Veranilda

lix arouse him this morning; and, as he had much to talk of

survey the garden. All impatience, the lover waited, as minute after minute slowly passed. Dawn was broadening to day, but Veranilda came not. An agony of disappointment seized upon him, and he stood at

one at the gate of the villa who br

il, his heart sinking with dread an

he frightened slave 'I beseech your great

fear-stricken. From one, Aurelia's old nurse, rose a wail of distress; upon her Basil rushed, grasped her by the arm, and sternly demanded what had happene

d Basil in a

wailed the woman, gr

her chamber?' h

int voice from amid

s this m

ed to the villa he heard his name shouted, and he knew the voice for M

seek me?'

? Have you seen Aurel

tum by some person unknown, who, having utte

nd bring him straight to Aurelia's house. They are gone; that slinking

ual met their eyes. The watchman was then summoned; he came like one half dead, and smote the ground with his forehead before the young noble, who stood hand on da

t moment the two entered the atrium. 'I un

plot, Basil had not far to look. This was the vengeance of Petronilla. But whither the two captives would be conveyed, was less easy to conjecture. Pe

a know?' he as

ent to Cumae to learn all she could; and in that case, she found, you may be sure, ready instruments of her

sniffing the air and rolling his eyes about as if he desired nothing better than a conflict. The others now drew him aside into a

here, day after day, knowing that the hounds of Justinian had scent of the maid you carried away? You, Basil, might commit such folly, for you were blinded to everything by your love. But, Marcian, how came you to let him loll in his dream of

and his eyes cast down as h

her, the danger was not pressing. That thick-skulled Hu

change from gloom to vehemence, 'that woman is not beyond our reach. Only yesterday did she set forth for Rome, and she may have passed the nig

spearmen. Basil and Marcian, having made sure that all entrances were locked and barred, went to the front gate, and through a wicket surveyed the assailants. These seemed to be mainly of the baser class; they had armed themselves with all sorts of rude weapons, which they brandished menacingly, shouting confused maledictions. From the porter

ccursed heretics!' shouted a bur

usage?' as

op and turn Christian-why, a little correction shall suffice

the routing of such a rabble seemed a task not worth speaking of, but s

the four slaves, male and female, Arians either by origin or by conversion to please A

answered. 'But if we can frighten off this t

ible from where the invaders stood. Hither the armed men ascended and stood in line, the bowmen with arrows on string. T

bolt from bow without piercing the mark. Off! Away with your foul odours and your yelping throats! And if, when you have turned tail, any cur among you dares to bark back that I, V

ing against those in the rear; and without another cry, with only a

the rout with fierce eyes. 'I'll swear that, before start

lo

. Some of the likeliest from our folk here shall follow me; enough to

he rabble had disappeared, caught sight of something which

e are no Greek sol

a little in advance of the troop, which soon showed itself to consist of some two score mounted men, armed with bow

soon as he could distinguish the capta

ed her!' exclaimed Basil, surmising at once t

ws at the advancing horsemen. 'What are we to do? To resist is war, and this villa c

h a look of anxious thought. Appealed

impossible. Chorsoman must enter, but trust

not whither, went to get horses ready, that he might pursue Petronilla as soon as the road was free. Marcian, having spoken with the porter, wai

tesy. 'Be welcome to this villa, where, in absence of it

dozen of his followers behind him in the portico

epping forward, 'I suppose you mean t

ry of Aurelia's disappearance, which puzzled and angered him, for no one professed to be able to explain what had happened, yet his informants declared that the Roman lady and th

one Basilius,'

eatness saw on a certa

out to wed with Veranil

llen to her niece. Let your valorous magnificence be assured that there is no truth in it. Can you imagine that I, whose mission is known to you, should have

e complexity of things with which it was confronted, and he felt a strong inclination to take this smooth-tongued Latin by the throat, so as to choke the

d an escort necessary, and only yesterday did I o

s-he who just now, I am told, threatened to

enator, but for whose presence this villa would h

the Hun, his eyes like

Illustrious Magnani

I choose. Fetch

men. A hand lightly on his sword, as though he played with the hilt, his head proudly erect,

orsoman, somewhat less overbeari

offers,' was th

the measure of Venantius, and gauged the worth of the men behind him. A smile, which could not mas

and I, two men of valour, can understand each other in few words. I am no talker'-his narrow eyes glanced at Marcian-

question. The ladies Aurelia and Veranilda have this morning disappeared, and we judge

ld have d

of your own,

n refl

ideways at Marcian-'spoke of a

the place to which the captives had been conveyed, for Chorsoman had left the fortress yesterday to come hither by way of Neapolis, his reason for the expedition being news of Veranilda's approaching marriag

n have seen fit to spread abroad w

loose as yours,' wa

e brought back he should remain here in the villa. This intention he announced in a tone abundantly signific

o your own abode. It will not be long before you have the occasion you desire of proving your loyalty to the Em

ply surged into his throat, but he swallowed it again, re

stay to break my fast. I am of impatient humour, an

ith a slight knitting of his bro

r Rome, will give me his compa

e soldiers in his rear, then

thout lord Basil. I sh

ilence; then Marcian spo

Rome and Ravenna; letters which I would not intrust to any one e

. In the same instant, Venantius laid a hand upon his sword,

Basil?' deman

you wish to speak with

retire and get their horses ready, whilst you and I go in search of

ugh the atrium, Chorsoman casting eager glances about him, and to the inner court; but the followers of Venantiu

the Emperor obliges me to act. I, of course, take possession of this villa until Aurelia is discovered. And,

s were uttered caused Venantius almost as much

curity?'

e amount to Felix. In the treasure chamber lay a mass of wealth now belonging to Aurelia, and the mere fact of this being under lock and key by no means secured it against the commander's greed. Marcian came forward, and hearing the talk of ransom, endeavoured to awe the Hun into moderation, but with less success than he had had at Cumae. So he led Basil aside, told him of the

that Aurelia was still a heretic, and that she should not have been allowed to inherit property? Who, he asked severely, could read her heart? And when inquiry made it too certain that all this angry feeling had originated with Petronilla, the prelate shook his head sadly, thinking more than he cared to say. Arrived at the villa, he first of all learnt all he could as to the position of things (declaring total ignorance when the Hun sought to examine him as to the relations of Basil and Veranilda), then mad

e's state of mind, but of this not a word fell from him; his concern seemed to be solely with the lady Aurelia, regarding whom he would set every possible inquiry on foot. He advised Basil not

aid for ransom nearly all the money he had secreted, and rode away with Venantius, purposing to remain at Nuceria until joined by Marcian. Three days later Marcian appeared at the castle He brought no intelligence of the lost l

y. A fire broke out in the house of Proba, and much of that building was destroyed. In the o