + CHAPTER XII + + REUS + + +"Master!" said the old slave, moving uneasily on his stiff joint, before +the even more nervously agitated master, "Master, there is the freedwoman +Glyceria below, who comes in charing. She has brought an idol of Tarranus +under her cloak, and offers to set that with a lamp before the door. She +is not a believer, she worships devils, but is a good soul and would save +us. She awaits your permission." + +The deacon was profoundly moved. + +"It must not be! It may not be! I--I am a deacon of the Church. This is +known to be a Christian household. The Church is in my house, and here the +divine mysteries are celebrated. If she had not asked my leave, and +had--if--but no, I cannot sanction this. God strengthen me, I am distracted +and weak." The slave remained. He expected that his master in the end +would yield. + +"And yet," stammered Baudillas, "He hath compassion on the infirm and +feeble. He forgave Peter. May He not pardon me if--? Glyceria is a heathen +woman. She does not belong to my family. I did not propose this. I am not +responsible for her acts. But no--it would be a betrayal of the truth, a +dishonor to the Church. He that confesseth me before men--no, no, Pedo, it +may not be." + +"And now it is too late," said the slave. "They are at the door." + +Blows resounded through the house, and the roar of voices from the street +surged up over the roof, and poured in through the opening over the +_impluvium_. It was as though a mighty sea were thundering against the +house and the waves curled over it and plunged in through the gap above +the court. + +"You must open, Pedo. I will run upstairs for a moment and compose myself. +Then--if it must be--but do not suffer the rabble to enter. If a prefect be +there, or his underling and soldiers, let them keep the door. Say I shall +be down directly. Yet stay--is the _posticum_ available for escape?" + +"Sir--the mob have detailed a party to go to the backs of the houses and +watch every way of exit." + +"Then it is God's will that I be taken. I cannot help myself. I am glad I +said No to the offer of Glyceria." + +The deacon ascended a flight of limestone steps to the upper story. The +slabs were worn and cracked, and had not been repaired owing to his +poverty. He entered a room that looked out on the street, and went to the +window. + +The street above his doorway was dense with people, below it was +completely empty. Torches threw up a glare illumining the white facades of +the houses. He saw a sea of heads below. He heard the growl of voices +breaking into a foam of coarse laughter. Curses uttered against the +Christians, blasphemies against Christ, words of foulness, threats, brutal +jests, formed the matter of the hubbub below. A man bearing a white wand +with a sprig of artificial mistletoe at the end, gave directions to the +people where to go, where to stop, what to do. He was the head of the +branch of the guild of the Cultores Nemausi for that portion of the town. + +Someone in the mob lifting his face, looked up and saw the deacon at the +window, and at once shouted, "There! there he is! Baudillas Macer, come +down, sacrilegious one! That is he who carried the maiden away." + +Then rose hoots and yells, and a boy putting his hands together and +blowing produced an unearthly scream. + +"He is one of them! He is a ringleader! He has an ass's head in the house +to which he sacrifices our little ones. He it was who stuck needles into +the child of the potter Fusius, and then gnawed off the cheeks and +fingers. He can inform where is the daughter of Aulus Harpinius who was +snatched from the basin of the god. Let us avenge on him the great +sacrilege that has been committed. It was he who struck off the head of +the god." + +Then one flung a stone that crashed into the room, and had not Baudillas +drawn back, it would have struck and thrown him down stunned. + +"Let the house be ransacked!" yelled the mob. "We will seek in it for the +bones of the murdered children. Break open the door if he will not +unfasten. Bring a ladder, we will enter by the windows. Someone ascend to +the roof and drop into the _atrium_." + +Then ensued a rush against the valves, but they were too solid to yield; +and the bars held them firm, run as they were into their sockets in the +solid wall. + +The slave Pedo now knocked on the inside. This was the signal that he was +about to open. + +The soldiers drew up across the entrance, and when the door was opened, +suffered none to enter the house save the deputy of the prefect with four +of his police, and some of the leaders of the Cultores Nemausi. And now a +strange calm fell on the hitherto troubled spirit of Baudillas. He was +aware that no effort he could make would enable him to escape. His knees, +indeed, shook under him as he went to the stairs to descend, and +forgetting that the tenth step was broken, he stumbled at it and was +nearly precipitated to the bottom. Yet all wavering, all hesitation in his +mind was at an end. + +He saw the men in the court running about, calling to each other, peering +into every room, cubicle, and closet; one called that the cellar was the +place in which the infamous rites of the Christians were performed and +that there would be found amphorae filled with human blood. Then one +shouted that in the _tablinum_ there was naught save a small table. +Immediately after a howl rose from those who had penetrated to the +_triclinium_, and next moment they came rushing forth in such excitement +that they dragged down the curtain that hung before the door and entangled +their feet in it. One, not staying to disengage himself, held up his hands +and exhibited the broken head of the statue, that had been brought there +by Marcianus, and by him left on the floor. + +"It is he who has done it! The sacrilegious one! The defacer of the holy +image!" howled the men, and fell upon the deacon with their fists. Some +plucked at his hair; one spat in his face. Others kicked him, and tripping +him up, cast him his length on the ground, where they would have beaten +and trampled the life out of him, had not the deputy of the aedile +interfered, rescued him from the hands of his assailants and thrust him +into a chamber at the side of the hall, saying: "He shall be brought +before the magistrate. It is not for you to take into your hands the +execution of criminals untried and uncondemned." + +Then one of the officers of the club ran to the doorway of the house, and +cried: "Citizens of Nemausus, hearken. The author of the egregious impiety +has been discovered. It is Cneius Baudillas Macer, who belongs to an +ancient, though decayed, family of this town. He who should have been the +last to dishonor the divine founder has raised his parricidal hand against +him. He stands convicted. The head of the god has been found in the house; +it is that recently broken off from the statue by the baths. Eheu! Eheu! +Woe be to the city, unless this indignity be purged away." + +A yell of indignation rose as an answer. + +The slave Pedo was suffered to enter the bedroom, on the floor of which +lay his master bruised and with his face bleeding; for some of his front +teeth had been broken and his lips were cut. + +"Oh master! dear master! What is to be done?" asked the faithful creature, +sobbing in his distress. + +"I wonder greatly, Pedo, how I have endured so much. My fear is lest in +the end I fall away. I enjoin you--there is naught else you can do for +me--seek the bishop, and ask that the prayers of the Church may go up to +the Throne of Grace for me. I am feeble and frail. I was a frightened shy +lad in old times. If I were to fall, it would be a shame to the Church of +God in this town, this Church that has so many more worthy than myself in +it." + +"Can I bring thee aught, master? Water and a towel?" + +"Nay, nothing, Pedo! Do as I bid. It is all that I now desire." + +The soldiers entered, raised the deacon, and made him walk between them. A +man was placed in front, another behind to protect him against the people. +As Baudillas was conveyed down the _ostium_, the passage to the door, he +could see faces glowering in at him; he heard angry voices howling at him; +an involuntary shrinking came over him, but he was irresistibly drawn +forward by the soldiers. On being thrust through the doorway before all, +then a great roar broke forth, fists and sticks were shaken at him, but +none ventured to cast stones lest the soldiers should be struck. + +One portion of the mob now detached itself from the main body, so as to +follow and surround the deacon and assure itself that he did not escape +before he was consigned to the prison. + +The city of Nemausus, capital of the Volcae Arecomici, though included +geographically in the province of Narbonese Gaul, was in fact an +independent republic, not subject to the proconsul, but under Roman +suzerainty. With twenty-four _comae_ or townships under it, it governed +itself by popular election, and enjoyed the _lex Italica_. This little +republic was free from land tax, and it was governed by four +functionaries, the Quatuor-viri, two of whom looked after the finances, +and two, like the _duum-viri_ elsewhere, were for the purpose of +maintaining order, and the criminal jurisdiction was in their hands. Their +title in full was _duum viri juri dicendo_, and they were annually elected +by the senate. Their function was much that in small of the Roman consuls, +and they were sometimes in joke entitled consuls. They presided over the +senate and had the government of the town and state in their hands during +their tenure of office. On leaving their office they petitioned for and +received the right to ride horses, and were accounted knights. They wore +the dignified _prae texta_, and were attended by two lictors. + +Baudillas walked between his escort. He was in a dazed condition. The +noise, the execrations cast at him, the flashing of the torches on the +helmets and breastplates of the guard, the glittering eyes and teeth of +the faces peering at him, the pain from the contusions he had received +combined to bewilder him. In the darkness and confusion of his brain, but +one thought remained permanent and burnt like a brilliant light, his +belief in Christ, and one desire occupied his soul, to be true to his +faith. He was too distracted to pray. He could not rally his senses nor +fix his ideas, but the yearning of his humble soul rose up, like the steam +from a new turned glebe in the sun of a spring morning. + +In times of persecution certain strong spirits had rushed to confession +and martyrdom in an intoxication of zeal, such as Baudillas could not +understand. He did not think of winning the crown of martyrdom, but he +trembled lest he should prove a castaway. + +Thrust forward, dragged along, now stumbling, then righted by the soldiers +sustaining him, Baudillas was conveyed to the forum and to the basilica +where the magistrate was seated. + +On account of the disturbance, the Duum-vir--we will so term him though he +was actually one of the Quatuor-viri--he whose turn it was to maintain +order and administer justice, had taken his place in the court, so as to +be able to consign to custody such as were brought in by the guard on +suspicion of being implicated in the outrage; he was there as well for the +purpose of being ready to take measures promptly should the mob become +unmanageable. So long as it was under control, he did not object to its +action, but he had no thought of letting it get the upper hand. Rioters, +like children, have a liking for fire, and if they were suffered to apply +their torches to the houses of Christians might produce a general +conflagration. + +Although the magistrates were chosen by popular election, it was not those +who constituted the rabble who had votes, and had to be humored, but the +citizen householders, who viewed the upheaval of the masses with jealous +suspicion. + +That the proceedings should be conducted in an orderly manner, +instructions had been issued that no arrest was to be made without there +being someone forthcoming to act as accuser, and the soldiers were +enjoined to protect whosoever was menaced against whom no one was prepared +to formulate a charge which he would sustain in court. + +In the case of Baudillas there would be no difficulty. The man--he was the +treasurer of the guild--who had found the mutilated head was ready to +appear against him. + +The court into which the deacon was brought rapidly filled with a crowd, +directly he had been placed in what we should now call the dock. Then the +accuser stood up and gave his name. The magistrate accepted the +accusation. Whereupon the accuser made oath that he acted from no private +motive of hostility to the accused, and that he was not bribed by a third +person to delate him. This done, he proceeded to narrate how he had +entered the house of Baudillas, surnamed Macer, who was generally believed +to be a minister of the sect of the Christians; how that in searching the +house he had lighted on a mutilated head on the pavement of the +_triclinium_. He further stated that he well knew the statue of the god +Nemausus that stood by the fountain which supplied the lower town, and +that he was firmly convinced that the head which he now produced had +belonged to the statue, which statue had that very night been wantonly and +impiously defaced. He therefore concluded that the owner of the house, +Baudillas Macer, was either directly or indirectly guilty of the act of +sacrilege, and he demanded his punishment in accordance with the law. + +This sufficed as preliminary. + +Baudillas was now _reus_, and as such was ordered to be conveyed to +prison, there to be confined until the morning, when the interrogation +would take place. + + + + + + CHAPTER XIII + + AD FINES + + +Perpetua was carried along at a swinging trot in the closed litter, till +the end of the street had been reached, and then, after a corner had been +turned, the bearers relaxed their pace. It was too dark for her to see +what were the buildings past which she was taken, even had she withdrawn +the curtains that shut in the litter; but to withdraw these curtains would +have required her to exert some force, as they were held together in the +grasp of Tarsius, running and striding at the side. But, indeed, she did +not suppose it necessary to observe the direction in which she was being +conveyed. She had accepted in good faith the assurance that the _lectica_ +had been sent by the rich Christian wool merchant, Largus Litomarus, and +had acquiesced in her mother's readiness to accept the offer, without a +shadow of suspicion. + +God had delivered her from a watery death, and she regarded the gift as +one to be respected; her life thus granted her was not to be wilfully +thrown away or unnecessarily jeopardized. Unless she escaped from the +house of the deacon, she would fall into the hands of the rabble, and this +was a prospect more terrifying than any other. If called upon again to +witness a good confession, she would do so, God helping her, but she was +glad to be spared the ordeal. + +It was not till the porters halted, and knocked at a door, and she had +descended from the palanquin, that some suspicion crossed her mind that +all was not right. She looked about her, and inquired for her mother. Then +one whom she had not hitherto noticed drew nigh, bowing, and said: "Lady, +your youthful and still beautiful mother will be here presently. The +slaves who carry her have gone about another way so as to divert attention +from your priceless self, should any of the mob have set off in pursuit." + +The tone of the address surprised the girl. Her mother was not young, and +although in her eyes that mother was lovely, yet Quincta was not usually +approached with expressions of admiration for her beauty. + +Again Perpetua accepted what was said, as the reason given was plausible, +and entered the house. The first thing she observed, by the torch glare, +was a statue of Apollo. She was surprised, and inquired, hesitatingly, "Is +this the house of Julius Largus Litomarus?" + +"Admirable is your ladyship's perspicuity. Even in the dark those more- +than-Argus eyes discern the truth. The worthy citizen Largus belongs to +the sect. He is menaced as well as other excellent citizens by the +unreasoning and irrational vulgar. He has therefore instructed that you +should be conveyed to the dwelling of a friend, only deploring that it +should be unworthy of your presence." + +"May I ask your name, sir?" + +"Septimus Callipodius, at your service." + +"I do not remember to have heard the name, but," she added with courtesy, +"that is due to my ignorance as a young girl, or to my defective memory." + +"It is a name that has not deserved to be harbored in the treasury of such +a mind." + +The girl was uneasy. The fulsome compliment and the obsequious bow of the +speaker were not merely repugnant to her good taste, but filled her with +vague misgivings. It was true that exaggeration and flattery in address +were common enough at the period, but not among Christians, who abstained +from such extravagance. The mode of speaking adopted by Callipodius +stamped him as not being one of the faithful. + +"I will summon a female slave to attend on your ladyship," said he; "and +she will conduct you to the women's apartments. Ask for whatever you +desire. The entire contents of the house are at your disposal." + +"I prefer to remain here in the court till my mother shall arrive." + +"Alas! adorable lady! it is possible that you may have to endure her +absence for some time. Owing to the disturbed condition of the streets, it +is to be feared that her carriage has been stopped; it is not unlikely +that she may have been compelled to take refuge elsewhere; but, under no +circumstances short of being absolutely prevented from joining you, will +she fail to meet you to-morrow in the villa Ad Fines." + +"Whose villa?" + +"The villa to which, for security, you and your mother the Lady Quincta +are to be conveyed till the disturbances are over, and the excitement in +men's minds has abated. By Hercules! one might say that the drama of the +quest of Proserpine by Ceres were being rehearsed, were it not that the +daughter is seeking the mother as well as the latter her incomparable +child." + +"I cannot go to Ad Fines without her." + +"Lady, in all humility, as unworthy to advise you in anything, I would +venture to suggest that your safety depends on accepting the means of +escape that are offered. The high priestess has declared that nothing will +satisfy the incensed god but that you should be surrendered to her, and +what mercy you would be likely to encounter at her hands, after what has +taken place, your penetrating mind will readily perceive. Such being the +case, I dare recommend that you snatch at the opportunity offered, fly the +city and hide in the villa of a friend who will die rather than surrender +you. None will suspect that you are there." + +"What friend? Largus Litomarus is scarcely to be termed an acquaintance of +my mother." + +"Danger draws close all generous ties," said Callipodius. + +"But my mother?" + +"Your mother, gifted with vast prudence, may have judged that her presence +along with you would increase the danger to yourself. I do not say so. But +it may so happen that her absence at this moment may be due to her good +judgment. On the other hand, it may also have chanced, as I already +intimated, that her litter has been stayed, and she has been constrained +to sacrifice." + +"That she will never do." + +"In that case, I shudder at the consequences. But why suppose the worst? +She has been delayed. And now, lady, suffer me to withdraw--it is an +eclipse of my light to be beyond the radiance of your eyes. I depart, +however, animated by the conviction, and winging my steps, that I go to +perform your dearest wish--to obtain information relative to your lady +mother, and to learn when and where she will rejoin you. Be ready to start +at dawn--as soon as the city gates are opened, and that will be in another +hour." + +Then Perpetua resigned herself to the female servants, who led her into +the inner and more private portions of the house, reached by means of a +passage called "the Jaws" (_fauces_). + +Perpetua was aware that she was in a difficult situation, one in which she +was unable to know how she was placed, and from which she could not +extricate herself. She was young and inexperienced, and, on the whole, +inclined to trust what she was told. + +In pagan Rome, it was not customary for girls to be allowed the liberty +that alone could give them self-confidence. Perhaps the condition of that +evil world was such that this would not have been possible. When the +foulest vice flaunted in public without a blush, when even religion +demoralized, then a Roman parent held that the only security for the +innocence of a daughter lay in keeping her closely guarded from every +corrupting sight and sound. She was separated from her brothers and from +all men; she associated with her mother and with female slaves only. She +was hardly allowed in the street or road, except in a litter with curtains +close drawn, unless it were at some religious festival or public ceremony, +when she was attended by her relatives and not allowed out of their sight. + +This was due not merely to the fact that evil was rampant, but also to the +conviction in the hearts of parents that innocence could be preserved only +by ignorance. They were unable to supply a child with any moral principle, +to give it any law for the government of life, which would plant the best +guardian of virtue within, in the heart. + +Augustus, knowing of no divine law, elevated sentimental admiration for +the simplicity of the ancients into a principle--only to discover that it +was inadequate to bear the strain put on it; that the young failed to +comprehend why they should control their passions and deny themselves +pleasures out of antiquarian pedantry. Marcus Aurelius had sought in +philosophy a law that would keep life pure and noble, but his son Commodus +cast philosophy to the winds as a bubble blown by the breath of man, and +became a monster of vice. Public opinion was an unstable guide. It did +worse than fluctuate, it sank. Much was tolerated under the Empire that +was abhorrent to the conscience under the Republic. It allowed to-day what +it had condemned yesterday. It was a nose of wax molded by the vicious +governing classes, accommodated to their license. + +Although a Christian maiden was supplied with that which the most