Veranilda

, undulant to the far horizon, a brown wilderness dotted with ruins. Ruins of villas, of farms, of temples, with here and there a church or a monastery that told of the newer

g them to glance sadly at those great aqueducts, which for ages had brought water into R

laden with packs came in the rear. Earthworks and rough buildings of military purpose, again recalling the twelve months' blockade, presently appeared; churches and oratories told them they were passing the sacred ground of the catac

his friend's side

mised to be a

ed only with

nued the other, 'and will brin

o

covered with edifices, many in ruin, and with neglected or altogether wild gardens; the road along which they went was almost as silent as that without the walls. Arrived at a certain point, the

d to St. Erasmus. By a narrow, grass-grown road, between walls overhung with ivy, Basil ascended the hill; but for the occasional bark of a dog, nothing showed that these buildings of old time were inhabited; and when he drew rein before his own portico, the cessation of the sound of hoofs made a stillness like

nd an elderly servant, the freedman Eugenius, offered greeting to his lord. Basil's first question was whether Decius had been the

re. Stay; I dare say he is in

osaic, through the central court, where the fountain was dry, and by a colonnade reached the secluded room which was called library, though few books remained out of the large collection o

has happened? Som

utter more than that. I have s

!' murmured the other tend

ot as you mean it. Is

before yesterday, two

seen her, ta

house yonder w

ed ill to you?

miling, 'how I had all at once merited such attention. I came away merely because this situation bette

enantius, on the chance that Marcian might be able to test the truth of Chorsoman's report; but his friend made no discovery, and in despair he set out for Rome. To all this Decius listened with wonder and with sympathy. He had no difficulty in crediting P

may at this moment be in Rome. The ship that carried her off was large enough, they say, to make the voyage, and winds

edion being appropriate to my mood. Arrived at Portus, I sent a post to those who awaited the sh

nder here to receiv

he had not yet

scover the deacon's movements since his leaving Surrentum. Marcian was even

t Petronilla is ignorant of what I have told you; yet, if so, I fear she will soon learn it, for Chorsoman will write-if the bar

ou say that,' said Decius

the more that I am known to have just inherited. Bessas takes a peculiar intere

him welcome. His character and bearing were such as earn the good-will of dependents; though proud and impatient, he never behaved harshly, and a service well rendered often had its recognition. Among the young men of his rank, he was notable for temperance in pleasures; his slaves regarded him as above common temptations of the flesh, and, though this might be a loss to them in one way, they boasted of it when talking to the slaves of masters less exceptional. Having learnt from Felix that their lord was heir of Maximus, the servants received him with even more than wonted respect. One of them was the steward of his esta

e story of Veranilda's disappearance, so far as it was known to Chorsoman; he wore a heavy brow about the busines

n, 'by telling him that Petronilla was within

see her,' said

before going even to my own house, with

kind M

y bear. That she is guilty, I am sure; I read triumph in her eyes as soon as I spoke of Aurelia. That she would deny all knowledge of the affair was only to be expected. Moreover, she has taken possession of the great house yonder, and declares that Aurelia, as a heretic, can claim nothing under her father's will. You, of course, the heir, can expe

Basil. 'Evil

comes to the tongue

nk eyes, and his lips told of spirit tempered by kindliness. Between him and his relative no great intimacy existed, for their modes of life and of thought were too dissimilar, but each saw the good in the other, and was attracted by it. Not long ago Gordian had conceived the project of giving his young sister Aemiliana as wife to Basil. Maximus favoured this design, but his nephew showed no eagerness to carry it out, and Roman gossip presently found a reason for that. Among the leaders of fashion and of pleasure-for fashion and pleasure did not fail to revive in Rome soon after the horrors of the siege-shone a lady named Heliodora, the Greek wife of a little-respected senat

'to speak of the matter of your inheritance. Forgive me if I first of all ask

left little patience, began quivering

id she who told you

pursued Gordian gently. 'Can I think

eturned the other; 'if Petronilla

heard in Rome since Petronilla returned. It is right tha

ntially true had it not crowned Basil's love with marriage. The lis

o should lie, for the truth may be dangerous. But you

sture, so solemn the look which accompanied it, that Basil'

st peril. Do not confide in me, for I know not whether I c

ent in hesitancy, his cheeks af

n all that it concerns you to know. Remember, Gordian, that I would have opened my heart

he legitimate interest of the occasion, curiosity had been aroused by the gossip of Petronilla, and some whose connection with the Anician house was of the very slightest, hastened to present themselves at Basil's door. Hither came men whose names recalled the glories of the Republic; others who were addressed by appellations which told of Greek dominion; alike they claimed the dignity of Roman optimates, and deemed themselves ornaments of an empire which would endure as long as the world. Several ranked as senators; two or three were ex-consuls; ten years ago the last consul of Rome had laid down his shadowy honours; one had held the office of Praetorian Prefect when

ence of Aurelia, whose history was known to all, he would merely make known to them that after having abjured her religious errors, and when living quietly in the Surrentine villa, she had been treacherously seized and carried off he knew not whither. It was not difficult to surmise by whom this plot had been laid, but he would leave that point for his

ade it possible to discuss with all freedom the likelihood of her culpability. At Basil himself no suspicion glanced, but the rumour of his marriage with a Goth had excited much curiosity, hardly appeased by a whisper that Gordian declared the s

as neither the place nor the moment to hear secrets from you, and I am glad now that

r Gordian,' repl

ht give, delay not in coming to me. I should not speak thus confidently did I speak of myself alone; but there is one ever at my side, who wit

until nearly mid-day. As he took leave of the last of his guests, there entered Marcian; his co

in a careless tone, which was not quite nat

ne? I am summo

morning, and, from what I can gather, she seems to have betrayed hersel

find her,' ex

her, I doubt not

Basil and his friend set forth on foot, half a dozen servants walking behind them. Midway in the descent of the Caelian, they were met by an odd procession: a beautiful boy of some twelve years old, clad in yellow, riding upon a small white ass with rich housings,

ith no welcome upon his sombre count

was important, he delivered a letter, and Basil, turning aside impatiently, broke the seal. Upon the blank side of a slip of papyrus cut from some old m

dden to supper. Come if you wil

ere Basil's blunt words, as he wa