Veranilda

wdness, and bushy eyebrows, which lent themselves at will to a look of genial condescension, of pious austerity, or of s

of the Gradual; but that glory had passed away, and at the present time Leander's spiritual activity was less prominent than his services as a most capable steward of the

ntation of certain columns of tawny Numidian marble, from a ruined temple she had inherited, to the deacon's basilica, St. Laurentius; and many were the donations which Leander had since accepted from her on behalf of the Church. In return, he had once or twice rejoiced her with the gift of a precious relic, such as came into the hands of few below royal rank; thus had

to be broached. Then Leander, after viewing with many compliments a piece of rich embroidery which occupied the lady's leisure, and or its completion would of course be put at his disposal, took a seat, set the tips of his fingers together, and began to chat pleasantly of his journey. Many were the pious offerings which had fallen to him upon his way: that of the Sicilian lady who gave her little all to be used to maintain the lamps in the basilica of the Chief Apostle; that of the merchant encountered on shipboard, who gave ten pounds of gold to purchase the freedom of slaves; that of the wealthy curial in Lucania, healed of disease by miracle on the feast of St. Cyprian, who bestowed upon the church in gratitude many acres of olive-bearing land, and promised an annual shipload of prime hogs to feed St. Peter's poor. By smooth transition he passed to higher themes: with absent eyes turned to the laurel-planted court on to which the hall opened, he spoke as if scarcely aware of a listener, of troubles at Rome occasioned by imprudences, indiscretions-what should he say-of the Holy Father. As Petronilla bent forwar

dest emphasis, 'to see a great, a noble, a

s predecessor Silverius, and that, as was too well known, at the bidding of haughty, unscrupulous women, the Empress Theodora and her friend Antonina, wife of Belisarius. Verily, the tim

el and solace from one so qualified to impart them. But alas she must make known a distressful occurrence, whereby the office of a spiritual adviser by the bedside of Maximus must needs be complicated and made

ngth solemnly, 'you of course ho

runk ever from t

ur soul: I could have expected nothing less from Petronilla. You know not wh

r as if the fear were a hope. 'Her nature is st

as no longer the strength to tr

lady, shaking her head. 'Who knows,' she added,

and Leander perfectly unde

Should it be necessary, I can dispose of some days before pursuing my

re in truth philosophers rather than devotees, and regarded dogmatic questions with a calm not easily distinguished from indifference. Maximus had scarcely spoken of his daughter, when the deacon understood it was Aurelia's temporal, much more than her eternal, interests which disturbed the peace of the dying man. Under Roman law, bequests to a heretic were null and void; though this enactment had for the most part been set aside in Italy under Gothic rule, it might be that the Imperial code would henceforth prevail. Maximus

te inquiry: Was the sick man at peace with his own soul? Had he sought strength and solace from the reverend presbyter of Surrentum, his spiritual father in th

at the presbyter Andreas and his poor will not be forgotte

rst among the great families of Rome to embrace Christianity, and distinguished, generation after generation, by their support of the church, which indeed numbered among its Supreme Pontiffs one of their line, the third Felix. Did not the illustrious father of Maximus lead the Christian senators in their attack upon that lin

raise himself, 'if I do the like, will you swear to me to use

reason had little part in the hope with which those fading eyes fi

myself in such terms to perform an office of friendship,

mus, 'if she persi

est. Trust me, the lady Aurelia will not long cling to her error. In poverty, in humiliation, she might be obstinate; but

ximus. He sighed in profound relief

your promise to befriend her

, where shrubs and creepers had come to wild growth, the sore-hearted lady sat brooding or paced backwards and forwards, her eyes ever on the ground. When yet a maiden she had several times spent summer at Surrentum; her memory revived that early day which seemed so long ago; she lived again with her brothers and sisters, all dead, with her mother whom griefs had aged so soon. Then came a loveless marriage, which soon involved her in the public troubles of the time; for her husband, whose estates lay in Tuscany, was robbed of all by Theodahad, and having vainly sought redress from the young King Athalaric, decided to leave Italy for Byzantium, to which end Aurelia sold a property in Campania, her dower. Before they could set forth upon their journey, her husband caught the plague and died. In second wedlock she would

lared that his purposes were those of a disinterested friend, that no word such as could pain or offend her would pass his lips, and that he had it in his power to communicate something which would greatl

ous house. His Magnificence, your father, assured of the sincerity wherewith I place at his command such powers and opportunities as I owe t

l speech, beginning with a declaration of the sympathy moved in him by the parent's love, the daughter's distress, he came with lowering voice, with insinuating tone, with blandly tolerant countenance, to the kernel of his discourse; it contained a suggestion which might-h

s last hours, and, no less, the motives, natural to a woman of your beauty, of your birth, which are at strife with that tenderness and threaten to overcome it. Could you

e perspicacity which read her heart, had put aside

ow it,' sh

iled, thereby you put his flesh and spirit at rest,-he will die blessing you, and enriching you to the full extent of his desire. You will then also set your signature to a paper, which I shall write, making confession of the orthodox faith, and undertaki

e?' asked the listener

la shall

eam shone in A

is not enough. Swear to me that no one l

nder drew forth a

ust of iron from the bars on which the

s oath of secrecy. Petronilla was of course aware that the deacon had been admitted to audience by h

nder, shaking his head, and passed

n to her cousin Basil, who had requested an interview, that he mi

xplained business to Neapolis, Basil had been on the point of taking

ritten?' were Ba

an you despatc

myself,' he an

shook

ing. No one can say which hour may be his la

favourable. He may have to ride back to-mor

was superscribed, 'To the

spoken of me?' he ask

relia answered pleasantly, 'th

y th

miability is too hasty. Remembe

Why, it seems to me as though I had known h

ed hardly a dozen words. When,' added Aurelia, sm

ked on Veranilda-oh, it was the strangest moment of my life! Noble cousin,' h

u to know-at all events for the present. Cousin Basil, you delay the letter; I

ay I again sp

ear when I a

g the sail which wafted his messenger over the gulf, ruffled to-day by a south-west wind, driver of clouds. Little thought had he to give to the dying Maximus, but at the ninth hour he turned his steps to the oratory, once a te

hich Boethius wrote in prison, a hook wherein Maximus sought comfort, this last year or two more often than in the Evangel, or the Lives of Saints. Decius himself would have chosen a philosopher of older tim

x homin

ros ani

m regitur

d, smiling with p

eak but clear voice; 'let me muse awhile