exalted +philosophy could not furnish--a revealed moral code, descending from the +Creator of man for the governance of man, yet Christian parents could not +expose their children to contamination of mind by allowing them the wide +freedom given at this day to an English or American girl. Moreover, the +customs of social life had to be complied with, and could not be broken +through. Christian girls were accordingly still under some restraint, were +kept dependent on their parents, and were not allowed those opportunities +for free action which alone develop individuality and give independence of +character. Nevertheless, in times of persecution, when many of these +maidens thus closely watched were brought to the proof of their faith, +they proved as strong as men--so mighty was the grace of God, so stubborn +was faith. + +Although Perpetua was greatly exhausted by the strain to which she had +been exposed during the day, she could not rest when left to herself in a +quiet room, so alarmed was she at the absence of her mother. + +An hour passed, then a second. Finally, steps sounded in the corridor +before her chamber, and she knew that she must rise from the couch on +which she had cast herself and continue her flight. + +A slave presented herself to inform Perpetua that Callipodius had returned +with the tidings that her mother was unable at once to rejoin her, that +she was well and safe, and had preceded her to Ad Fines; that she desired +her daughter to follow with the utmost expedition, and that she was +impatient to embrace her. The slave woman added that the streets were now +quiet, the city gates were open, and that the litter was at the door in +readiness. + +"I will follow you with all speed. Leave me to myself." + +Then, when the slave had withdrawn, Perpetua hastily arranged her ruffled +hair, extended her arms, and turning to the east, invoked the protection +of the God who had promised, "I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee." + +On descending to the _atrium_, Perpetua knelt by the water-tank and bathed +her face and neck. Then she mounted the litter that awaited her outside +the house. The bearers at once started at a run, nor did they desist till +they had passed through the city gate on the road that led to the mountain +range of the Cebennae. This was no military way, but it led into the +pleasant country where the citizens of Nemausus and some of the rich +merchants of Narbo had their summer quarters. + +The gray dawn had appeared. Market people from the country were coming +into the town with their produce in baskets and carts. + +The bearers jogged along till the road ascended with sufficient rapidity +to make them short of breath. The morning was cold. A streak of light lay +in the east, and the wind blew fresh from the same quarter. The colorless +white dawn overflowed the plain of the Rhodanus, thickly strewn with +olives, whose gray foliage was much of the same tint as the sky overhead. +To the south and southeast the olive plantations were broken by tracts of +water, some permanent lagoons, others due to recent inundations. To the +right, straight as an arrow, white as snow, ran the high road from Italy +to Spain, that crossed the Rhodanus at Ugernum, the modern Beaucaire, and +came from Italy by Tegulata, the scene of the victory of Marius over the +Cimbri, and by Aquae Sextiae and its hot springs. + +The journey was long; the light grew. Presently the sun rose and flushed +all with light and heat. The chill that had penetrated to the marrow of +the drowsy girl gave way. She had refused food before starting; now, when +the bearers halted at a little wayside tavern for refreshment and rest, +she accepted some cakes and spiced wine from the fresh open-faced hostess +with kindly eyes and a pleasant smile, and felt her spirits revive. Was +she not to rejoin her dear mother? Had she not escaped with her life from +extreme peril? Was she not going to a place where she would be free from +pursuit? + +She continued her journey with a less anxious heart. The scenery improved, +the heights were wooded, there were juniper bushes, here and there tufts +of pale helebore. + +Then the litter was borne on to a terrace before a mass of limestone crag +and forest that rose in the rear. A slave came to the side of the +palanquin and drew back the curtain. Perpetua saw a bright pretty villa, +with pillars before it forming a peristyle. On the terrace was a fountain +plashing in a basin. + +"Lady," said the slave, "this is Ad Fines. The master salutes you humbly, +and requests that you will enter." + +"The master? What master?" + +"AEmilius Lentulus Varo." + + + + + + CHAPTER XIV + + TO THE LOWEST DEPTH + + +Baudillas found that there were already many in the prison, who had been +swept together by the mob and the soldiers, either for having refused to +produce an image, or for having declined to sacrifice. To his no small +surprise he saw among them the wool-merchant Julius Largus Litomarus. The +crowd had surrounded his house, and as he had not complied with their +demands, they had sent him to the duumvir,(6) Petronius Atacinus, who had +consigned him to prison till, at his leisure, he could investigate the +charge against him. + +The two magistrates who sat in court and gave sentence were Petronius +Atacinus and Vibius Fuscianus, and they took it in turns to sit, each +being the acting magistrate for a month, when he was succeeded by the +other. Atacinus was a humane man, easy-going, related to the best families +in the place, and acquainted with such as he was not allied with by blood +or marriage. His position, in face of the commotion relative to the +mutilation of the image and the rescue of Perpetua, was not an easy one. + +In Rome and in every other important city, the _flamen_, or chief priest, +occupied a post of considerable importance and influence. He sat in the +seat at the games and in the theater next to the chief magistrates, and +took precedence over every other officer in the town. Nemausus had such a +_flamen_, and he was not only the official religious head in the place, +but was also the _flamen Augustalis_, the pontiff connected with the +worship of Augustus, which had become the predominant cult in Narbonese +Gaul, and also head of the College of the Augustals, that comprised the +very powerful body of freedmen. The priestess of the divine founder and +giver of the fountain shared his dignity and authority. Between them they +could exercise a preponderating power in the town, and it would be in vain +for Petronius Atacinus, however easy-going he might be, and disinclined to +shed blood, to pass over what had been done without affording satisfaction +to the pagan party moved and held together by the priesthood. + +Yet the duumvir judged that it would be eminently unadvisable for him to +proceed with too great severity, and to punish too many persons. +Christianity had many adherents in the place, and some of these belonged +to the noble, others to the mercantile, families. The general wish among +the well-to-do was that there should be no systematic persecution. An +inquisitorial search after Christians would break up families, rouse angry +passions, and, above all, disturb business. + +Petronius had already resolved on his course. He had used every sort of +evasion that could be practiced. He had knowingly abstained from enjoining +on the keepers of the city gates the requisition of a passport from such +as left the town. The more who fled and concealed themselves, the better +pleased would he be. + +Nevertheless, he had no thought of allowing the mutilation of the statue +to pass unpunished, and he was resolved on satisfying the priesthood by +restoring Perpetua to them. If he were obliged to put any to death, he +would shed the blood only of such as were inconsiderable and friendless. + +There was another element that entered into the matter, and which helped +to render Atacinus inclined to leniency. The Caesar at the time was M. +Aurelius Antoninus, commonly known as Caracalla. He had been brought up +from infancy by a Christian nurse, and was thought to harbor a lurking +regard for the members of the religion of Christ. At any rate, he +displayed no intolerance towards those who professed it. He was, himself, +a ferocious tyrant, as capricious as he was cruel. He had murdered his +brother Geta in a fit of jealousy, and his conscience, tortured by +remorse, drove him to seek relief by prying into the mysteries of strange +religions. + +The duumvir Atacinus was alive to the inclinations and the temper of the +prince, and was the more afraid of offending him by persecution of the +Christians, as the Emperor was about shortly to visit Gaul, and might even +pass through Nemausus. + +If in such a condition of affairs the Christians were exposed to danger, +it may well be inferred that, where it was less favorable, their situation +was surrounded with danger. They were at all times liable to fall victims +to popular tumults, occasioned sometimes by panic produced by an +earthquake, by resentment at an accidental conflagration which the vulgar +insisted on referring to the Christians, sometimes by distress at the +breaking out of an epidemic. On such occasions the unreasoning rabble +clamored that the gods were incensed at the spread of the new atheism, and +that the Christians must be cast to the lions. + +When Baudillas saw the wool merchant in the prison, he went to him +immediately. Litomarus was sitting disconsolately on a stone bench with +his back against the prison wall. + +"I did not go to the Agape," said he; "I was afraid to do so. But I might +as well. The people bellowed under my windows like bulls of Bashan." + +"And you did not exhibit an image?" + +"No, I could not do that. Then the _viatores_ of the aediles took me in +charge. I was hustled about, and was dragged off here. My wife fell down +in a faint. I do not think she will recover the shock. She has been in a +weak condition ever since the death of our little Cordula. We loved that +child. We were wrapped up in her. Marcianus said that we made of the +little creature an earthly idol, and that it was right she should be taken +away. I do not know. She had such winning ways. One could not help loving +her. She made such droll remarks, and screwed up her little eyes----" + +"But before you were arrested, you thought considerately of Perpetua and +her mother Quincta." + +"I do not understand to what you refer." + +"To the sending of litters for them." + +"I sent no litters." + +"Your slave Tarsius came to my house to announce that you had been pleased +to remember the ladies there taking refuge, and that you had placed your +two palanquins at their disposal." + +"Tarsius said this?" + +"Even Tarsius." + +"Tarsius is a slippery rascal. He was very fond of our little Cordula, and +was wont to carry her on his shoulder, so we have liked him because of +that. Nevertheless, he is--well, not trustworthy." + +"May God avert that a trap has been laid to ensnare the virgin and her +mother. Tarsius was expelled the Church for inebriety." + +"I know nothing about the palanquins. I have but one. After the death of +little Cordula, I did not care to keep a second. I always carry about with +me a lock cut from her head after death. It is like floss silk." + +The wool merchant was too greatly absorbed in his own troubles to give +attention to the matter that had been broached by the deacon. Baudillas +withdrew to another part of the prison in serious concern. + +When day broke, Litomarus was released. His brother was a pagan and had +easily satisfied the magistrate. This brother was in the firm, and +traveled for it, buying fleeces from the shepherds on the limestone +plateaux of Niger and Larsacus. He had been away the day before, but on +his return in the morning, on learning that Julius was arrested, he spoke +with the duumvir, presented him with a ripe ewe's milk cheese just brought +by him from Larsacus, and obtained the discharge of Julius without further +difficulty. + +Baudillas remained in prison that morning, and it was not till the +afternoon that he was conducted into court. By this time the duumvir was +tired and irritable. The _flamen_ had arrived and had spoken with +Atacinus, and complained that no example had been made, that the +Christians were being released, and that, unless some sharp punishments +were administered, the people, incensed at the leniency that had been +exhibited, would break out in uproar again. Petronius Atacinus, angry, +tired out, hungry and peevish, at once sent for the deacon. + +The head of the god had been found in his house, and he had been seen +conveying the rescued virgin from the fountain, and must certainly know +where she was concealed. + +It was noticeable that nothing had been said about the punishing of +AEmilius. Even the god, as interpreted by the priestess, had made no demand +that he should be dealt with; in fact, had not mentioned him. The duumvir +perfectly understood this reticence. AEmilius Lentulus belonged to a good +family in the upper town, and to that most powerful and dreaded of all +professions--the law. Even the divine founder shrank from attacking a +member of the long robe, and a citizen of the upper town. + +When Baudillas appeared in court, the magistrate demanded an explanation +of the fact of the broken head being found in his house, and further asked +of him where Perpetua was concealed. + +Baudillas would offer no explanation on the first head; he could not do so +without incriminating his brother in the ministry. He denied that he had +committed the act of violence, but not that he knew who had perpetrated +the outrage. As to where Perpetua was, that he could not say, because he +did not know. His profession of ignorance was not believed. He was +threatened with torture, but in vain. Thereupon the duumvir sentenced him +to be committed to the _robur_, and consigned to the lowest depth thereof, +there to remain till such time as he chose to reveal the required +information. + +Then Petronius Atacinus turned and looked at the _flamen_ with a smile, +and the latter responded with a well-satisfied nod. + +A Roman prison consisted of several parts, and the degree of severity +exercised was marked by the portion of the _carcer_ to which the prisoner +was consigned. Roman law knew nothing of imprisonment for a term as a +punishment. The _carcer_ was employed either as a place for temporary +detention till trial, or else it was one for execution. + +The most tolerable portion of the jail consisted of the outer court, with +its cells, and a hall for shelter in cold and wet weather. This was in +fact the common _atrium_ on an enlarged scale and without its luxuries. +But there was another part of the prison entitled the _robur_, after the +Tullian prison at Rome. This consisted of one large vaulted chamber devoid +of window, accessible only by the door, through the interstices of which +alone light and air could enter. It derived its name from oak beams +planted against the walls, to which were attached chains, by means of +which prisoners were fastened to them. In the center of the floor was a +round hole, with or without a low breastwork, and this hole communicated +with an abyss sometimes given the Greek name of _barathrum_, with conical +dome, the opening being in the center. This pit was deep in mire. Into it +flowed the sewage of the prison, and the outfall was secured by a +grating.(7) The title of _barathrum_ sometimes accorded to this lower +portion of the dungeon was derived from a swamp near Athens, in which +certain malefactors were smothered. + +When Jeremiah was accused before King Zedekiah of inciting the people to +come to terms with the Chaldeans, he was put into such a place as this. + +"Then took they Jeremiah, and cast him into the dungeon of Malchiah, that +was in the court of the prison, and they let down Jeremiah with cords. And +in the dungeon there was no water, but mire; so Jeremiah sunk in the +mire." + +When Paul and Silas were at Philippi, they were imprisoned in the superior +portion of the _robur_, where were the stocks, whereas the other prisoners +were in the outer portion, that was more comfortable, and where they had +some freedom of movement. + +Baudillas turned gray with horror at the thought of being consigned to the +awful abyss. His courage failed him and he lost power in his knees, so +that he was unable to sustain himself, and the jailer's assistants were +constrained to carry him. + +As he was conveyed through the outer court, those who were awaiting their +trial crowded around him, to clasp and kiss his hand, to encourage him to +play the man for Christ, and to salute him reverently as a martyr. + +"I am no martyr, good brethren," said the deacon in a feeble voice. "I am +not called to suffer for the faith, I have not been asked to sacrifice; I +am to be thrown down into the pit, because I cannot reveal what I do not +know." + +One man, turning to his fellow, said, in a low tone: "If I were given my +choice, I would die by fire rather than linger in the pit." + +"Will he die there of starvation?" asked another, "or will he smother in +the mire?" + +"If he be sentenced to be retained there till he tells what he does not +know, he must die there, it matters not how." + +"God deliver me from such a trial of my faith! I might win the crown +through the sword, but a passage to everlasting life through that foul +abyss--that would be past endurance." + +As Baudillas was supported through the doorway into the inner prison, he +turned his head and looked at the brilliant sky above the yard wall. Then +the door was shut and barred behind him. All, however, was not absolutely +dark, for there was a gap, through which two fingers could be thrust, +under the door, and the sun lay on the threshold and sent a faint +reflection through the chamber. + +Nevertheless, on entering from the glare of the sun, it seemed to +Baudillas at first as though he were plunged in darkness, and it was not +for some moments that he could distinguish the ledge that surrounded the +well-like opening. The jailer now proceeded to strike a light, and after +some trouble and curses, as he grazed his knuckles, he succeeded in +kindling a lamp. He now produced a rope, and made a loop at one end about +a short crosspole. + +"Sit astride on that," said he curtly. + +Baudillas complied, and with his hands grasped the cord. + +Then slowly he was lowered into the pitch blackness below. Down--down--down +he descended, till he plashed into the mire. + +The jailer holding the lamp, looked down and called to him to release the +rope. The deacon obeyed. There he stood, looking up, watching the dancing +pole as it mounted, then saw the spark of the lamp withdrawn; heard the +retreating steps of the jailer, then a clash like thunder. The door of the +_robur_ was shut. He was alone at the bottom of this fetid abyss. + +Then he said, and tears coursed down his cheeks as he said it: "Thou hast +laid me in the lowest pit--in the place of darkness and in the grave." + + + + + + CHAPTER XV + + "REVEALED UNTO BABES" + + +On account of the death in the family of the timber merchant, AEmilius left +the house and took a room and engaged attendance in the cottage of a +cordwainer a little way off. The house was clean, and the good woman was +able to cook him a meal not drowned in oil nor rank with garlic. + +He was uneasy because Callipodius did not return, and he obtained no +tidings concerning Perpetua. The image of this maiden, with a face of +transparent purity, out of which shone the radiance of a beautiful soul, +haunted his imagination and fluttered his heart. He walked by the side of +the flooded tract of land, noticed that the water was falling, and looked, +at every turn he took, in the direction of Nemausus, expecting the arrival +of his client, but always in vain. + +He did at length see a boat approach, towards evening, and he paced the +little landing-place with quick strides till it ran up against it; and +then only, to his disappointment, did he see that Callipodius was not +there. Castor disembarked. + +On the strength of his slight acquaintance AEmilius greeted the bishop. The +suspense was become unendurable. He asked to be granted a few words in +private. To this Castor gladly consented. + +He, the head of the Christian community, had remained unmolested. He +belonged to a senatorial family in the town, and had relations among the +most important officials. The duumvir would undoubtedly leave him alone +unless absolutely obliged to lay hands on him. Nemausus was divided into +two towns, the Upper and the Lower, each with its own water-supply, its +own baths, and each distinct in social composition. + +The lower town, the old Gallic city, that venerated the hero-founder of +the same name as the town, was occupied by the old Volcian population and +by a vast number of emancipated slaves of every nationality, many engaged +in trade and very rich. These freedmen were fused into one "order," as it +was termed, that of the _Liberti_. + +The upper town contained the finest houses, and was inhabited by the Roman +colonists, by some descendants of the first Phocean settlers, and by such +of the old Gaulish nobility as had most completely identified themselves +with their conquerors. These had retained their estates and had enriched +themselves by taking Government contracts. + +Such scions of the old Gaulish houses had become fused by marriage and +community of interest with the families of the first colonists, and they +affected contempt for the pure-blooded old aristocracy who had sunk into +poverty and insignificance in their decayed mansions in Lower Nemausus. + +Of late years, slowly yet surely, the freedmen who had amassed wealth had +begun to invade superior Nemausus, had built themselves houses of greater +magnificence and maintained an ostentatious splendor that excited the envy +and provoked the resentment of the old senatorial and knightly citizens. + +The great natural fountain supplied the lower town with water, but was +situated at too low a level for the convenience of the gentry of Upper +Nemausus, who had therefore conveyed the spring water of Ura from a great +distance by tunneling mountains and bridging valleys, and thus had +furnished themselves with an unfailing supply of the liquid as necessary +to a Roman as was the air he breathed. Thus rendered independent of the +natural fountain at the foot of the rocks in Lower Nemausus, those living +in the higher town affected the cult of the nymph Ura, and spoke +disparagingly of the god of the