Homo Sum -- Volume 02

courtyard-gate; he came to bring the senator a noble young buck, that he had killed a few

not-and indeed did not care to- conceal from himself the fact, that the wish to give expression to his gratitude

out of the large jar, her white fingers had touched his, and her enquiry whether he were afraid of her, or if not, why his hands which looked so strong should tremble so violently, dwelt still in his mind. The nearer he approached P

the yard. The watch- dogs already knew him, and

by the moon, and then at the Gaul's dwelling-house, which, veiled in darkness, stood up as a vague silhouette, and threw a broad dark shadow on the granite flags of the pavem

f, as he threw the buck over from his left to his right shoulde

its dark stone frame, and this something, attracted his gaze with an irr

ed his flesh with the scourge to banish seductive dream-figures, had in these few days become quite another man. He would not leave the mountain, for his father's sake, but he was quite determined no longer to avoid the way of the world; nay, rather to seek it. He had abandoned the care of his father to

. What he desired of her, he himself could not have said; and nothing

he sin upon himself, if only he might attain his end. Sin after all was nothing but a phantom terror with which they frighten children, and the worthy Petrus had assured him that he mig

lbound, the goat slipped from his shoulders, and he felt as if his heart had ceased to beat. And a

s shone in the dim light as white as her garment. The greyhound barked again; she quieted it, and then asked Hermas how his father was, and whether he needed some more wine. He replied that she was very kind, angelically kind, but t

d said solid and sadly, "I would ask you to come into the house but Phoebicius has locked

ng, but the wine-jar seemed to her heavier than on other occasio

e first had felt it. At this instant there was a sudden noise in the house opposite; the slaves were coming out from supper. Sirona knew what was ha

le escape from the senator's people, who were close upon him, he cried out to Sirona in a commanding tone, "Stand back," and flung himsel

at she was perfectly certain. Some of the slaves went to the stables, others went outside the gate into the street to enjoy the coolness of the evening; they sat in groups on the ground, looking up at the stars, chattering or sing

dder, for it had touched the beast's fresh wound, wet with its blood. She rapidly drew the conclusion that: he had killed it, and had thrown it down here, and that he could not be far off. Now she knew where he was in hiding- and she tried to laugh, for the pain she fel

s, went into the slaves' quarters. An instant after, she slipped out behind the millstones, and crept as cleverly and as s

ugh she could not gather all that he said, she distinguished the sound of his voice

oor of communication between the two rooms was closed, but a streak of light sho

before her mind, brilliant and flooded with light as on that morning, when Hermas had stood just opposite, bewildered by her fascination. And now-now-he was a

again. Why was a

mas did not wrench himself from her white arms, as he had torn himsel

t of a tortured animal. A few minutes more and she had slipped through the stable and the gate by which they drove the

itting from stone to stone, and he threw himself on the ground, and signed a cross on his brow, for he thought he saw

he full- dress uniform of a Roman officer, as handsome as the y

t house we are descended, and I will go to Byzantium, the new Rome, and say

so!" excla

eautiful, as sweet as a flower-as gay and bright as a bird, and yet as hard as our mountain rock. If you do not grant

riend-I am the wiser of us two. Now go into the dark room, I will look out and see whether the people are gone in again, and w

endly word or two, which were answered with equal friendliness, for the Gaulish lady, who never overlooked even the humblest, was dear to

alarm; he had seized her hand and pressed his burning lips to her arm,

rted woman- badly used and suspected as she was, and yet so well formed for happiness, love and peace. When her husband had locked her in, taking even her slave with him, at first she had raved, wept

wine, was in fact a young man of distinguished rank. And how truly to be pitied was the poor boy, who had had his youth spoilt by a stern father. A woman easily bestows some tender feeling on the man that she pities; perhaps because she is grateful to him for the pleasure of feeling herself the stronger, and because through him and his sufferi

ounded self-respect. And there came the young anchorite, who forgot himself and everything else in her presence, whose looks, whose movement, whose very silence even seemed to do homage to her. And then his bold spring into her room, and his eager wooing-"This

d is this great love-sick boy, who stood before Polykarp just lately looking like a school-boy, is he so worthy that I should for his sake give up the right of looking them boldly in the fa

here was a lamp burning on the table, and on a bench by the wall of the room, which was lined with colored stucco, lay the helmet, the centurion's staff, and the other port

reased boldness he opened his arms, and endeavored to draw her to him; but Sirona avoided him and went behind the table, and, leaning her hands on its polis

come over the Gaulish lady; she felt a great pride in her virtue, and in the victory she had won over herself, and while she sunned herself in the splendor of her own merits, she wished that Hermas too sho

kind to him, he fancied already that he had a claim on her liking; but he was greatly mist

or which lay before him, and which gave a new direction to his excited feelings. He involuntarily put out hi

train of thought, "To be sure. You ought to be a soldier. How well it suits you! T

y, in sacrificing our own identity to the tastes of another whose aspect we borrow. The child shares this inexplicable pleasure with the sage, and the stern man who should condemn it would not therefore be the wiser, for he who wholly abjures folly is a

chiefs, ribands, and flowers, and on her part could contrive the most fantastic costumes for them. So soon as she saw Hermas with the helmet on, the fancy seized her to carry through the travesty he had begun. She eagerly and in perfect innocence pulled the coat of armor straight, helped him

is strength out in the world, and he confided to her that if his father got well, he meant to be a soldier, and do great deeds. She quite agreed with him, praised and encouraged him, then she critici

lained to be the scream of an owl, only for a moment reminded her of the danger in which she was placing herself. Petrus' slaves had long gone to rest before she began to weary of amusing herself with Hermas, and desired him to lay aside her husband's equipment, and to leave her. Hermas

greaves; but the gay laugh died upon her lips when the gate flew open, the greyhound and the senator'

nger, she extinguished the lamp, flung open the shutter, and pushed Hermas to the window. The boy did not stay to bid her farewell, but swung himself with a st

, but the other pursued him, and kept close at his heels till he had passed all the houses and began to go up the mountain-path. Hermas felt that he was outstripping his pursuer, and was making ready for a spr

eels, but do you know what it is that lends them the swiftest wings? You have just learned it! It is a bad co

in vain to free himself from the strong grasp of the anc

n a tone of stern severity. "You have been with the centurion's

triking his fist against his forehead, "Merciful Heave

y see you there?" a

t," groaned Herma

, but something may be done in that case. Only think if i

or Sirona!"

ty of showing whether you really are capable of walking on your own feet. First go to Raithu and greet the pious Nikon in my name, and tell him that I remain here on the mountain, for after long praying in the church I have found myself unworthy of the office of elder which they offered me. Then get yourself carried by some ship's captain across the Red Sea, and wander up and down the Egyptian coast. The hordes of the Blemmyes have lately shown themselves the

ws are lying in your cave, I will fetch them and then- aye! you shall see whether you

said, "In my cave, under the green stone, you will find six gold-pieces; take three of them with you on your j

great deeds he was to accomplish eclipsed the image of the fair Sirona, and he was so accustomed to believe in the supe

breathed a short prayer for him; the

his sheepskin to Hermas he had nothing on, but his thread-bare coat. Nevertheless he went slowly onward

d of how in Alexandria he himself had tapped at the s

l had found him with his wife, and had run his sword through his heart, he would have gone unpunished by the earthly judge-however, his father is spared this sorrow. In this desert the old man thought that his darling could not be touched by the world and its p

will take, and say to-day, 'To- morrow

shears that are keen enough to cut the shadow from beneath our feet? What is the prayer that can effectually release us-born o

ITOR'S B

y abjures fo

needed even in

t the road that