old town; whereas the inferior part of the +city clung tenaciously to the divine Nemausus, whose basin, full of +unfailing water, was presented to their very lips and had not to be +brought to them from a distance by the engineering skill of men and at a +great cost. + +Devotion to the god of the fountain in Lower Nemausus was confined +entirely to the inhabitants of the old town, and was actually a relic of +the old Volcian religion before the advent of the colonists, Greek and +Roman. It had maintained itself and its barbarous sacrifice intact, +undisturbed. + +No victim was exacted from a family of superior Nemausus. The contribution +was drawn from among the families of the native nobility, and it was on +this account solely that the continuance of the septennial sacrifice had +been tolerated. + +Already, however, the priesthood was becoming aware that a strong feeling +was present that was averse to it. The bulk of the well-to-do population +had no traditional reverence for the Gaulish founder-god, and many openly +spoke of the devotion of a virgin to death as a rite that deserved to be +abolished. + +From the cordwainer AEmilius had heard of the mutilation of the statue and +of the commotion it had caused. This, he conjectured, accounted for the +delay of Callipodius. It had interfered with his action; he had been +unable to learn what had become of the damsel, and was waiting till he had +definite tidings to bring before he returned. AEmilius was indignant at the +wanton act of injury done to a beautiful work of art that decorated one of +the loveliest natural scenes in the world. But this indignation was +rendered acute by personal feeling. The disturbance caused by the rescue +of the virgin might easily have been allayed; not so one provoked by such +an act of sacrilege as the defacing of the image of the divine founder. +This would exasperate passions and vastly enhance the danger to Perpetua +and make her escape more difficult. + +As AEmilius walked up from the jetty with the bishop, he inquired of him +how matters stood with the Christians in the town and received a general +answer. This did not satisfy the young lawyer, and, as the color suffused +his face, he asked particularly after Perpetua, daughter of the deceased +Harpinius Laeto. + +The bishop turned and fixed his searching eyes on the young man. + +"Why make you this inquiry?" he asked. + +"Surely," answered AEmilius, "I may be allowed to feel interest in one whom +I was the means of rescuing from death. In sooth, I am vastly concerned to +learn that she is safe. It were indeed untoward if she fell once more into +the hands of the priesthood or into those of the populace. The ignorant +would grip as hard as the interested." + +"She is not in the power of either," answered Castor. "But where she is, +that God knows, not I. Her mother is distracted, but we trust the maiden +has found a refuge among the brethren, and for her security is kept +closely concealed. The fewer who know where she is the better will it be, +lest torture be employed to extort the secret. The Lady Quincta believes +what we have cause to hope and consider probable. This is certain: if she +had been discovered and given up to the magistrate the fact would be known +at once to all in the place." + +"To break the image of the god was a wicked and a wanton act," said +AEmilius irritably. "Is such conduct part of your religion?" + +"The act was that of a rash and hot-headed member of our body. It was +contrary to my will, done without my knowledge, and opposed to the +teaching of our holy fathers, who have ever dissuaded from such acts. But +in all bodies of men there are hot-heads and impulsive spirits that will +not endure control." + +"Your own teaching is at fault," said AEmilius peevishly. "You denounce the +gods, and yet express regret if one of you put your doctrine in practice." + +"If images were ornaments only," said the bishop, "then they would be +endurable; but when they receive adoration, when libations are poured at +their feet, then we forbid our brethren to take part in such homage, for +it is idolatry, a giving to wood and stone the worship due to God alone. +But we do not approve of insult offered to any man's religion. No," said +Castor emphatically; "Christianity is not another name for brutality, and +that is brutality which insults the religious sentiment of the people, who +may be ignorant but are sincere." + +They had reached the rope-walk. The cordwainer was absent. + +"Let us take a turn," said the bishop; and then he halted and smiled and +extended his palm to a little child that ran up to him and put its hand +within his with innocent confidence. + +"This," said Castor, "is the son of the timber merchant." Then to the boy: +"Little man, walk with us, but do not interrupt our talk. Speak only when +spoken to." He again addressed the lawyer: "My friend, if I may so call +thee, thou art vastly distressed at the mutilation of the image. Why so?" + +"Because it is a work of art, and that particular statue was the finest +example of the sculpture of a native artist. It was a gift to his native +town of the god Marcus Antoninus (the Emperor Antoninus Pius)." + +"Sir," said Castor, "you are in the right to be incensed. Now tell me +this. If the thought of the destruction of a statue made by man and the +gift of a Caesar rouse indignation in your mind, should you not be more +moved to see the destruction of living men, as in the shows of the +arena--the slaughter of men, the work of God's hands?" + +"That is for our entertainment," said AEmilius, yet with hesitation in his +voice. + +"Does that condone the act of the mutilator of the image, that he did it +out of sport, to amuse a few atheists and the vulgar? See you how from his +mother's womb the child has been nurtured, how his limbs have grown in +suppleness and grace and strength; how his intelligence has developed, how +his faculties have expanded. Who made the babe that has become a man? Who +protected him from infancy? Who builds up this little tenement of an +immortal and bright spirit?" He led forward and indicated the child of +Flavillus. "Was it not God? And for a holiday pastime you send men into +the arena to be lacerated by wild beasts or butchered by gladiators! Do +you not suppose that God, the maker of man, must be incensed at this +wanton destruction of His fairest creation?" + +"What you say applies to the tree we fell, to the ox and the sheep we +slaughter." + +"Not so," answered the bishop. "The tree is essential to man. Without it +he cannot build himself a house nor construct a ship. The use of the tree +is essential to his progress from barbarism. Nay, even in barbarism he +requires it to serve him as fuel, and to employ timber demands the fall of +the tree. As to the beast, man is so constituted by his Creator that he +needs animal food. Therefore is he justified in slaying beasts for his +nourishment." + +"According to your teaching death sentences are condemned, as also are +wars." + +"Not so. The criminal may forfeit his right to a life which he is given to +enjoy upon condition that he conduce to the welfare of his fellows. If, +instead thereof, he be a scourge to mankind, he loses his rights. As to +the matter of war: we must guard the civilization we have built up by +centuries of hard labor and study after improvement. We must protect our +frontiers against the incursions of the barbarians. Unless they be rolled +back, they will overwhelm us. Self-preservation is an instinct lodged in +every breast, justifying man in defending his life and his acquisitions." + +"Your philosophy is humane." + +"It is not a philosophy. It is a revelation." + +"In what consists the difference?" + +"A philosophy is a groping upwards. A revelation is a light falling from +above. A philosophy is reached only after the intellect is ripe and +experienced, attained to when man's mind is fully developed. A revelation +comes to the child as his mind and conscience are opening and shows him +his way. Here, little one! stand on that _cippus_ and answer me." + +Castor took the child in his arms and lifted him to a marble pedestal. + +"Little child," said he, "answer me a few simple questions. Who made you?" + +"God," answered the boy readily. + +"And why did He make you?" + +"To love and serve Him." + +"And how can you serve Him?" + +"By loving all men." + +"What did the Great Master say was the law by which we are to direct our +lives?" + +"'He that loveth God, let him love his brother also.'" + +"Little child, what is after death?" + +"Eternity." + +"And in eternity where will men be?" + +"Those that have done good shall be called to life everlasting, and those +that have done evil will be cast forth into darkness, where is weeping and +gnashing of teeth." + +The bishop took the child from the pedestal, and set him again on the +ground. + +Then, with a smile on his face, he said to AEmilius, "Do we desire to know +our way _after_ we have erred or _before_ we start? What was hidden from +the wise and prudent is revealed unto babes. Where philosophy ends, there +our religion begins." + + + + + + CHAPTER XVI + + DOUBTS AND DIFFICULTIES + + +AEmilius paced the rope-walk in deep thought. He did not speak during +several turns, and the bishop respected his meditation and kept silence as +well. + +Presently the young man burst forth with: "This is fairly put, plausible +and attractive doctrine. But what we lawyers demand is evidence. When was +the revelation made? In the reign of the god Tiberius? That was two +centuries ago. What proof is there that this be not a cleverly elaborated +philosophy--as you say, a groping upwards--pretending to be, and showing off +itself as, a lightening downwards?" + +"The evidence is manifold," answered Castor. "In the first place, the +sayings and the acts of the Divine Revealer were recorded by evangelists +who lived at the time, knew Him, heard Him, or were with those who had +daily companied with Him." + +"Of what value is such evidence when we cannot put the men who gave it in +the witness-box and cross-question them? I do not say that their evidence +is naught, but that it is disputable." + +"There is other evidence, ever-living, ever-present." + +"What is that?" + +"Your own reason and conscience. You, AEmilius Lentulus, have these +witnesses in yourself. He who made you seated a conscience in your soul to +show you that there is such a thing as a law of right and wrong, though, +as far as you know, unwritten. Directly I spoke to you of the _sin_ of +murdering men to make pastime, your color changed; you _knew_ that I was +right. Your conscience assented to my words." + +"I allow that." + +"My friend, let me go further. When your mind is not obscured by passion +or warped by prejudice, then you perceive that there is a sphere of +holiness, of virtue, of purity, to which men have not yet attained, and +which, for all you see, is unattainable situated as you are, but one into +which, if man could mount, then he would be something nobler than even the +poets have conceived. You have flashes of summer lightning in your dark +sky. You reject the monstrous fables of the gods as inconsistent with what +your reason and conscience tell you comport with divinity. Has any of your +gods manifested himself and left such a record of his appearance as is +fairly certain? If he appeared, or was fabled to have appeared, did he +tell men anything about the nature of God, His will, and the destiny of +man? A revelation must be in agreement with the highest aspirations of +man. It must be such as will regulate his life, and conduce to his +perfection and the advantage of the community. It must be such as will +supply him with a motive for rejecting what is base, but pleasing to his +coarse nature, and striving after that which is according to the luminous +ideal that floats before him. Now the Christian revelation answers these +conditions, and is therefore probably true. It supplies man with a reason +why he should contend against all that is gross in his nature; should be +gentle, courteous, kindly, merciful, pure. It does more. It assures him +that the Creator made man in order that he might strive after this ideal, +and in so doing attain to serenity and happiness. No other religion that I +know of makes such claims; no other professes to have been revealed to man +as the law of his being by Him who made man. No other is so completely in +accordance on the one hand with what we conceive is in agreement with the +nature of God, and on the other so completely accords with our highest +aspirations." + +"I can say nothing to that. I do not know it." + +"Yes, you do know it. The babe declared it; gave you the marrow and kernel +of the gospel: Love God and man." + +"To fear God is what I can understand; but to love Him is more than I can +compass." + +"Because you do not know God." + +"I do not, indeed." + +"God is love." + +"A charming sentiment; a rhetorical flourish. What evidence can you adduce +that God is love?" + +"Creation." + +"The earth is full of suffering; violence prevails; wrong overmasters +right. There is more of misery than of happiness, saving only to the rich +and noble; they are at any rate supposed to be exempt, but, by Hercules, +they seem to me to be sick of pleasure, and every delight gluts and leaves +a bad taste in the mouth." + +"That is true; but why is there all this wretchedness? Because the world +is trying to get along without God. Look!" The bishop stooped and took up +a green-backed beetle. "If I cast this insect into the water it will +suffer and die. If I fling it into the fire it will writhe and perish in +agony. Neither water nor fire is the element for which it was created--in +which to exist and be happy. The divine law is the atmosphere in which man +is made to live. Because there is deflection from that, and man seeks +other ends than that for which he was made, therefore comes wretchedness. +The law of God is the law man must know, and knowing, pursue to be +perfectly happy and to become a perfect being." + +"Now I have you!" exclaimed AEmilius, with a laugh. "There are no men more +wretched than Christians who possess, and, I presume, keep this law. They +abstain from our merry-makings, from the spectacles; they are liable to +torture and to death." + +"We abstain from nothing that is wholesome and partaken in moderation; but +from drunkenness, surfeiting, and what is repugnant to the clean mind. As +to the persecution we suffer, the powers of evil rebel against God, and +stir up bad men to resist the truth. But let me say something further--if I +do not weary you." + +"Not at all; you astonish me too much to weary me." + +"You are dropped suddenly--cast up by the sea on a strange shore. You find +yourself where you have never been before. You know not where to go--how to +conduct yourself among the natives; what fruits you may eat as wholesome, +and must reject as poisonous. You do not know what course to pursue to +reach your home, and fear at every step to get further from it. You cry +out for a chart to show you where you are, and in what direction you +should direct your steps. Every child born into this world is in a like +predicament. It wants a chart, and to know its bearings. This is not the +case with any animal. Every bird, fish, beast, knows what to do to fulfill +the objects of its existence. Man alone does not. He has aspirations, +glimmerings, a law of nature traced, but not filled in. He has lived by +that natural law--you live under it, and you experience its inadequacy. +That is why your conscience, all mankind, with inarticulate longing +desires something further. Now I ask you, as I did once before, is it +conceivable that the Creator of man, who put in man's heart that +aspiration, that longing to know the law of his being, without which his +life is but a miserable shipwreck--is it conceivable that He should +withhold from him the chart by which he can find his way?" + +"You have given me food for thought. Yet, my doubts still remain." + +"I cannot give you faith. That lightens down from above. It is the gift of +God. Follow the law of your conscience and He may grant it you. I cannot +say when or how, and what means he may employ--but if you are sincere and +not a trifler with the truth--He will not deny it you. But see--here comes +some one who desires to speak with you." + +AEmilius looked in the direction indicated, and saw Callipodius coming up +from the water-side, waving his hand to him. So engrossed had he been in +conversation with Castor, that he had not observed the arrival of a boat +at the landing-place. + +At once the young lawyer sped to meet his client, manifesting the utmost +impatience. + +"What tidings--what news?" was his breathless question. + +"As good as may be," answered Callipodius. "The gods work to fulfill thy +desire. It is as if thou wert a constraining destiny, or as though it were +a pleasure to them to satisfy the wishes of their favorite." + +"I pray, lay aside this flattery, and speak plain words." + +"Resplendent genius that thou art! thou needest no flattery any more than +the sun requires burnishing." + +"Let me entreat--the news!" + +"In two words----" + +"Confine thyself to two words." + +"She is safe." + +"Where? How?" + +"Now must I relax my tongue. In two words I cannot satisfy thy eagerness." + +"Then, Body of Bacchus! go on in thine own fashion." + +"The account may be crushed into narrow compass. When I left your radiant +presence, then I betook myself to the town and found the place in +turmoil--the statue of the god had been broken, and the deity was braying +like a washerwoman's jackass. The populace was roused and incensed by the +outrage, and frightened by the voice of the god. All had quieted down +previously, but this worked up the people to a condition of frantic rage +and panic. I hurried about in quest of the Lady Perpetua; and as I learned +that she had been conveyed from the pool by Baudillas Macer, I went into +the part of the town where he lives; noble once, now slums. Then, lo! thy +genius attending and befriending me, whom should I stumble against but a +fellow named Tarsius, a slave of a wool merchant to whom I owe moneys, +which I haven't yet paid. I knew the fellow from a gash he had received at +one time across nose and cheek. He was drunk and angry because he had been +expelled the Christian society which was holding its orgies. I warrant +thee I frightened the poor wretch with promises of the little horse, the +panthers, and the cross, till he became pliant and obliging. Then I wormed +out of him all I required, and made him my tool to obtain possession of +the pretty maid. I learned from him that the Lady Quincta and her daughter +were at the house of Baudillas, afraid to return home because their door +was observed by some of the Cultores Nemausi. Then I suborned the rascal +to act a part for me. From thy house I dispatched two litters and +carriers, and sent that tippling rogue with them to the dwelling of Macer, +to say that he was commissioned by his master, Litomarus, to conduct them +to his country house for their security. They walked into the snare like +fieldfare after juniper berries. Then the porters conveyed the girl to thy +house." + +"To my house!" AEmilius started. + +"Next, she was hurried off as soon as ever the gates were opened, to your +villa at Ad Fines." + +"And she is there now, with her mother?" + +"With her mother! I know better than to do that. I bade the porters convey +the old lady in her palanquin to the goose and truffle market and deposit +her there. No need to be encumbered with her." + +"The Lady Quincta not with her daughter?" + +"You were not desirous for further acquaintance with the venerable widow, +I presume." + +"But," said AEmilius, "this is a grave matter. You have offered, as from +me, an insult most wounding to a young lady, and to a respectable matron." + +"Generous man! how was it possible for me to understand the niceties that +trouble your perspicuous mind? But be at ease. Serious sickness demands +strong medicines. Great dangers excuse bold measures. The priestess has +demanded the restoration of the virgin. The _flamen Augustalis_ is backing +her up. So are all the _Seviri_. The religious corporation feel touched in +their credit and insist on the restitution. They will heap on fuel, and +keep Nemausus in a boil. By no possibility could the damsel have remained +hidden in the town. I saw that it was imperiously necessary for me to +remove her. I could think of no other place into which to put her than Ad +Fines. I managed the matter in admirable fashion; though it is I who say +it. But really, by Jupiter Capitolinus, I believe that your genius +attended me, and assisted in the execution of the design, which was +carried out without a hitch." + +AEmilius knitted his arms behind his back, and took short turns, in great +perturbation of mind. + +"By Hercules!" said he, "you have committed an actionable offense." + +"Of course, you look on it from a legal point of view," said Callipodius, +a little nettled. "I tell you it was a matter of life or death." + +"I do not complain of your having conveyed the young lady to Ad Fines, but +of your not having taken her mother there along with her. You have put me +in a very awkward predicament." + +"How was I to judge that the old woman was to be deported as well?" + +"You might have judged that I would cut off my right hand rather than do +aught that might cause people to speak lightly of Perpetua." + +The client shrugged his shoulders. "You seem to breed new scruples." + +"I thank you," said AEmilius, "that you have shown so good a will, and have +been so successful in your enterprise. I am, perhaps, over hasty and +exacting. I desired you to do a thing more perfectly than perhaps you were +able to perform it. Leave me now. I must clear my mind and discover what +is now to be done." + +"There is no pleasing some folk," said Callipodius moodily. + + + + + + CHAPTER XVII + + PEDO + + +Baudillas had been lowered into the pit of the _robur_, and he sank in the +slime half-way up his calves. He waded with extended arms, groping for +something to which to cling. He knew not whether the bottom were even, or +fell into deep holes, into which he might stumble. He knew not whether he +were in a narrow well or in a spacious chamber. + +Cautiously, in obscurity, he groped, uncertain even whether he went +straight or was describing a curve. But presently he touched the wall and +immediately discovered a bench, and seated himself thereon. Then he drew +up his feet out of the mire, and cast himself in a reclining position on +the stone seat. + +He looked up, but could not distinguish the opening by which he had been +let down into the horrible cess-pit. He was unable to judge to what depth +he had been lowered, nor could he estimate the extent of the dungeon in +which he was confined. + +The bench on which he reposed was slimy, the walls trickled with moisture, +were unctuous, and draped with a fungous growth in long folds. The whole +place was foul and cold. + +How long would his confinement last? Would food, pure water be lowered to +him? Or was he condemned to waste away in this pit, from starvation, or in +the delirium of famine to roll off from his shelf and smother in the mire? + +After a while his eyes became accustomed to the dark and sensitive to the +smallest gradations in it; and then he became aware of a feeble glowworm +light over the surface of the ooze at one point. Was it that some fungoid +growth there was phosphorescent? Or was it that a ray of daylight +penetrated there by some tortuous course? + +After long consideration it seemed to him probable that the light he +distinguished might enter by a series of reflections through the outfall. +He thought of examining the opening, but to do so he would be constrained +to wade. He postponed the exploration till later. Of one thing he was +confident, that although a little sickly light might be able to struggle +into this horrible dungeon, yet no means of egress for the person would be +left. Precautions against escape by this means would certainly have been +taken. + +The time passed heavily. At times Baudillas sank into a condition of +stupor, then was roused to thought again, again to lapse into a comatose +condition. His cut lip was sore, his bruises ached. He had passed his +tongue over his broken teeth till they had fretted his tongue raw. + +The feeble light at the surface became fainter, and this was finally +extinguished. The day was certainly at an end. The sun had set in the +west, an auroral glow hung over the place of its decline. Stars were +beginning to twinkle; the syringa was pouring forth its fragrance, the +flowering thorns their too heavy odor. Dew was falling gently and cool. + +The deacon raised his heart to God, and from this terrible pit his prayer +mounted to heaven; a prayer not for deliverance from death, but for grace +to endure the last trial, and if again put to the test, to withstand +temptation. Then he recited the evening prayer of the Church, in Greek: "O +God, who art without beginning and without end, the Maker of the world by +Thy Christ, and the sustainer thereof, God and Father, Lord of the spirit, +King of all things that have reason and life! Thou who hast made the day +for the works of light, and the night for the refreshment of our +infirmity, for the day is Thine, the night is Thine: Thou hast prepared +the light and the sun--do Thou now, O Lord, lover of mankind, fountain of +all good, mercifully accept this our evening thanksgiving. Thou who hast +brought us through the length of the day, and hast conducted us to the +threshold of night, preserve us by Thy Christ, afford us a peaceful +evening, and a sinless night, and in the end everlasting life by Thy +Christ, through whom be glory, honor and worship in the Holy Spirit, for +ever, amen."(8) After this prayer Baudillas had been wont in the church to +say, "Depart in peace!" and to dismiss the faithful. Now he said, "Into +Thy hands I commend my spirit." + +Out of that fetid abyss and its horrible darkness rose the prayer to God, +winged with faith, inspired by fervor sweet with humility, higher than the +soaring lark, higher than the faint cloud that caught the last rays of the +set sun, higher than the remotest star. + +Presently a confused sound from above reached the prisoner, and a spot of +orange light fell on the water below. Then came a voice ringing hollow +down the depth, and echoed by the walls, "Thy food!" A slender rope was +sent down, to which was attached a basket that contained bread and a +pitcher of water. Baudillas stepped into the ooze and took the loaf and +the water vessel. + +Then the jailer called again: "To-morrow morning--if more be needed--I will +bring a second supply. Send up the empty jar when I lower that which is +full, if thou art in a condition to require it." He laughed, and the laugh +resounded as a bellow in the vaulted chamber. + +Few were the words spoken, and they ungracious. Yet was the deacon +sensible of pleasure at hearing even a jailer's voice breaking the +dreadful silence. He waded back to his ledge, ate the dry bread and drank +some of the water. Then he laid himself down again. Again the door +clashed, sending thunders below, and once more he was alone. + +As his hand traveled along the wall it encountered a hard round knot. He +drew his hand away precipitately, but then, moved by curiosity, groped for +it again. Then he discovered that this seeming excrescence was a huge +snail, there hibernating. He dislodged it, threw it from him and it +plashed into the mire. + +Time dragged. Not a sound could be heard save the monotonous drip of some +leak above. Baudillas counted the falling drops, then wearied of counting, +and abandoned the self-imposed task. + +Now he heard a far-away rushing sound, then came a blast of hot vapor +blowing in his face. He started into a sitting posture, and clung to his +bench. In another moment he heard the roar of water that plunged from +above; and a hot steam enveloped him. What was the signification of this? +Was the pit to be flooded with scalding water and he drowned in it? In a +moment he had found the explanation. The water was being let off from the +public baths. There would be no more bathers this night. The tide of tepid +water rose nearly level with the ledge on which he was crouching, and then +ebbed away and rolled forth at the vent through which by day a pale halo +had entered. + +Half suffocated, part stupefied by the warm vapor, Baudillas sank into a +condition without thought, his eyes looking into the blackness above, his +ears hearing without noting the dribble from the drain through which the +flood had spurted. Presently he was roused by a sense of irritation in +every nerve, and putting his hand to his face plucked away some hundred- +legged creature, clammy and yet hard, that was creeping over him. It was +some time before his tingling nerves recovered. Then gradually torpor +stole over him, and he was perhaps unconscious for a couple of hours, when +again he was roused by a sharp pain in his finger, and starting, he heard +a splash, a rush and squeals. At once he knew that a swarm of rats had +invaded the place. He had been bitten by one; his start had disconcerted +the creatures momentarily, and they had scampered away. + +Baudillas remained motionless, save that he trembled; he was sick at +heart. In this awful prison he dared not sleep, lest he should be devoured +alive. + +Was this to be his end--to be kept awake by horror of the small foes till +he could endure the tension no longer, and then sink down in dead +weariness and blank indifference on his bench, and at once be assailed +from all sides, to feel the teeth, perhaps to attempt an ineffectual +battle, then to be overcome and to be picked to his bones? + +As he sat still, hardly breathing, he felt the rats again. They were +rallying, some swimming, some swarming up on to the shelf. They rushed at +him with the audacity given by hunger, with the confidence of experience, +and the knowledge of their power when attacking in numbers. + +He cried out, beat with his hands, kicked out with his feet, swept his +assailants off him by the score; yet such as could clung to his garment by +their teeth and, not discomfited, quickly returned. To escape them he +leaped into the mire; he plunged this way, then that; he returned to the +wall; he attempted to scramble up it beyond their reach, but in vain. + +Wherever he went, they swam after him. He was unarmed, he could kill none +of his assailants; if he could but decimate the horde it would be +something. Then he remembered the pitcher and felt for that. By this time +he had lost his bearings wholly. He knew not where he had left the vessel. +But by creeping round the circumference of his prison, he must eventually +reach the spot where he had previously been seated, and with the +earthenware vessel he would defend himself as long as he was able. + +Whilst thus wading, he was aware of a cold draught blowing in his face, +and he knew that he had reached the opening of the sewer that served as +outfall. He stooped and touched stout iron bars forming part of a grating. +He tested them, and assured himself that they were so thick set that it +was not possible for him to thrust even his head between them. + +All at once the rats ceased to molest him. They had retreated, whither he +could not guess, and he knew as little why. Possibly, they were shrewd +enough to know that they had but to exercise patience, and he must +inevitably fall a prey to their teeth. + +Almost immediately, however, he was aware of a little glow, like that of a +spark, and of a sound of splashing. He was too frightened, too giddy, to +collect his thoughts, so as to discover whence the light proceeded, and +what produced the noise. + +Clinging to the grating, Baudillas gazed stupidly at the light, that grew +in brightness, and presently irradiated a face. This he saw, but he was +uncertain whether he actually did see, or whether he were a prey to an +illusion. + +Then the light flashed over him, and his eyes after a moment recognized +the face of his old slave, Pedo. A hand on the further side grasped one of +the stanchions, and the deacon heard the question, "Master, are you safe?" + +"Oh, Pedo, how have you come into this place?" + +"Hush, master. Speak only in a whisper. I have waded up the sewer +(_cloaca_), and have brought with me two stout files. Take this one, and +work at the bar on thy side. I will rasp on the other. In time we shall +cut through the iron, and then thou wilt be able to escape. When I heard +whither thou hadst been cast, then I saw my way to making an effort to +save thee." + +"Pedo! I will give thee thy liberty!" + +"Master! it is I who must first manumit thee." + +Then the slave began to file, and as he filed he muttered, "What is +liberty to me? At one time, indeed! Ah, at one time, when I was young, and +so was Blanda! But now I am old and lame. I am well treated by a good +master. Well, well! Sir! work at the bar where I indicate with my finger. +That is a transversal stanchion and sustains the others." + +Hope of life returned. The heart of Baudillas was no longer chilled with +fear and his brain stunned with despair. He worked hard, animated by +eagerness to escape. There was a spring of energy in the little flame of +the lamp, an inspiring force in the presence of his slave. The bar was +thick, but happily the moisture of the place and the sour exhalations had +corroded it, so that thick flakes of rust fell off under the tool. + +"Yesterday, nothing could have been done for you, sir," said Pedo, "for +the inundation was so extensive that the sewer was closed with water that +had risen a foot above the opening into the river. But, thanks be to God, +the flood has fallen. Those who know the sky declare that we shall have a +blast of the _circius_ (the mistral) on us suddenly, and bitter weather. +The early heat has dissolved the snows over-rapidly and sent the water +inundating all the low land. Now with cold, the snows will not melt." + +"Pedo," said the deacon, "hadst thou not come, the rats would have +devoured me. They hunted me as a pack of wolves pursue a deer in the +Cebennae." + +"I heard them, master, as I came up the sewer. There are legions of them. +But they fear the light, and as long as the lamp burns will keep their +distance." + +"Pedo," whispered Baudillas again, after a pause, whilst both worked at +the bar. "I know not how it was that when I stood before the duumvir, I +did not betray my Heavenly Master. I was so frightened. I was as in a +dream. They may have thought me firm, but I was in reality very weak. +Another moment, or one more turn of the rack and I would have fallen." + +"Master! God's strength is made perfect in weakness." + +"Yes, it is so. I myself am a poor nothing. Oh, that I had the manhood of +Marcianus!" + +"Press against the bar, master. With a little force it will yield." + +Pedo removed the lamp that he had suspended by a hook from the crossbar. +Baudillas threw himself with his full weight against the grating, and the +stanchion did actually snap under the impact, at the place where filed. + +"That is well," said the slave. "Thy side of the bar is also nearly rasped +through. Then we must saw across this upright staff of iron. To my +thinking it is not fastened below." + +"It is not. I have thrust my foot between it and the paving. Methinks it +ends in a spike and barbs." + +"If it please God that we remove the grating, then thou must follow me, +bending low." + +"Is the distance great?" + +"Sixty-four paces of thine; of mine, more, as I do but hobble." + +"Hah! this is ill-luck." + +With the energy of filing, and owing to the loosened condition of the bar, +the lamp had been displaced, and it fell from where it had been suspended +and was extinguished in the water. + +Both were now plunged in darkness as of Erebus, and were moreover exposed +to danger from the rats. But perhaps the grating of the files, or the +whispers of the one man to the other, alarmed the suspicious beasts, and +they did not venture to approach. + +"Press, master! I will pull," said the slave. His voice quivered with +excitement. + +Baudillas applied his shoulder to the grating, and Pedo jerked at it +sharply. + +With a crack it yielded; with a plash it fell into the water. + +"Quick, my master--lay hold of my belt and follow. Bow your head low or you +will strike the roof. We must get forth as speedily as may be." + +"Pedo! the jailer said that if alive I was to give a sign on the morrow. +He believes that during the night I will be devoured by rats, as doubtless +have been others." + +"Those executed in the prison are cast down there." + +"Perhaps," said Baudillas, "if he meet with no response in the morning he +will conclude that I am dead, and I do not think he will care to descend +and discover whether it be so." + +After a short course through the arched passage, both stood upright; they +were to their breasts in water, but the water was fresh and pure. Above +their heads was the vault of heaven, not now spangled with stars but +crossed by scudding drifts of vapor. + +Both men scrambled out of the river to the bank, and then Baudillas +extended his arms, and said, with face turned to the sky: + +"I waited patiently for the Lord, and He inclined unto me, and heard my +calling. He hath brought me also out of the horrible pit, out of the mire +and clay, and hath set my feet upon the rock. And He hath put a new song +in my mouth, even a thanksgiving unto our God."(9) + + + + + + CHAPTER XVIII + + IN THE CITRON-HOUSE + + +Perpetua, at Ad Fines, was a prey to unrest. She was in alarm for the +safety of her mother, and she was disconcerted at having been smuggled off +to the house of a man who was a stranger, though to him she owed her life. + +The villa was in a lovely situation, with a wide outstretch of landscape +before it to the Rhone, and beyond to the blue and cloudlike spurs of the +Alps; and the garden was in the freshness of its first spring beauty. But +she was in too great trouble to concern herself about scenery and flowers. +Her thoughts turned incessantly to her mother. In the embarrassing +situation in which she was--and one that was liable to become far more +embarrassing--she needed the support and counsel of her mother. + +Far rather would she have been in prison at Nemausus, awaiting a hearing +before the magistrate, and perhaps condemnation to death, than be as at +present in a charming country house, attended by obsequious servants, +provided with every comfort, yet ignorant why she had been brought there, +and what the trials were to which she would be subjected. + +The weather had changed with a suddenness not infrequent in the province. +The warm days were succeeded by some of raging wind and icy rains. In +fact, the mistral had begun to blow. As the heated air rose from the stony +plains, its place was supplied by that which was cold from the snowy +surfaces of the Alps, and the downrush was like that to which we nowadays +give the term of blizzard. So violent is the blast on these occasions that +the tillers of the soil have to hedge round their fields with funereal +cypresses, to form a living screen against a wind that was said, or +fabled, to have blown the cow out of one pasture into that of another +farmer, but which, without fable, was known to upset ricks and carry away +the roofs of houses. + +To a cloudless sky, traversed by a sun of almost summer brilliancy, +succeeded a heaven dark, iron-gray, with whirling vapors that had no +contour, and which hung low, trailing their dripping skirts over the +shivering landscape. + +Trees clashed their boughs. The wood behind the villa roared like a +cataract. In the split ledges and prongs of limestone, among the box- +bushes and junipers, the wind hissed and screamed. Birds fled for refuge +to the eaves of houses or to holes in the cliffs. Cattle were brought +under shelter. Sheep crouched dense packed on the lee side of a stone +wall. The very ponds and lagoons were whipped and their surfaces flayed by +the blast. Stones were dislodged on the mountain slopes, and flung down; +pebbles rolled along the plains, as though lashed forward by whips. The +penetrating cold necessitated the closing of every shutter, and the +heating of the hypocaust under the house. In towns, in the houses of the +better classes, the windows were glazed with thin flakes of mica (_lapis +specularis_), a transparent stone brought from Spain and Cappadocia, but +in the country this costly luxury was dispensed with, as the villas were +occupied only in the heat of summer, when there was no need to exclude the +air. The window openings were closed with shutters. Rooms were not warmed +by fireplaces, with wood fires on hearths, but by an arrangement beneath +the mosaic and cement floor, where a furnace was kindled, and the smoke +and heated air were carried by numerous pipes up the walls on all sides, +thus producing a summer heat within when all was winter without. + +In the fever of her mind, Perpetua neither felt the asperity of the +weather nor noticed the comfort of the heated rooms. She was incessantly +restless, was ever running to the window or the door, as often to be +disappointed, in anticipation of meeting her mother. She was perplexed as +to the purpose for which she had been conveyed to Ad Fines. The slave +woman, Blanda, who attended her, was unable or unwilling to give her +information. All she pretended to know was that orders had been issued by +Callipodius, friend and client of AEmilius Lentulus, her master, that the +young lady was to be made comfortable, was to be supplied with whatever +she required, and was on no account to be suffered to leave the grounds. +The family was strictly enjoined not to mention to any one her presence in +the villa, under pain of severe chastisement. + +Blanda was kind and considerate, and had less of the fawning dog in her +manner than was customary among slaves. It was never possible, even for +masters, to trust the word of their servants; consequently Perpetua, who +knew what slaves were, placed little reliance on the asseverations of +ignorance that fell from the lips of Blanda. There was, in the +conversation of Blanda, that which the woman intended to reassure, but +which actually heightened the uneasiness of the girl--this was the way in +which the woman harped continually on the good looks, amiability and +wealth of her master, who, as she insisted, belonged to the Voltinian +tribe, and was therefore one of the best connected and highest placed in +the colony. + +The knowledge that she had been removed to Ad Fines to insure her safety +did not satisfy Perpetua; and she was by no means assured that she had +thus been carried off with the approbation and knowledge of her mother, or +of the bishop and principal Christians of her acquaintance in Nemausus. Of +AEmilius Varo she really knew nothing save that he was a man of pleasure +and a lawyer. + +Adjoining the house was a conservatory. Citron trees and oleanders in +large green-painted boxes were employed in summer to decorate the terrace +and gardens. They were allowed to be out in mild winters, but directly the +mistral began to howl, the men-servants of the house had hurriedly +conveyed them within doors into the conservatory, as the gale would strip +them of their fruit, bruise the leaves and injure the flowers. + +In her trouble of mind, unable to go abroad in the bitter weather, +impatient of quiet, Perpetua entered the citron-house and walked among the +trees in their green tubs, now praying for help, then wiping the drops +from her eyes and brow. + +As she thus paced, she heard a stir in the house, the opening of doors, +the rush of wind driving through it, the banging of valves and rattle of +shutters. Then she heard voices, and among them one that was imperious. A +moment later, Blanda ran to Perpetua, and after making a low obeisance +said: "The master is come. He desires permission to speak with you, lady, +when he hath had his bath and hath assumed a change of raiment. For by the +mother goddesses, no one can be many moments without and not be drenched +to the bone. And this exhibits the master's regard for thee, lady; his +extreme devotion to your person and regard for your comfort, that he has +exposed himself to cold and rain and wind so as to come hither to inquire +if you are well, and if there be aught you desire that he can perform to +content you." + +What was Perpetua to do? She plucked some citron blossoms in her nervous +agitation, unknowing what she did, then answered timidly: "I am in the +house of the noble AEmilius. Let him speak with me here when it suits his +convenience. Yet stay, Blanda! Inquire at once, whether he brings me +tidings of my dear mother." + +The slave hasted away, and returned directly to inform Perpetua that her +master was grieved to relate that he was unable to give her the desired +information, but that he only awaited instructions from Perpetua to take +measures to satisfy her. + +Then the girl was left alone, and in greater agitation than before. She +walked among the evergreens, putting the citron flowers to her nose, +plucking off the leaves, pressing her hand to her brow, and wiping her +distilling eyes. + +The conservatory was unglazed. It was furnished with shutters in which +were small openings like those in fiddles. Consequently a twilight reigned +in the place; what light entered was colorless, and without brilliancy. +Through the openings could be seen the whirling vapors; through them also +the rain spluttered in, and the wind sighed a plaintive strain, now and +then rising to a scream. + +Perpetua still held the little bunch of citron in her hand; she was as +unaware that she held it as that she had plucked it. Her mind was +otherwise engaged, and her nervous fingers must needs clasp something. + +As she thus walked, fearing the appearance of AEmilius, and yet desirous of +having a term put to her suspense, she heard steps, and in another moment +the young lawyer stood before her. He bowed with hands extended, and with +courtly consideration would not draw near. Aware that she was shy or +frightened, he said: "I have to ask your pardon, young lady, for this +intrusion on your privacy, above all for your abduction to this house of +mine. It was done without my having been consulted, but was done with good +intent, by a friend, to place you out of danger. I had no part in the +matter; nevertheless I rejoice that my house has had the honor of serving +you as a refuge from such as seek your destruction." + +"I thank you," answered the girl constrainedly. "I owe you a word of +acknowledgment of my lively gratitude for having rescued me from the +fountain, and another for affording me shelter here. But if I may be +allowed to ask a favor, it is that my mother be restored to me, or me to +my mother." + +"Alas, lady," said AEmilius, "I have no knowledge where she is. I myself +have been in concealment--for the rabble has been incensed against me for +what I was privileged to do, at the Nemausean basin, unworthy that I was. +I have not since ventured into the town; not that I believe the rabble +would dare attempt violence against me, but I do not think it wise to +allow them the chance. I sent my good, blundering friend Callipodius to +inquire what had become of you, as I was anxious lest you should again be +in peril of your life; and he--Callipodius--seeing what a ferment there was +in the town, and how determined the priesthood was to get you once more +into its power, he consulted his mother wit, and had you conveyed to my +country house. Believe me, lady, he was actuated by a sincere wish to do +you service. If he had but taken the Lady Quincta away as well, and lodged +her here along with you, I would not have a word of reproach for him, nor +entertain a feeling of guilt in your eyes." + +"My mother was in the first litter." + +"That litter did not pass out of the gates of Nemausus. Callipodius was +concerned for your safety, as he knew that it was you who were menaced and +not your mother." + +"But it is painful for me to be away from my mother." + +"Lady! you are safer separated from her. If she be, as I presume, still in +the town, then those who pursue you will prowl about where she is, little +supposing that you are elsewhere, and the secret of your hiding-place +cannot be wrung from her if she does not herself know it." + +"I concern myself little about my life," said Perpetua. "But, to be alone +here, away from her, from every relation, in a strange house----" + +"I know what you would say, or rather what you feel and do not like to +say. I have a proposal to make to you which will relieve your difficulty +if it commends itself to you. It will secure your union with your mother, +and prevent anything being spoken as to your having been concealed here +that may offend your honorable feelings." + +Perpetua said nothing. She plucked at the petals of the citron flower and +strewed them on the marble pavement. + +"You have been brought to this house, and happily none know that you are +here, save my client, Callipodius, and myself. But what I desire to say is +this. Give me a right to make this your refuge, and me a right to protect +you. If I be not distasteful to you, permit this. I place myself +unreservedly in your hands. I love you, but my respect for you equals my +love. I am rich and enjoy a good position. I have nothing I can wish for +but to be authorized by you to be your defender against every enemy. Be my +wife, and not all the fools and _flamines_ of the province can touch a +hair of your head." + +The tears welled into Perpetua's eyes. She looked at the young man, who +stood before her with such dignity and gentleness of demeanor. He seemed +to her to be as noble, as good as a heathen well could be. He felt for her +delicate position; he had risked his life and fortunes to save her. He had +roused the powerful religious faction of his native city against him, and +he was now extending his protection over her against the priesthood and +the mob of Nemausus. + +"I know," pursued AEmilius, "that I am not worthy of one such as yourself. +I offer myself because I see no other certain means of making you secure, +save by your suffering me to be your legitimate defender. If your mother +will consent, and I am so happy as to have yours, then we will hurry on +the rites which shall make us one, and not a tongue can stir against you +and not a hand be lifted to pluck you from my side." + +Perpetua dropped the flower, now petalless. She could not speak. He +respected her emotions, and continued to address her. + +"I am confident that I can appease the excitement among the people and the +priests, and those attached to the worship of the divine ancestor. They +will not dare to push matters to extremities. The sacrifice has been +illegal all along, but winked at by the magistrates because a custom +handed down with the sanction of antiquity. But a resolute protest made--if +need be an appeal to Caesar--and the priesthood are paralyzed. Consider also +that as my wife they could no longer demand you. Their hold on you would +be done for, as none but an unmarried maid may be sacrificed. The very +utmost they can require in their anger and disappointment will be that you +should publicly sprinkle a few grains of incense on the altar of +Nemausus." + +"I cannot do that. I am a Christian." + +"Believe what you will. Laugh at the gods as do I and many another. A few +crumbs of frankincense, a little puff of smoke that is soon sped." + +"It may not be." + +"Remain a Christian, adhere to its philosophy or revelation, as Castor +calls it. Attend its orgies, and be the protectress of your fellow- +believers." + +"None the less, I cannot do it." + +"But why not?" + +"I cannot be false to Christ." + +"What falsehood is there in this?" + +"It is a denial of Him." + +"Bah! He died two hundred years ago." + +"He lives, He is ever present, He sees and knows all." + +"Well, then He will not look harshly on a girl who acts thus to save her +life." + +"I should be false to myself as well as to Him." + +"I cannot understand this----" + +"No, because you do not know and love Him." + +"Love Him!" echoed AEmilius, "He is dead. You never saw Him at any time. It +is impossible for any one to love one invisible, unseen, a mere historical +character. See, we have all over Gallia Narbonensis thousands of +Augustals; they form a sect, if you will. All their worship is of Augustus +Caesar, who died before your Christ. Do you suppose that one among those +thousands loves him whom they worship, and after whom they are named, and +who is their bond of connection? No--it is impossible. It cannot be." + +"But with us, to know is to love. Christ is the power of God, and we love +Him because He first loved us." + +"Riddles, riddles!" said AEmilius, shaking his head. + +"It is a riddle that may be solved to you some day. I would give my life +that it were." + +"You would?" + +"Aye, and with joy. You risked your life for me. I would give mine to win +for you----" + +"What?" + +"Faith. Having that you would know how to love." + + + + + + CHAPTER XIX + + MARCIANUS + + +When the deacon Baudillas and his faithful Pedo emerged from the river, +and stood on the bank, they were aware how icy was the blast that blew, +for it pierced their sodden garments and froze the marrow in their bones. + +"Master," said Pedo, "this is the beginning of a storm that will last for +a week; you must get under shelter, and I will give you certain garments I +have provided and have concealed hard by in a kiln. The gates of the town +are shut. I have no need to inform you that we are without the city +walls." + +Pedo guided the deacon to the place where he had hidden a bundle of +garments, and which was not a bowshot distant from the mouth of the sewer. +The kiln was small; it had happily been in recent use, for it was still +warm, and the radiation was grateful to Baudillas, whose teeth were +chattering in his head. + +"I have put here bread and meat, and a small skin of wine," said the +slave. "I advise you, master, to make a meal; you will relish your food +better here than in the black-hole. Whilst we eat we consume time +likewise; but the dawn is returning, and with it the gates will be opened +and we shall slip in among the market people. But, tell me, whither will +you go?" + +"I would desire, were it advisable, to revisit my own house," said the +deacon doubtfully. + +"And I would advise you to keep clear of it," said the slave. "Should the +jailer discover that you have escaped, then at once search will be made +for you, and, to a certainty it will begin at your habitation." Then, with +a dry laugh, he added, "And if it be found that I have assisted in your +evasion, then there will be one more likely to give sport to the people at +the forthcoming show. Grant me the wild beasts and not the cross." + +"I will not bring thee into danger, faithful friend." + +"I cannot run away on my lame legs," said Pedo. "Ah! as to those shows. +They are to wind up with a water-fight--such is the announcement. There +will be gladiators from Arelate sent over to contend in boats against a +fleet of our Nemausean ruffians. On the previous day there will be sport +with wild beasts. I am told that there have been wolves trapped during the +winter in the Cebennae, and sent down here, where they are retained +fasting. I have heard their howls at night and they have disturbed my +sleep--their howls and the aches in my thigh. I knew the weather would +change by the pains in my joint. There is a man named Amphilochius, a +manumitted slave, who broke into and robbed the villa of the master who +had freed him. He is a Greek of Iconium, and the public are promised that +he shall be cast to the beasts; but whether to the panthers, or the +wolves, or bear, or given to be gored by a bull, that I know not. Then +there is a taverner from somewhere on the way to Ugernum, who for years +has murdered such of his guests as he esteemed well furnished with money, +and has thrown their carcasses into the river. He will fight the beasts. +There is a bear from Larsacus; but they tell me he is dull, has not yet +shaken off his winter sleep, and the people fear they will get small +entertainment out of him." + +"You speak of these scenes with relish." + +"Ah! master, before I was regenerate I dearly loved the spectacles. But +the contest with bulls! That discovers the agility of a man. Falerius +Volupius Servilianus placed rosettes between their horns and gave a prize +to any who would pluck them away. That was open to be contested for by all +the youths of Nemausus. There was little danger to life or limb, and it +taught them to be quick of eye and nimble in movement. But it was because +none were gored that the spectators wearied of these innocent sports and +clamored for the butchery of criminals and the contests of gladiators. +There was a fine Numidian lion brought by a shipmaster to Agatha; a big +price was asked, and the citizens of Narbo outbid us, so we lost that fine +fellow." + +"Ah, Pedo! please God that none of the brethren be exposed to the beasts." + +"I think there will not be many. The Quatuor-viri are slow to condemn, and +Petronius Atacinus most unwilling of all. There are real criminals in the +prison sufficient to satisfy an ordinary appetite for blood. But, see! we +are discussing the amphitheater and not considering whither thou wilt +betake thyself." + +"I have been turning the matter over, and I think that I will go first to +Marcianus, my brother-deacon, and report myself to be alive and free, that +he may inform the bishop; and I will take his advice as to my future +conduct, and where I shall bestow myself." + +"He has remained unmolested," said the slave, "and that is to me passing +strange, for I have been told that certain of the brethren, when +questioned relative to the mutilation of the statue, have accused him by +name. Yet, so far, nothing has been done. Yet I think his house is +watched; I have noticed one Burrhus hanging about it; and Tarsius, they +say, has turned informer. See, master! the darkness is passing away; +already there is a wan light in the east." + +"Had the mouth of the kiln been turned to the setting in place of the +rising sun, we should not have felt the wind so greatly. Well, Pedo, we +will be on the move. Market people from the country will be at the gates. +I will consult with Marcianus before I do aught." + +An hour later, Baudillas and his attendant were at the gate of Augustus, +and passed in unchallenged. Owing to the furious mistral, accompanied by +driving rain, the guards muffled themselves in their cloaks and paid +little attention to the peasants bringing in their poultry, fish and +vegetables for sale. The deacon and his slave entered unnoticed along with +a party of these. In the street leading to the forum was a knot of people +about an angry potter whose stall had been blown over by the wind. He had +set boards on trestles, and laid out basins, pitchers, lamps, urns on the +planks; over all he had stretched sail-cloth. The wind had caught the +awning and beaten it down, upsetting and crushing his ware. The potter was +swearing that he was ruined, and that his disaster was due to the +Christians, who had exasperated the gods by their crimes and impieties. + +Some looking on laughed and asked, shouting, whether the gods did not blow +as strong blasts out of their lungs every year about the same time, and +whether they did so because annually insulted. + +"But they don't break my crocks," stormed the potter. + +"Charge double for what remain unfractured," joked an onlooker. + +"Come, master," said Pedo, plucking Baudillas by the sleeve. "If that +angry fellow recognize you, you are lost. Hold my cloak and turn down the +lane, then we are at the _posticum_, at the back of the house. I know some +of the family, and they will admit us." + +Near by was a shop for flowers. Over the shop front was the inscription, +"Non vendo nisi amantibus coronas" ("I sell garlands to lovers only").(10) +The woman in charge of the bunches and crowns of spring flowers looked +questioningly at Baudillas. Her wares were such as invited only when the +sun shone. The poor flowers had a draggled and desponding appearance. No +lovers came to buy in the bitter mistral. + +"Come, master, we shall be recognized," said Pedo. + +In another moment they had passed out of the huffle of the wind and the +drift of the rain into the shelter and warmth of a dwelling. + +Pedo bade a slave go to Marcianus and tell the deacon that someone below +desired a word with him. Almost immediately the man returned with orders +to conduct the visitor to the presence of the master. + +Baudillas was led along a narrow passage into a chamber in the inner part +of the house, away from the apartments for the reception of guests. + +The room was warmed. It was small, and had a glazed window; that is to +say, the opening was closed by a sheet of stalagmite from one of the caves +of Larsacus, cut thin. + +In this chamber, seated on an easy couch, with a roll in his hand, which +he was studying, was Marcianus. His countenance was hard and haughty. + +"You!" he exclaimed, starting with surprise. "What brings you here? I +heard that you had been before the magistrate and had confessed. But, bah! +of such as you martyrs are not made. You have betrayed us and got off +clear yourself." + +"You mistake, brother," answered Baudillas, modestly. "In one thing are +you right--I am not of the stuff out of which martyrs and confessors are +fashioned. But I betrayed no one. Not that there is any merit due to me +for that. I was in such a dire and paralyzing fright that I could not +speak." + +"How then come you here?" + +"As we read that the Lord sent His angel to deliver Peter from prison, so +has it been with me." + +"You lie!" said Marcianus angrily. "No miracle was wrought for you--for +such as you who shiver and quake and lose power of speech! Bah! Come, give +me a more rational explanation of your escape." + +"My slave was the angel who delivered me." + +"So you ran away! Could not endure martyrdom, saw the crown shining, and +turned tail and used your legs. I can well believe it. Coward! Unworthy of +the name of a Christian, undeserving of the cross marked on thy brow, +unbecoming of the ministry." + +"I know that surely enough," said Baudillas; "I am of timorous stuff, and +from childhood feared pain. But I have not denied Christ." + +"What has brought you here?" asked Marcianus curtly. + +"I have come to thee for counsel." + +"The counsel I give thou wilt not take. What saith the Scripture: 'He that +putteth his hand to the plough and turneth back is not fit for the kingdom +of God.' Thou wast called to a glorious confession, and looked back and +ran away." + +"And thy counsel?" + +"Return and surrender, and win the crown and palm. But it is waste of +breath to say such words to thee. I know thee. Wast thou subjected to +torture?" + +"No, brother." + +"No; not the rack, nor the torches, nor the hooks, nor the thumbscrews. +Oh, none of these!" + +"No, brother. It is true, I was scarce tried at all. Indeed, it was good +luck--God forgive me!--it was through His mercy that I was saved from +denying the faith. I was not even asked to sacrifice." + +"Well; go thy ways. I cannot advise thee." + +"Stay," said Baudillas. "I saw in the outer prison some of the faithful, +but was in too great fear to recognize any. Who have been taken?" + +"The last secured has been the widow Quincta. The pontiff and the _flamen_ +Augustalis and the priestess of Nemausus swear that she shall be put on +the rack and tortured till she reveals where her daughter is concealed, +and that amiable drone, the acting magistrate, has given consent. Dost +thou know where the damsel Perpetua is concealed?" + +"Indeed, Marcianus, I know not. But tell me: hast thou not been inquired +for? I have been told how that some have accused thee." + +"Me! Who said that?" + +Marcianus started, and his face worked. "Bah! they dare not touch me. I +belong to the Falerii; we have had magistrates in our family, and one +clothed with the pro-consulship. They will not venture to lay hands on +me." + +"But what if they know, and it is known through the town, that it was thou +who didst mutilate the statue of the founder?" + +"They do not know it." + +"Nay, thou deceivest thyself. It is known. Some of those who were at the +Agape have spoken." + +"It was thou--dog that thou art!" + +"Nay, it was not I." + +Marcianus rose and strode up and down the room, biting his nails. Then, +contemptuously, he said: "My family will stand between me and mob or +magistrate. I fear not. But get thee gone. Thou compromisest me by thy +presence, thou runagate and jail-breaker." + +"I came here but to notify my escape and to ask counsel of thee." + +"Get thee gone. Fly out of Nemausus, or thy chattering tongue will be set +going and reveal everything that ought to be kept secret." Then taking a +turn he added to himself, "I belong to the Falerii." + +Baudillas left; and, as he went from the door, Pedo whispered in his ear: +"Let us escape to Ad Fines. We can do so in this detestable weather. I +have an old friend there, named Blanda. In my youth I loved--ah! welladay! +that was long ago--and we were the chattels of different masters, so it +came to naught. She is still a slave, but she may be able to assist us. I +can be sure of that; for the remembrance of our old affection, she will do +what lies in her power to secrete us." + +He suddenly checked himself, plucked the deacon back, and drew him against +the wall. + +An aedile, attended by a body of the city police, armed like soldiers, +advanced and silently surrounded the house of Marcianus. + +Then the officer struck the door thrice, and called: "By the authority of +Petronius Atacinus and Vibius Fuscianus, Quatuor-viri juridicundo, and in +the name of the Imperator Caesar Augustus, Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, I +arrest Cneius Falerius Marcianus, on the atrocious charge of sacrilege." + + + + + + CHAPTER XX + + IN THE BASILICA + + +The Quatuorvir Petronius Atacinus, who was on duty, occupied his chair in +the stately Plotinian Basilica, or court of justice, that had been erected +by Hadrian, in honor of the lady to whose ingenious and unscrupulous +maneuvers he owed his elevation to the throne of the Caesars. Of this +magnificent structure nothing remains at present save some scraps of the +frieze in the museum. + +When the weather permitted, Petronius or his colleagues liked to hear a +case in the open air, from a tribune in the forum. But this was impossible +to-day, in the howling wind and lashing rain. The court itself was +comparatively deserted. A very few had assembled to hear the trials. None +who had a warmed home that day left it uncalled for. Some market women set +their baskets in the doorway and stepped inside, but it was rather because +they were wet and out of breath than because they were interested in the +proceedings. Beside the magistrate sat the chief _pontifex_ who was also +Augustal _flamen_. Of _pontifices_ there were three in the city, but one +of these was a woman, the priestess of Nemausus. + +Throughout the south of Gaul the worship of Augustus had become +predominant, and had displaced most of the ancestral cults. The temples +dedicated to Augustus exceeded in richness all others, and were crowded +when the rest were deserted. + +Jupiter was only not forgotten because he had borrowed some of the +attributes of the Gallic solar deity, and he flourished the golden wheel +in one hand and brandished the lightnings in the other. Juno had lent her +name to a whole series of familiar spirits of the mountains and of the +household, closely allied to the _Proxumes_, a set of domestic Brownies or +Kobolds, who were chiefly adored and propitiated by the women, and who had +no other temple than the hearth. At Tarasconum, the Phoenician goddess +Britomartis reigned supreme, and her worship was stimulated by a grand +annual procession and dramatic representation of her conquest over a +dragon. At Nemausus the corresponding god of war was called Mars +Britovius. But the Volcae Arecomici were a peaceably-disposed people, and +paid little devotion to the god of battles. The cult of the founder +Nemausus did not flag, but that of Augustus was in the ascendant. All the +freedmen were united in one great sodality under his invocation, and this +guild represented an important political factor in the land. It had its +religious officers, its _flamines_ and _seviri_, attended by lictors, and +the latter had charge of all the altars at the crossroads, and sat next to +the civic functionaries in the courts, at banquets, in the theater. Rich +citizens bequeathed large sums to the town and to the sodalities to be +expended in public feasts, in largesses, and in gladiatorial shows. The +charge of these bequests, as also their distribution, was in the hands of +the _flamines_ and _seviri_. The priesthood was, therefore, provided with +the most powerful of all means for gaining and moving the multitude, which +desired nothing better than bread and games. + +"Have that door shut!" called the magistrate. "It bangs in this evil wind, +and I cannot even hear what my excellent friend Lucius Smerius is saying +in my ear; how then can I catch what is said in court?" Then, turning to +the pontiff, he said: "I detest this weather. Last year, about this time, +I was struck with an evil blast, and lost all sense of smell and taste for +nine months. I had pains in my loins and an ache in all my bones. I doubt +if even the jests of Baubo could have made me laugh; I was in lower dumps +than even Ceres. Even now, when seated far too long in this marble chair, +I get an ache across my back that assures me I am no longer young. But I +could endure that if my sense of taste had been fully restored. I do not +relish good wine as of old, and that is piteous, and I really at times +think of suicide." + +"It was the work of enchantment," said the pontiff. "These Christians, in +their orgies, stick pins into images to produce pains in those the figures +represent." + +"How do you know this? Have you been initiated into their mysteries?" + +"I----! The Immortals preserve me therefrom." + +"Then, by Pluto, you speak what you have heard of the gossips--old wives' +babble. I will tell you what my opinion is, Smerius. If you were to thrust +your nose into the mysteries of the Bona Dea you would find--what? No more +than did Clodius--nothing at all. My wife, she attends them, and comes home +with her noddle full of all the tittle-tattle of Nemausus. It is so with +the Christian orgies. I would not give a snap of the fingers for all the +secrets confided to the initiated--neither in Eleusis nor in the Serapium, +nor among the Christians." + +"These men are not like others; they are unsociable, brutish, arrogant." + +"Unsociable I allow. Brutish! The word is inapt; for, on the contrary, I +find them very simple, soft-headed, pulp-hearted folk. They abstain from +all that is boisterous and cruel. Arrogant they may be. There I am at one +with you. 'Live and let live' is my maxim. We have a score of gods, home +made and foreign, and they all rub and tumble together without squabbling. +Of late we have had Madame Isis over from Egypt, and the White Ladies,(11) +and the Proxumes, Victoria Augusta, Venus, and Minerva, make room for her +without even a frown on their divine faces. And imperial Rome sanctions +all these devotions. Why, did not the god Augustus build a temple here to +Nemausus and pay him divine honors, though he had never heard him named +before? Now this Christian sect is exclusive. It will suffer no gods to +stand beside Him whom they adore. He must reign alone. That I call +illiberal, narrow-minded, against the spirit of the age and the principle +of Roman policy. That is the reason why I dislike these Christians." + +"Here come the prisoners. My good friend, do not be too easy with them. It +will not do. The temper of the people is up. The sodality of Augustus +swear that they will not decree you a statue, and will oppose your +nomination to the knighthood. They have joined hands with the Cultores +Nemausi, and insist that proper retribution be administered to the +transgressors, and that the girl be surrendered." + +"It shall be done; it shall be so," said the Quatuorvir. Then, raising his +hand to his mouth, and speaking behind it--not that in the roar of the wind +such a precaution was necessary--he said to the pontiff: "My dear man, a +magistrate has other matters to consider than pleasing the clubs. There is +the prince over all, and he is on the way to Narbonese Gaul. It is +whispered that he is favorably disposed towards this Nazarene sect." + +"The Augustus would not desire to have the laws set at naught, and the +sodalities are rich enough to pay to get access to him and make their +complaint." + +"Well, well, well! I cannot please all. I have to steer my course among +shoals and rocks. Keep the question of Christianity in the background and +charge on other grounds. That is my line. I will do my best to please all +parties. We must have sport for the games. The rabble desire to have some +one punished for spoiling their pet image. But, by the Twins, could not +the poor god hold his own head on his shoulders? If he had been worth an +as, he would have done so. But there, I nettle you. You shall be satisfied +along with the rest. Bring up the prisoners: Quincta, widow of Aulus +Harpinius Laeto, first of all." + +The mother of Perpetua was led forward in a condition of terror that +rendered her almost unconscious, and unable to sustain herself. + +"Quincta," said the magistrate, "have no fear for yourself. I have no +desire to deal sharply with you; if you will inform us where is your +daughter, you shall be dismissed forthwith." + +"I do not know----" The poor woman could say no more. + +"Give her a seat," ordered Petronius. Then to the prisoner: "Compose +yourself. No doubt that, as a mother, you desire to screen your daughter, +supposing that her life is menaced. No such thing, madame. I have spoken +with the priestess, and with my good friend here, Lucius Smerius, chief +pontiff, Augustal _flamen_, and public haruspex." He bowed to the priest +at his side. "I am assured that the god, when he spoke, made no demand for +a sacrifice. That is commuted. All he desires is that the young virgin +should pass into his service, and be numbered among his priestesses." + +"She will not consent," gasped Quincta. + +"I hardly need to point out the honor and advantage offered her. The +priestesses enjoy great favor with the people, have seats of honor at the +theater, take a high position in all public ceremonies, and are maintained +by rich endowments." + +"She will never consent," repeated the mother. + +"Of that we shall judge for ourselves. Where is the girl?" + +"I do not know." + +"How so?" + +"She has been carried away from me; I know not whither." + +"When the old ewe baas the lamb will bleat," said the Quatuorvir. "We +shall find the means to make you produce her. Lady Quincta, my duty +compels me to send you back to prison. You shall be allowed two days' +respite. Unless, by the end of that time, you are able and willing to give +us the requisite information, you will be put to the question, and I doubt +not that a turn of the rack will refresh your memory and relax your +tongue." + +"I cannot tell what I do not know." + +"Remove the woman." + +The magistrate leaned back, and turning his head to the pontiff, said: +"Did not your worthy father, Spurius, die of a surfeit of octopus? I had a +supper off the legs last night, and they made me sleep badly; they are no +better than marine leather." Then to the _vigiles_: "Bring forward +Falerius Marcianus." + +The deacon was conducted before the magistrate. He was pale, and his lips +ashen and compressed. His dark eyes turned in every direction. He was +looking for kinsmen and patron. + +"You are charged, Falerius, with having broken the image of the god whom +Nemausus delights to honor, and who is the reputed founder of the city. +You conveyed his head to the house of Baudillas, and several witnesses +have deposed that you made boast that you had committed the sacrilegious +act of defacing the statue. What answer make you to this?" + +Marcianus replied in a low voice. + +"Speak up," said the magistrate; "I cannot hear thee, the wind blusters +and bellows so loud." Aside to the pontiff Smerius he added: "And ever +since that evil blast you wot of, I have suffered from a singing in my +ears." + +"I did it," said the deacon. Again he looked about him, but saw none to +support him. + +"Then," said the magistrate, "we shall at once conclude this matter. The +outrage is too gross to be condoned or lightly punished. Even thy friends +and kinsfolk have not appeared to speak for thee. Thy family has been one +of dignity and authority in Nemausus. There have been members who have +been clothed with the Quatuorvirate _de aerario_ and have been accorded +the use of a horse at public charge. Several have been decurions wearing +the white toga and the purple stripe. This aggravates the impiety of your +act. I sentence Cneius Falerius Marcianus, son of Marius Audolatius, of +the Voltinian tribe, to be thrown to the beasts in the approaching show, +and that his goods be confiscated, and that out of his property +restitution be made, by which a new statue to the god Nemausus be +provided, to be set up in the place of that injured by the same Cneius +Falerius Marcianus." + +The deacon made an attempt to speak. He seemed overwhelmed with +astonishment and dismay at the sentence, so utterly unexpected in its +severity. He gesticulated and cried out, but the Quatuorvir was cold and +weary. He had pronounced a sentence that would startle all the town, and +he thought he had done enough. + +"Remove him at once," said he. + +Then Petronius turned to the pontiff and said: "Now, my Smerius, what say +you to this? Will not this content you and all the noisy rag-tag at your +back?" + +Next he commanded the rest of the prisoners to be brought forward +together. This was a mixed number of poor persons, some women, some old +men, boys, slaves and freedmen; none belonged to the upper class or even +to that of the manufacturers and tradesmen. + +"You are all dismissed," said the magistrate. "The imprisonment you have +undergone will serve as a warning to you not to associate with image- +breakers, not to enter into sodalities which have not received the +sanction of Caesar, and which are not compatible with the well-being and +quiet of the city and are an element of disturbance in the empire. Let us +hear no more of this pestilent nonsense. Go--worship what god ye will--only +not Christos." + +Then the lictors gathered around the Quatuorvir and the pontiff, who also +rose, and extended his hand to assist the magistrate, who made wry faces +as rheumatic twinges nipped his back. + +"Come with me, Smerius," said the Quatuorvir, "I have done the best for +you that lay in my power. I hate unnecessary harshness. But this fellow, +Falerius Marcianus, has deserved the worst. If the old woman be put on the +rack and squeak out, and Marcianus be devoured by beasts, the people will +have their amusement, and none can say that I have acted with excessive +rigor--and, my dear man--not a word has been said about Christianity. The +cases have been tried on other counts, do you see?" he winked. "Will you +breakfast with me? There are mullets from the Satera, stewed in white +wine--confound those octopi!--I feel them still." + + + + + + CHAPTER XXI + + A MANUMISSION + + +"Blanda, what shall I do?" + +AEmilius had withdrawn immediately after the interview in the citron-house, +and Perpetua was left a prey to even greater distress of mind than before. + +Accustomed to lean on her mother, she was now without support. She drew +towards the female slave, who had a patient, gentle face, marked with +suffering. + +"Blanda, what shall I do?" + +"Mistress, how can I advise? If you had been graciously pleased to take +counsel of my master, he would have instructed you." + +"Alack! what I desire is to find my mother. If, as I suppose, she is in +concealment in Nemausus, he will be unable to discover her. No clue will +be put into his hand. He will be regarded with suspicion. He will search; +I do not doubt his good will, but he will not find. Those who know where +my mother is will look on him with suspicion. O Blanda, is there none in +this house who believes, whom I could send to some of the Church?" + +"Lady," answered the slave, "there be no Christians here. There is a Jew, +but he entertains a deadly hate of such as profess to belong to this sect. +To the rest one religion is as indifferent as another. Some swear by the +White Ladies, some by Serapis, and there is one who talks much of Mithras, +but who this god is I know not." + +"If I am to obtain information it must be through some one who is to be +trusted." + +"Lady," said the woman-slave, "the master has given strict orders that +none shall speak of you as having found a shelter here. Yet when slaves +get together, by the Juno of the oaks, I believe men chatter and are +greater magpies than we women; their tongues run away with them, +especially when they taste wine. If one of the family were sent on this +commission into the town, ten _sesterces_ to an _as_, he would tell that +you are here, and would return as owlish and ignorant as when he went +forth. Men's minds are cudgels, not awls. If thou desirest to find out a +thing, trust a woman, not a man." + +"I cannot rest till I have news." + +"There has been a great search made after Christians, and doubtless she +is, as thou sayest, in concealment, surely among friends. Have patience." + +"But, Blanda, she is in an agony of mind as to what has become of me." + +The slave-woman considered for awhile, and then said: + +"There is a man who might help; he certainly can be relied on. He is of +the strange sect I know, and he would do anything for me, and would betray +no secrets." + +"Who is that?" + +"His name is Pedo, and he is the slave to Baudillas Macer, son of Carisius +Adgonna, who has a house in the lower town." + +"O Blanda!" exclaimed Perpetua, "it was from the house of Baudillas that I +was enticed away." Then, after some hesitation, she added: "That house, I +believe, was invaded by the mob; but I think my mother had first escaped." + +"Lady, I have heard that Baudillas has been taken before the magistrate, +and has been cast into the _robur_, because that in his house was found +the head of the god; and it was supposed that he was guilty of the +sacrilege, either directly or indirectly. He that harbors a thief is +guilty as the thief. I heard that yesterday. No news has since been +received. I mistrust my power of reaching the town, of standing against +the gale. Moreover, as the master has been imprisoned, it is not likely +that the slave will be in the empty house. Yet, if thou wilt tarry till +the gale be somewhat abated and the rain cease to fall in such a rush, I +will do my utmost to assist thee. I will go to the town myself, and +communicate with Pedo, if I can find him. He will trust me, poor fellow!" + +"I cannot require thee to go forth in this furious wind," said Perpetua. + +"And, lady, thou must answer to my master for me. Say that I went at thine +express commands; otherwise I shall be badly beaten." + +"Is thy master so harsh?" + +"Oh, I am a slave. Who thinks of a slave any more than of an ass or a +lapdog? It was through a severe scourging with the cat that I was brought +to know Pedo." + +"Tell me, how was that?" + +"Does my lady care for matters that affect her slave?" + +"Nay, good Blanda, we Christians know no difference between bond and free. +All are the children of one God, who made man. Our master, though Lord of +all, made Himself of no reputation, but took on Him the form of a servant; +and was made subject for us." + +"That is just how Pedo talks. We slaves have our notions of freedom and +equality, and there is much tall talk in the servants' hall on the rights +of man. But I never heard of a master or mistress holding such opinions." + +"Nevertheless this doctrine is a principle of our religion. Listen to +this; the words are those of one of our great teachers: 'There is neither +Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor +female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.'" + +"Was he a slave who said that?" + +"No; he was a Roman citizen." + +"That I cannot understand. Yet perhaps he spoke it at an election time, or +when he was an advocate in the forum. It was a sentiment; very fine, +smartly put, but not to be practiced." + +"There, Blanda, you are wrong. We Christians do act upon this principle, +and it forms a bond of union between us." + +"Well, I understand it not. I have heard the slaves declaim among +themselves, saying that they were as good as, nay, better than, their +masters; but they never whispered such a thought where were their masters' +ears, or they would have been soundly whipped. In the forum, when lawyers +harangue, they say fine things of this sort; and when candidates are +standing for election, either as a sevir or as a quatuorvir, all sorts of +fine words fly about, and magnificent promises are made, but they are +intended only to tickle ears and secure votes. None believe in them save +the vastly ignorant and the very fools." + +"Come, tell me about thyself and Pedo." + +"Ah, lady, that was many years ago. I was then in the household of Helvia +Secundilla, wife of Calvius Naso. On one occasion, because I had not +brought her May-dew wherewith to bathe her face to remove sun-spots, she +had me cruelly beaten. There were knucklebones knotted in the cat +wherewith I was beaten. Thirty-nine lashes I received. I could not collect +May-dew, for the sky was overcast and the herb was dry. But she regarded +not my excuse. Tullia, my fellow-slave, was more sly. She filled a flask +at a spring and pretended that she had gathered it off the grass, and that +her fraud might not be detected, she egged her mistress on against me. I +was chastised till my back was raw." + +"Poor Blanda!" + +"Aye, my back was one bleeding wound, and yet I was compelled to put on my +garment and go forth again after May-dew. It was then that I encountered +Pedo. I was in such pain that I walked sobbing, and my tears fell on the +arid grass. He came to me, moved by compassion, and spoke kindly, and my +heart opened, and I told him all. Then he gave me a flask filled with a +water in which elder flowers had been steeped, and bade me wash my back +therewith." + +"And it healed thee?" + +"It soothed the fever of my blood and the anguish of my wounds. They +closed, and in a few days were cicatriced. But Pedo had been fellow-slave +with a Jewish physician, and from him had learned the use of simples. My +mistress found no advantage from the spring-water brought her as May-dew. +Then I offered her some of the decoction given me by Pedo, and that had a +marvelous effect on her freckles. Afterwards her treatment of me was +kinder, and it was Tullia who received the whippings." + +"And did you see more of Pedo?" + +Blanda colored. + +"Mistress, that was the beginning of our acquaintance. He was with a good +master, Baudillas Macer, who, he said, would manumit him at any time. But, +alas! what would that avail me? I remained in bondage. Ah, lady, Pedo +regarded me with tenderness, and, indeed, I could have been happy with +none other but him." + +"He is old and lame." + +"Ah, lady, I think the way he moves on his lame hip quite beautiful. I do +not admire legs when one is of the same length as another--it gives a stiff +uniformity not to my taste." + +"And he is old?" + +"Ripe, lady--full ripe as a fig in August. Sour fruit are unpleasant to +eat. Young men are prigs and think too much of themselves." + +"How long ago was it that this acquaintance began?" + +"Five and twenty years. I trusted, when my master, Calvius Naso--he was so +called because he really had a long nose, and my mistress was wont to +tweak it--but there! I wander. I did think that he would have given me my +freedom. In his illness I attended to him daily, nightly. I did not sleep, +I was ever on the watch for him. As to my mistress, she was at her +looking-glass, and using depilatory fluid on some hairs upon her chin, +expecting shortly to be a widow. She did not concern herself about the +master. He died, but left money only for the erection of a statue in the +forum. Me he utterly forgot. Then my mistress sold me to the father of my +present master. When he died also he manumitted eight slaves, but they +were all men. His monument stands beside the road to Tolosa, with eight +Phrygian caps sculptured on it, to represent the manumissions; but me--he +forgot." + +"Then, for all these five and twenty years you have cared for Pedo and +desired to be united to him!" + +"Yes, I longed for it greatly for twenty years, and so did he, poor +fellow; but, after that, hope died. I have now no hope, no joy in life, no +expectation of aught. Presently will come death, and death ends all." + +"No, Blanda; that is not what we hold. We look for eternal life." + +"For masters, not for slaves." + +"For slaves as well as masters, and then God will wipe away all tears from +our eyes." + +"Alack, mistress. The power to hope is gone from me. In a wet season, when +there is little sun, then the fruit mildews on the tree and drops off. +When we were young we put forth the young fruit of hopes; but there has +been no sun. They fall off, and the tree can bear no more." + +"Blanda, if ever I have the power----" + +"Oh, mistress, with my master you can do anything." + +"Blanda, I do not know that I can ask him for this--thy freedom. But, if +the opportunity offers, I certainly will not forget thee." + +A slave appeared at the door and signed to Blanda, who, with an obeisance, +asked leave to depart. The leave was given, and she left the room. + +Presently she returned in great excitement, followed by Baudillas and +Pedo, both drenched with rain and battered by the gale. + +Perpetua uttered an exclamation of delight, and rushed to the deacon with +extended arms. + +"I pray, I pray, give me some news of my mother." + +But he drew back likewise surprised, and replied with another question: + +"The Lady Perpetua! And how come you to be here?" + +"That I will tell later," answered the girl. "Now inform me as to my +mother." + +"Alas!" replied Baudillas, wiping the rain from his face, "the news is +sad. She has been taken before Petronius, and has been consigned to +prison." + +"My mother is in prison!" + +The deacon desired to say no more, but he was awkward at disguising his +unwillingness to speak the whole truth. The eager eyes of the girl read +the hesitation in his face. + +"I beseech you," she urged, "conceal nothing from me." + +"I have told you, she is in jail." + +"On what charge? Who has informed against her?" + +"I was not in the court when she was tried. I know very little. I was near +the town, waiting about, and I got scraps of information from some of our +people, and from Pedo, who went into the city." + +"Then you do know. Answer me truly. Tell me all." + +"I--I was in prison myself, but escaped through the aid of Pedo. I tarried +in an old kiln. He advised that I should come on here, where he had +friends. Dost thou know that Marcianus has been sentenced? He will win +that glorious crown which I have lost. I--I, unworthy, I fled, when it +might have been mine. Yet, God forgive me! I am not ungrateful to Pedo. +Marcianus said I was a coward, and unfit for the Kingdom of God; that I +should be excluded because I had turned back. God forgive me!" + +Suddenly Perpetua laid hold of Baudillas by both arms, and so gripped him +that the water oozed between her fingers and dropped on the floor. + +"I adjure thee, by Him in whom we both believe, answer me truly, speak +fully. Is my mother retained in prison till I am found?" + +The deacon looked down nervously, uncomfortably, and shuffled from foot to +foot. + +"Understand," said he, after a long silence, "all I learned is by hearsay. +I really know nothing for certain." + +"I suffer more by your silence than were I to be told the truth, be the +truth never so painful." + +"Have I not said it? The Lady Quincta is in prison." + +"Is that all?" + +Again he maintained an embarrassed silence. + +"It matters not," said Perpetua firmly. "I will my own self find out what +has taken place. I shall return to Nemausus on foot, and immediately. I +will deliver myself up to the magistrate and demand my mother's release." + +"You must not go--the weather is terrible." + +"I shall--nothing can stay me. I shall go, and go alone, and go at once." + +"There is no need for such haste. It is not till to-morrow that Quincta +will be put on the rack." + +"On the rack!" + +"Fool that I am! I have uttered what I should have kept secret." + +"It is said. My resolve is formed. I return to Nemausus." + +"Then," said the deacon, "I will go with thee." + +"There is no need. I will take Blanda." + +"I will go. A girl, a young girl shames me. I run away from death, and she +offers herself to the sword. Marcianus said I was a renegade. I will not +be thought to have denied my Master--to have fled from martyrdom." + +"Then," said Perpetua, "I pray thee this--first give freedom unto Pedo." + +Baudillas administered a slight stroke on the cheek to his slave, and +said: + +"Go; thou art discharged from bondage." + + + + + + CHAPTER XXII + + THE ARENA + + +The games that were to be given in the amphitheater of Nemausus on the +nones of March were due to a bequest of Domitius Afer, the celebrated, or +rather infamous, informer and rhetorician, who had brought so many +citizens of Rome to death during the principate of Tiberius. He had run +great risk himself under Caligula, but had escaped by a piece of adroit +flattery. In dying he bequeathed a large sum out of his ill-gotten +gains--the plunder of those whom he had destroyed, and whose families he +had ruined--to be expended in games in the amphitheater on the nones of +March, for the delectation of the citizens, and to keep his memory green +in his native city. + +The games were to last two days. On the first there would be contests with +beasts, and on the second a water combat, when the arena would be flooded +and converted into a lake. + +Great anxiety was entertained relative to the weather. Unless the mistral +ceased and the rain passed away, it would be impossible for the sports to +be held. It was true that the entire oval could be covered in by curtains +and mats, stretched between poles, but this contrivance was intended as +shelter against sun and not rain. Moreover, the violence of the wind had +rendered it quite impossible to extend the curtains. + +The town was in the liveliest excitement. The man guilty of having +mutilated the statue had been sentenced to be cast to the beasts, and this +man was no vulgar criminal out of the slums, but belonged to one of the +superior "orders." + +That a great social change had taken place in the province, and that the +freedmen had stepped into power and influence, to the displacement of +their former masters, was felt by the descendants of the first AEgypto- +Greek colonists, and by the relics of the Gaulish nobility, but they +hardly endured to admit the fact in words. The exercise of the rights of +citizenship, the election of the officials, the qualification for filling +the superior secular and religious offices, belonged to the decurion or +noble families. Almost the sole office open to those below was that of the +seviri; and yet even in elections the freedmen were beginning to exhibit a +power of control. + +Now, one of the old municipal families was to be humbled by a member being +subjected to the degradation of death in the arena, and none of the +Falerii ventured to raise a voice in his defence, so critical did they +perceive the situation to be. The sodality of the Augustals in conclave +had determined that an example was to be made of Marcianus, and had made +this plain to the magistrates. They had even insisted on the manner of his +execution. His death would be a plain announcement to the decurion class +that its domination was at an end. The ancient patrician and plebeian +families of Rome had been extinguished in blood, and their places filled +by a new nobility of army factors and money-lenders. A similar revolution +had taken place in the provinces by less bloody means. There, the transfer +of power was due largely to the favor of the prince accorded to the +freedmen. + +In the Augustal colleges everywhere, the Caesar had a body of devoted +adherents, men without nationality, with no historic position, no +traditions of past independence; men, moreover, who were shrewd enough to +see that by combination they would eventually be able to wrest the control +of the municipal government from those who had hitherto exercised it. + +The rumor spread rapidly that a fresh entertainment was to be provided. +The damsel who had been rescued from the basin of Nemausus had surrendered +herself in order to obtain the release of her mother; and the magistrate +in office, Petronius Atacinus, out of consideration for the good people of +the town, whom he loved, and out of reverence for the gods who had been +slighted, had determined that she should be produced in the arena, and +there obliged publicly to sacrifice, and then to be received into the +priesthood. Should she, however, prove obdurate, then she would be +tortured into compliance. + +Nor was this all. Baudillas Macer, the last scion of a decayed Volcian +family, who had been cast into the pit of the _robur_, but had escaped, +was also to be brought out and executed, as having assisted in the rescue +of Perpetua from the fountain, but chiefly for having connived at the +crime of Falerius Marcianus. + +To the general satisfaction, the wind fell as suddenly as it had risen, +and that on the night preceding the sports. The weather remained bitterly +cold, and the sky was dark with clouds that seemed ready to burst. Not a +ray of sunlight traveled across the arena and climbed the stages of the +amphitheater. The day might have been one in November, and the weather +that encountered on the northern plains of Germania. + +The townsfolk, and the spectators from the country, came provided against +the intemperance of the weather, wrapped in their warmest mantles, which +they drew as hoods over their heads. Slaves arrived, carrying boxes with +perforated tops, that contained glowing charcoal, so that their masters +and mistresses might keep their feet warm whilst attending the games. Some +carried cushions for the seats, others wolf-skin rugs to throw over the +knees of the well-to-do spectators. + +The ranges of the great oval were for the most part packed with +spectators. The topmost seats were full long before the rest. The stone +benches were divided into tiers. At the bottom, near the _podium_ or +breastwork confining the arena, were those for the municipal dignitaries, +for the priests, and for certain strangers to whom seats had been granted +by decree of the town council. Here might be read, "Forty seats decreed to +the navigators of the Rhone and Saone;" at another part of the +circumference, "Twenty-five places appointed to the navigators of the +Ardeche and the Ouveze." + +Above the ranges of seats set apart for the officials and guests were +those belonging to the decurions and knights, the nobility and gentry of +the town and little republic. The third range was that allotted to the +freedmen and common townsfolk and peasants from the country, and the +topmost stage was abandoned to be occupied by slaves alone. At one end of +the ellipse sat the principal magistrates close to the _podium_ at one +end, and at the other the master of the games and his attendants, the +prefect of the watch and of the firemen. + +Two doors, one at each end, gave access to the arena, or means of exit. +One was that of the _vivarium_, whence the gladiators and prisoners issued +from a large chamber under the seats and feet of the spectators. The other +door was that which conducted to the _libitinum_, into which were cast the +corpses of men and the carcasses of beasts that had perished in the games. + +Immediately below the seat of the principal magistrates and of the +pontiffs was a little altar, on the breastwork about the arena, with a +statue of Nemausus above it; and a priest stood at the side to keep the +charcoal alight, and to serve the incense to such as desired to do homage +to the god. + +It was remarked that the attendance in the reserved seats of the decurions +was meager. Such as were connected with the Falerian family by blood or +marriage made it a point to absent themselves; others stayed away because +huffed at the insolence of the freedmen, and considering that the sentence +passed on Marcianus was a slight cast on their order. + +On the other hand, the freedmen crowded to the show in full force, and not +having room to accommodate themselves and their families in the zone +allotted to them, some audaciously threw themselves over the barriers of +demarcation and were followed by others, and speedily flooded the benches +of the decurions. + +When the magistrates arrived, preceded by their lictors, all in the +amphitheater rose, and the Quatuor-viri bowed to the public. Each took a +pinch from the priest, who extended a silver shell containing aromatic +gums, and cast it on the fire, some gravely, Petronius with a flippant +gesture. Then the latter turned to the Augustal _flamen_, saying: "To the +god Augustus and the divine Julia (Livia)," and he threw some more grains +on the charcoal. + +"Body of Bacchus!" said he, as he took his seat, "a little fizzling spark +such as that may please the gods, but does not content me. I wish I had a +roaring fire at which, like a babe out of its bath, I could spread my ten +toes and as many fingers. Such a day as this is! With cold weather I +cannot digest my food properly. I feel a lump in me as did Saturn when his +good Rhea gave him a meal of stones. I am full of twinges. By Vulcan and +his bellows! if it had not been for duty I would have been at home adoring +the Lares and Penates. These shows are for the young and warm-blooded. The +arms of my chair send a chill into my marrow-bones. What comes first? Oh! +a contest with a bull. Well, I shall curl up and doze like a marmot. Wake +me, good Smerius, when the next portion of the entertainment begins." + +A bull was introduced, and a gladiator was employed to exasperate and play +with the beast. He waved a garment before its eyes, then drove a sharp +instrument into its flank, and when the beast turned, he nimbly leaped out +of the way. When pursued he ran, then turned sharply, put his hands on the +back of the bull, and leaped over it. + +The people cheered, but they had seen the performance so often repeated +that they speedily tired of such poor sport. The bull was accordingly +dispatched. Horses were introduced and hooked to the carcass, which was +rapidly drawn out. Then entered attendants of the amphitheater, who +strewed sand where the blood had been spilt, bowed and retired. + +Thereupon the jailer threw open the gates of the _vivarium_ and brought +forth the prisoners. These consisted of the taverner who had murdered his +guests, the manumitted slave who had robbed his master, Baudillas, +Marcianus and Perpetua. + +A thrill of cruel delight ran through the concourse of spectators. Now +something was about to be shown them, harrowing to the feelings, +gratifying to the ferocity that is natural to all men, and is expelled, +not at all by civilization, but by divine grace only. + +It enhanced the pleasure of the spectators that criminals should witness +the death of their fellows. Eyes scanned their features, observed whether +they turned sick and faint, whether they winced, or whether they remained +cool and callous. This gave a cruel zest to their enjoyment. + +A bear was produced. Dogs were set on him, and he was worried till he +shook off his torpor and was worked into fury. Then, at a sign from the +manager of the games, the dogs were called off, and the man who had +murdered his guests was driven forward towards the incensed beast. + +The fellow was sullen, and gave no token of fear. He folded his arms, +leaned against the marble _podium_, and looked contemptuously around him +at the occupants of the tiers of seats. + +The bear, relieved from his aggressors, seemed indisposed to notice the +man. + +Then the spectators roared to the criminal, bidding him invite the brute +against himself. It was a strange fact that often in these horrible +exhibitions a man condemned to fight with the beasts allowed himself a +brief display of vanity, and sought to elicit the applause of the +spectators by his daring conduct to the animal that was to mangle and kill +him. + +But the ill-humored fellow would not give this pleasure to the onlookers. + +Then the master of the sports signed to the attendants to goad the bear. +They obeyed, and he turned and growled and struck at them, but would not +touch the man designed to be hugged by him. + +After many vain attempts, amidst the hooting and roar of the people, a +sign was made. Some gladiators leaped in, and with their swords dispatched +the taverner. + +The spectators were indignant. They had been shown no sport, only a common +execution. They were shivering with cold; some grumbled, and said that +this was childish stuff to witness which was not worth the discomfort of +the exposure. Then, as with one voice, rose the yell: "The wolves! send in +the wolves! Marcianus to the wolves!" + +The master of the games dispatched a messenger to the Quatuorvir who was +then the acting magistrate. He nodded to what was said, waved his hand in +the direction of the master's box, and the latter sent an attendant to the +keeper of the beasts. + +The jailer-executioner at once grasped the deacon Falerius Marcianus by +the shoulders, bade him descend some steps and enter the arena. + +Marcianus was deadly white. He shrank with disgust from the spot where the +soil was drenched with the blood of the taverner, and which was not as yet +strewn over with fresh sand. He cast a furtive look at the altar, then +made an appealing gesture to the magistrate. + +"Come here, Cneius Marcianus," said Petronius. "You belong to a +respectable and ancient family. You have been guilty of an infamous deed +that has brought disgrace on your entire order. See how many absent +themselves this day on that account! Your property is confiscated, you are +sentenced to death. Yet I give you one chance. Sacrifice to the gods and +blaspheme Christ. I do not promise you life if you do this. You must +appeal to the people. If they see you offer incense, they will know that +you have renounced the Crucified. Then I will put the question to their +decision. If they hold up their thumbs you will live. Consider, it is a +chance; it depends, not on me, but on their humor. Will you sacrifice?" + +Marcianus looked at the mighty hoop of faces. He saw that the vast +concourse was thrilled with expectation; a notion crossed the mind of one +of the freedmen that Marcianus was being given a means of escape, and he +shouted words that, though audible and intelligible to those near, were +not to be caught by such as were distant. But the purport of his address +was understood, and produced a deafening, a furious roar of remonstrance. + +"I will not sacrifice," said the deacon; "I am a Christian." + +Then Petronius Atacinus raised his hand, partly to assure the spectators +that he was not opposing their wishes, partly as a signal to the master of +the games. + +Instantly a low door in the barrier was opened, and forth rushed a howling +pack of wolves. When they had reached the center of the arena, they stood +for a moment snuffing, and looked about them in questioning attitudes. +Some, separating from the rest, ran with their snouts against the ground +to where the recent blood had been spilt. But, all at once, a huge gray +wolf, that led the pack, uttered a howl, and made a rush and a leap +towards Marcianus; and the rest followed. + +The sight was too terrible for the deacon to contemplate it unmoved. He +remained but for an instant as one frozen, and then with a cry he started +and ran round the ellipse, and the whole gray pack tore after him. Now and +then, finding that they gained on him, he turned with threatening gestures +that cowed the brutes; but this was for a moment only. Their red eyes, +their gleaming teeth filled the wretched man with fresh terror, and again +he ran. + +The spectators clapped their hands--some stood up on their seats and +laughed in ecstasy of enjoyment. Once, twice he made the circuit of the +arena; and his pace, if possible, became quicker. The delight of the +spectators became an intoxication. It was exquisite. Fear in the flying +man became frantic. His breath, his strength were failing. Then suddenly +he halted, half turned, and ran to the foot of the barrier before the seat +of the Quatuor-viri, and extended his hand: "Give me the incense! I +worship Nemausus! I adore Augustus! I renounce Christ!" + +At the same moment the old monster wolf had seized him from behind. The +arms of the deacon were seen for an instant in the air. The spectators +stamped and danced and cheered--the dense gray mass of writhing, snarling +beasts closed over the spot where Marcianus had fallen! + + + + + + CHAPTER XXIII + + THE CLOUD-BREAK + + +The acting magistrate turned to his fellow-quatuorvir, charged with co- +ordinate judicial authority, on the left, and said: "Your nose is leaden- +purple in hue." + +"No marvel, in this cold. I ever suffer there with the least frost. My ear +lobes likewise are seats of chilblain." + +"In this climate! Astonishing! If it had been in Britain, or in Germany, +it might have been expected." + +"My brother-magistrate," said Vibius Fuscianus, "I believe that here in +the south we are more sensible to frost than are those who live under +hyperborean skies. There they expect cold, and take precautions +accordingly. Here the blasts fall on us unawares. We groan and sigh till +the sun shines out, and then forget our sufferings. Who but fools would be +here to-day? Look above. The clouds hang low, and are so dark that we may +expect to be pelted with hail." + +"Aye," laughed Petronius, "as big as the pebbles that strew the Crau +wherewith Hercules routed the Ligurians. Well; it is black as an eclipse. +I will give thee a hint, Vibius mine! I have made my slave line this +marble seat with hot bricks. They are comforting to the spine, the very +column of life. Presently he will be here with another supply. You see we +are not all fools. Some do make provision against the cold." + +"I wish I had thought of this before." + +"That is precisely the wish that crossed the mind of the poor wretch whom +the wolves have finished. He postponed his renunciation of Christ till +just too late." + +Then Lucius Petronius yawned, stretched himself, and signed that the +freedman who had robbed the master who had manumitted him, should be +delivered to a panther. + +The wolves were with difficulty chased out of the arena, and then all was +prepared for this next exhibition. It was brief. The beast was hungry, and +the criminal exposed made little effort to resist. Next came the turn of +Baudillas. + +Without raising himself in his seat, the Quatuorvir said languidly: "You +broke out of prison, you were charged with aiding and abetting sacrilege. +You refused to sacrifice to the genius of the Emperor. Well, if you will +cast a few grains of incense in the fire, I will let you depart." + +"I cannot forswear Christ," said Baudillas with a firmness that surprised +none so much as himself. But, indeed, the fall of Marcianus, so far from +drawing him along into the same apostasy, had caused a recoil in his soul. +To hear his fellow-ministrant deny Christ, to see him extend his hands for +the incense--that inspired him with an indignation which gave immense force +to his resolution. The Church had been dishonored, the ministry disgraced +in Marcianus. Oh, that they might not be thus humbled in himself! + +"Baudillas Macer," said the magistrate, "take advice, and be speedy in +making your election; your fellow, who has just furnished a breakfast to +the wolves, hesitated a moment too long, and so lost his life. By the time +he had resolved to act as a wise man and a good citizen, not the gods +themselves could deliver him. _Flamen_, hand the shell with the grains to +this sensible fellow." + +"I cannot offer sacrifice." + +"You are guilty of treason against Caesar if you refuse to sacrifice to his +genius. Never mind about Nemausus, whose image is there. Say--the genius of +Caesar, and you are quit." + +"I am his most obedient subject." + +"Then offer a libation or some frankincense." + +"I cannot. I pray daily to God for him." + +"A wilful man is like a stubborn ass. There is naught for him but the +stick. I can do no more. I shall sentence you." + +"I am ready to die for Christ." + +"Then lead him away. The sword!" + +The deacon bowed. "I am unworthy of shedding my blood for Christ," he +said, and his voice, though low, was firm. + +Then he looked around and saw the Bishop Castor in the zone allotted to +the citizens and knights. Baudillas crossed his arms on his breast and +knelt on the sand, and the bishop, rising from his seat, extended his hand +in benediction. + +He, Castor, had not been called to sacrifice. He had not courted death, +but he had not shrunk from it. He had not concealed himself, nevertheless +he had been passed over. + +Then the deacon, with firm step, walked into the center of the arena and +knelt down. + +In another moment his head was severed from the body. + +The attendants immediately removed every trace of the execution, and now +arrived the moment for which all had looked with impatience. + +The magistrate said: "Bring forward Perpetua, daughter of Aulus Harpinius +Laeto, that has lived." + +At once AEmilius sprang into the arena and advanced before Petronius. + +"Suffer me to act as her advocate," said he in an agitated voice. "You +know me, I am Lentulus Varo." + +"I know you very well by repute, AEmilius," answered the Quatuorvir; "but I +think there is no occasion now for your services. This is not a court of +justice in which your forensic eloquence can be heard, neither is this a +case to be adjudicated upon, and calling for defence. The virgin was +chosen by lot to be given to the god Nemausus, and was again demanded by +him speaking at midnight, after she had been rescued from his fountain, if +I mistake not, by you. Your power of interference ceased there. Now, she +is accused of nothing. She is reconsigned to the god, whose she is." + +"I appeal to Caesar." + +"If I were to allow the appeal, would that avail thy client? But it is no +case in which an appeal is justifiable. The god is merciful. He does not +exact the life of the damsel, he asks only that she enter into his service +and be a priestess at his shrine, that she pour libations before his +altar, and strew rose leaves on his fountain. Think you that the Caesar +will interfere in such a matter? Think you that, were it to come before +him, he would forbid this? But ask thy client if the appeal be according +to her desire." + +Perpetua shook her head. + +"No, she is aware that it would be profitless. If thou desirest to serve +her, then use thy persuasion and induce her to do sacrifice." + +"Sir," said AEmilius in great agitation, "how can she become the votary of +a god in whom she does not believe?" + +"Oh, as to that," answered the Quatuorvir, "it is a formality, nothing +more; a matter of incense and rose leaves. As to _belief_," he turned to +his fellow-magistrate, and said, laughing, "listen to this man. He talks +of belief, as though that were a necessary ingredient in worship! Thou, +with thy plum-colored nose, hast thou full faith in AEsculapius to cure +thee even of a chilblain?" + +Fuscianus shrugged his shoulders. "I hate all meddlers with usages that +are customary. I hate them as I do a bit of grit in my salad. I put them +away." + +The populace became impatient, shouted and stamped. Some, provided with +empty gourds, in which were pebbles, rattled them, and made a strange +sound as of a hailstorm. Others clacked together pieces of pottery. The +magistrate turned to the pontiff on his right and said: "We believe with +all our hearts in the gods when we do sacrifice! Oh, mightily, I trow." +Then he laughed again. The priest looked grave for a moment, and then he +laughed also. + +"Come now," said Lucius Petronius to the young lawyer, "to this I limit +thy interference. Stand by the girl and induce her to yield. By the Bow- +bearer! young men do not often fail in winning the consent of girls when +they use their best blandishments. It will be a scene for the stage. You +have plenty of spectators." + +"Suffer me also to stand beside her," said the slave-woman Blanda, who had +not left Perpetua. + +"By all means. And if you two succeed, none will be better content than +myself. I am not one who would wish a fair virgin a worse fate than to +live and be merry and grow old. Ah me! old age!" + +Again the multitude shouted and rattled pumpkins. + +"We are detaining the people in the cold," said the presiding magistrate; +"the sports move sluggishly as does our blood." Then, aside to Fuscianus, +"My bricks are becoming sensibly chilled. I require a fresh supply." Then +to the maiden: "Hear me, Perpetua, daughter of Harpinius Laeto that was--we +and the gods, or the gods and we, are indisposed to deal harshly. Throw a +few crumbs of incense on the altar, and you shall pass at once up those +steps to the row of seats where sit the white-robed priestesses with their +crowns. I shall be well content." + +"That is a thing I cannot do," said Perpetua firmly. + +"Then we shall have to make you," said the magistrate in hard tones. He +was angry, vexed. "You will prove more compliant when you have been +extended on the rack. Let her be disrobed and tortured." + +Then descended into the arena two young men, who bowed to the magistrate, +solicited leave, and drew forth styles or iron pens and tablets covered +with wax. These were the scribes of the Church employed everywhere to take +down a record of the last interrogatory of a martyr. Such records were +called the "Acts." Of them great numbers have been preserved, but +unhappily rarely unfalsified. The simplicity of the acts, the stiffness of +style, the absence of all miraculous incident, did not suit the taste of +mediaeval compilers, and they systematically interpolated the earlier acts +with harrowing details and records of marvels. Nevertheless, a certain +number of these acts remain uncorrupted, and with regard to the rest it is +not difficult to separate in them that which is fictitious from that which +is genuine. Such notaries were admitted to the trials and executions with +as much indifference as would be newspaper reporters nowadays. + +Again, with the sweat of anguish breaking out on his brow, AEmilius +interposed. + +"I pray your mercy," he said; "let the sentence be still further modified. +Suffer the damsel to be relieved of becoming a priestess. Let her become +my wife, and I swear that I will make over my estate of Ad Fines to the +temple of the god Nemausus, with the villa upon it, and statues and works +of art." + +"That is an offer to be entertained by the priesthood and not by me. +Boy--hot bricks! and be quick about removing those which have become almost +cold." + +A pause ensued whilst the proposal of AEmilius was discussed between the +chief priestess of the fountain and the Augustal _flamen_ and the other +pontiffs. + +The populace became restless, impatient, noisy. They shouted, hooted; +called out that they were tired of seeing nothing. + +"Come," said Petronius, "I cannot further delay proceedings." + +"We consent," said the chief pontiff. + +"That is well." + +Then AEmilius approached Perpetua, and entreated her to give way. To cast a +few grains on the charcoal meant nothing; it was a mere movement of the +hand, a hardly conscious muscular act, altogether out of comparison with +the results. Such compliance would give her life, happiness, and would +place her in a position to do vast good, and he assured her that his whole +life would be devoted to her service. + +"I cannot," she said, looking AEmilius full in the face. "Do not think me +ungrateful; my heart overflows for what you have done for me, but I cannot +deny my Christ." + +Again he urged her. Let her consent and he--even he would become a +Christian. + +"No," said she, "not at that price. You would be in heart for ever +estranged from the faith." + +"To the rack! Lift her on to the little horse. Domitius Afer left his +bequest to the city in order that we should be amused, not befooled," +howled the spectators. + +"Executioners, do your duty," said the magistrate. "But if she cry out, +let her off. She will sacrifice. Only to the first hole--mind you. If that +does not succeed, well, then, we shall try sharper means." + +And now the little horse was set up in the midst of the arena, and +braziers of glowing charcoal were planted beside it; in the fire rested +crooks and pincers to get red hot. + +The "little horse" was a structure of timber. Two planks were set edgeways +with a wheel between them at each end. The structure stood on four legs, +two at each extremity, spreading at the base. Halfway down, between these +legs, at the ends, was a roller, furnished with levers that passed through +them. A rope was attached to the ankles, another to the wrists of the +person extended on the back of the "horse," and this rope was strained +over the pulleys by means of the windlasses. The levers could be turned to +any extent, so as, if required, to wrench arms and legs from their +sockets. + +And now ensued a scene that refuses description. "We are made a spectacle +unto men and angels," said the apostle, and none could realize how true +were the words better than those who lived in times of persecution. Before +that vast concourse the modest Christian maiden was despoiled of her +raiment and was stretched upon the rack--swung between the planks. + +AEmilius felt his head swim and his heart contract. What could he do? Again +he entreated, but she shook her head, yet turned at his voice and smiled. + +Then the executioners threw themselves on the levers, and a hush as of +death fell on the multitude. Twenty thousand spectators looked on, twice +that number of eyes were riveted on the frail girl undergoing this agony. +Bets had been made on her constancy, bandied about, taken, and booked. +Castor stood up, with face turned to heaven, and extended arms, praying. + +The creaking of the windlass was audible; then rang out a sharp cry of +pain. + +Immediately the cords were relaxed and the victim lowered to the ground. +Blanda threw a mantle over her. + +"She will sacrifice," said AEmilius; "take off the cords." + +The executioners looked to the magistrate. He nodded, and they obeyed. The +bonds were rapidly removed from her hands and feet. + +"Blanda, sustain her!" commanded AEmilius, and he on one side, with his arm +round the sinking, quivering form, and the slave-woman on the other, +supported Perpetua. Her feet dragged and traced a furrow in the sand; they +were numbed and powerless through the tension of the cords that had been +knotted about the ankles. AEmilius and Blanda drew her towards the altar. + +"I cannot! I will not sacrifice! I am a Christian. I believe in Christ! I +love Christ!" + +"Perpetua," said AEmilius in agitated tones, "your happiness and mine +depend on compliance. For all I have done for you, if you will not for +your own sake--consent to this. Here! I will hold your hand. Nay, it is I +who will strew the incense, and make it appear as though it were done by +you. Priest! The shell with the grains." + +"Spare me! I cannot!" gasped the girl, struggling in his arms. "I cannot +be false to my Christ--for all that He has done for me." + +"You shall. I must constrain you." He set his teeth, knitted his brow. All +his muscles were set in desperation. He strove to force her hand to the +altar. + +"Shame on thee!" sobbed she. "Thou art more cruel than the torturer, more +unjust than the judge." + +It was so. AEmilius felt that she was right. They did but insult and rack a +frail body, and he did violence to the soul within. + +The people hooted and roared, and brandished their arms threateningly. "We +will not be balked! We are being treated to child's play." + +"Take her back to the rack. Apply the fire," ordered the Quatuorvir. + +The executioners reclaimed her. She offered no resistance. AEmilius +staggered to the _podium_ and grasped the marble top with one hand. + +She was again suspended on the little horse. Again the windlass creaked. +The crowd listened, held its breath, men looked in each other's eyes, then +back to the scene of suffering. Not a sound; not a cry; no, not even a +sigh. She bore all. + +"Try fire!" ordered the magistrate. + +AEmilius had covered his face. He trembled. He would have shut his ears as +he did his eyes, could he have done so. Verily, the agony of his soul was +as great as the torture of her body. But there was naught to be heard--an +ominous stillness, only the groaning of the windlass, and now and then a +word from one executioner to his fellow. + +At every creak of the wheel a quiver went through the frame of AEmilius. He +listened with anguish of mind for a cry. The populace held its breath; it +waited. There was none. Into her face he dared not look. But the twenty +thousand spectators stared--and saw naught save lips moving in prayer. + +And now a mighty wonder occurred. + +The dense cloud that filled the heavens began softly, soundlessly, to +discharge its burden. First came, scarce noticed, sailing down, a few +large white flakes like fleeces of wool. Then they came fast, faster, ever +faster. And now it was as though a white bridal veil had been let down out +of heaven to hide from the eyes of the ravening multitude the spectacle of +the agony of Christ's martyr. None could see across the arena; soon none +could see obscurely into it. The snowflakes fell thick and dense, they +massed as a white cornice on the parapet, they dropped on every head, they +whitened the bloodstained, trampled sand. And all fled before the snow. +First went a few in twos or threes; then whole rows stood up, and through +the vomitories the multitude poured--freedmen, slaves, knights, ladies, +_flamines_, magistrates; none could stand against the descending snow. + +"Cast her down!" This was the last command issued by Petronius as he rose +from his seat. The executioners were glad to escape. They relaxed the +ropes, and threw their victim on the already white ground. + +Still thick and fast fell the fleeces. Blanda had cast a mantle of wool +over the prostrate girl, but out of heaven descended a pall, whiter than +fuller on earth can bleach, and buried the woolen cloak and the extended +quivering limbs. Beside her, in the snow, knelt AEmilius. He held her hand +in one of his. She looked him in the face and smiled. Then she said: "Give +to Blanda her liberty." + +He could not speak. He signed that it should be so. + +Then she said: "I have prayed for thee--on the rack, in the fire--that the +light may shine into thy heart." + +She closed her eyes. + +Still he held her hand, and with the other gently brushed away the +snowflakes as they fell on her pure face. Oh wondrous face! Face above the +dream of the highest Greek artist! + +Thus passed an hour--thus a second. + +Then suddenly the clouds parted, and the sun poured down a flood of glory +over the dazzling white oval field, in the midst of which lay a heap of +whiteness, and on a face as of alabaster, inanimate, and on a kneeling, +weeping man, still with reverent finger sweeping away the last snowflakes +from eyelash, cheek and hair, and who felt as if he could thus look, and +kneel, and weep for ever.(12) + + + + + + CHAPTER XXIV + + CREDO + + +Many days had passed. All was calm in Nemausus. The games were over. + +The day succeeding that we have described was warm and spring-like. The +sun shone brilliantly. Every trace of the snow had disappeared, and the +water-fight in the amphitheater had surpassed the expectations of the +people. They had enjoyed themselves heartily. + +All had returned to its old order. The wool merchant took fresh commands, +and sent his travelers into the Cebennae to secure the winter fleeces. The +woman who had the flower-shop sold garlands as fast as she could weave +them. The potter spread out a fresh collection of his wares and did a good +business with them. + +The disturbances that had taken place were no more spoken about. The +deaths of Marcianus, Baudillas and Perpetua hardly occupied any thoughts, +save only those of their relatives and the Christians. + +The general public had seen a show, and the show over, they had other +concerns to occupy them. + +Now both Pedo and Blanda were free, and the long tarrying was over. They +had loved when young, they came together in the autumn of their lives. + +In the heart of the Church of Nemausus there was not forgetfulness of its +heroes. + + + +If the visitor at the present day to Nimes will look about him, he will +find two churches, both recently rebuilt, in place of, and on the site of, +very ancient places of worship, and the one bears the name of St. +Baudille. If he inquire of the sacristan, "Mais qui, donc, etait-il, ce +saint?" then the answer given him will be: "Baudillas was a native of +Nimes, a deacon, and a martyr." + +If he ask further, "But when?" Then the sacristan will probably reply with +a shrug: "Mais, monsieur; qui sait?" + +In another part of the town is a second church, glowing internally with +color from its richly painted windows, and this bears the name of Ste. +Perpetue. + +Does the visitor desire to be told whether it has been erected in honor +and in commemoration of the celebrated African martyrs Felicitas and +Perpetua, or of some local virgin saint who shed her blood for Christ, +then let him again inquire of the sacristan. + +What his answer will be I cannot say. + + + +The Bishop Castor remained much in his house. He grieved that he had not +been called to witness to the faith that was in him. But he was a humble +man, and he said to himself: "Such was the will of God, and that sufficeth +me." + +One evening he was informed that a man, who would not give his name, +desired to speak with him. + +He ordered that he should be introduced. + +When the visitor entered, Castor recognized AEmilius, but the man was +changed. Lines of thought and of sorrow marked his face, that bore other +impress as well of the travail of his soul within him. He seemed older, +his face more refined than before, there was less of carnal beauty, and +something spiritual that shone out of his eyes. + +The bishop warmly welcomed him. + +Then said AEmilius in a low tone, "I am come to thee for instruction. I +know but little, yet what I know of Christ I believe. He is not dead, He +liveth; He is a power; mighty is faith, and mighty is the love that He +inspires. _Credo._" + + + + + + + FOOTNOTES + + + 1 So represented in paintings in the Catacombs. There were two + distinct types: the table in the Church and the tomb at the + Sepulcher of the Martyr. + + 2 St. Clement of Alexandria complained of the dainties provided for + the Agape: "The sauces, cakes, sugar-plums, the drink, the + delicacies, the games, the sweetmeats, the honey." The hour of + supper with the Romans was about 2 P.M.; that, therefore, was the + time for the love-feast to begin. + + 3 In the recently-exhumed house of Saints John and Paul, in the Coelian + Hill at Rome, such bottles were discovered in the cellar. + + 4 Now Ambroix. + + 5 Certain Christians bought substitutes to sacrifice in their room and + receive a ticket (_libellus_) certifying that they had sacrificed. + The Church was a little perplexed how to deal with these timorous + members, who were termed _libellatics_. + + 6 I employ the term Duumvir for convenience. As already stated, there + were four chief magistrates, but two only had criminal jurisdiction. + + 7 "Erat et robur, locus in carcere, quo praecipitabatur maleficorum + genus, quod ante arcis robustis includebatur."--LIV. 38, 39. + + 8 The prayer is given in the "Apostolic Constitutions," viii. 37. + + 9 The casting into the lowest pit of the _robur_--sometimes termed the + _barathrum_--was not a rare act of barbarity. Jugurtha perished in + that of the Tullianum in Rome. "By Hercules!" said he as he was + being lowered into it, "your bath is cold!" S. Ferreolus, of Vienne, + was plunged into this horrible place in A.D. 304. He was young, and + by diving or by working at the grating he managed to escape much in + the manner described above. Thus through the sewer he reached the + Rhone, and swam across it. He was, however, recaptured and taken + back to Vienne, where he was decapitated. He is commemorated in the + diocese of Vienne on September 18th, and is mentioned by Sidonius + Apollinaris in the fifth century, and by Venantius Fortunatus in the + sixth. S. Gregory, the illuminator, was cast into the _barathrum_ by + Tiridates. Theodoret describes martyrs devoured by rats and mice in + Persia ("Hist. Eccl.," v. 39). + + 10 This sign is now in the museum. + + 11 Fairies, adored at Nemausus. + + 12 The incident of the fall of snow occurring at the martyrdom of a + virgin saint is no picture of the author's imagination. It occurred + at the passion of S. Eulalia of Merida, in A.D. 303, and is + commemorated in the hymn on her by Prudentius. + + + + + + TRANSCRIBER'S NOTE + + +Variations in hyphenation or spelling have not been changed. + +Changes, which have been made to the text: + + page 55, "Nemauscan" changed to "Nemausean" + page 117, "alloted" changed to "allotted" + page 119, "exisiting" changed to "existing" + page 125, comma removed after "Baudillas" + page 278, "adsence" changed to "absence" + page 280, quote mark added before "Executioners" + + + + + +***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK PERPETUA. A TALE OF NIMES IN A.D. 213*** + + + + CREDITS + + +December 31, 2014 + + Project Gutenberg TEI edition 1 + Produced by Shaun Pinder, Stefan Cramme and the Online + Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This + file was produced from images generously made available by The + Internet Archive) + + + + A WORD FROM PROJECT GUTENBERG + + +This file should be named 47832.txt or 47832.zip. + +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + + + http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/4/7/8/3/47832/ + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one -- the old editions will be +renamed. + +Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright law +means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the +Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States +without permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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