Unto Caesar

by Baroness Emmuska Orczy Orczy

  CHAPTER XI

  "Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I willgive you rest."--ST. MATTHEW XI. 28.

  A timid voice roused Taurus Antinor from his dream:

  "My gracious lord, thy litter is here!"

  He started as a man suddenly wakened from sleep, and once or twice hiseyes closed and opened again ere they rested finally on the broad backbent in a curve before him.

  "Methought my gracious lord was waiting," continued the speaker in thesame timid voice, "and mayhap did not see the litter among the shadows."

  "I fear me I was dreaming, my good Folces," said the praefect with asigh, "for truly I did know that thou wast here. Is the girl Nola withthee?"

  "Aye, gracious lord. She waits on thy pleasure, and thy bearers----"

  "Nay, did I not tell thee that I would have no bearers?"

  "The way is long, gracious lord----"

  "I told thee that I would walk."

  "But my lord----"

  "Silence now," he said with some of his habitual impatience; "send mylitter and bearers home; bring me the mantle I required, and do thou andNola follow me."

  Reluctantly the old man obeyed.

  "My gracious lord will be footsore--the way is long and ill-paved----"he muttered, half audibly, even as he made his way to the rear of thebosquet of lilies where a group of slaves stood waiting desultorily.

  Anon he returned carrying a mantle of dark woollen stuff, and TaurusAntinor, having wrapped himself in this, slowly turned to walk down thehill.

  Leaving the imperial palaces behind him, he went rapidly along thesilent and deserted street. It wound its tortuous way at first on thecrest of the hill, skirting the majestic temple of Magna Mater with itselevated portico and noble steps that lost themselves in the shadows oflabyrinthine colonnades.

  The street itself--narrow and unpaved--was in places rendered almostimpassable by the piles of constructor's materials and rubbish thatencumbered it at every step--debris or future requisites of the giganticand numberless building operations which the mad Emperor pursued withthat feverish energy and maniacal restlessness that characterised hisevery action. Palaces here and temples there, a bridge over the Forum, anew circus, new baths, the constant pulling down of one edifice to makeroom for the construction of another: all this work--commenced and stillunfinished--had changed the whole aspect of the great city, turning itinto a wilderness of enormous beams and huge blocks of uncut marble andstone that littered its every way.

  But Taurus Antinor paid no heed to the roughness and inaccessibility ofthe road. Unlike the rich patricians of the time he hated the drowsyindolence of progress in a litter, and after the fatigues of anerve-racking day, the difficulties of ill-paved roads were in harmonywith his present mood.

  Assuring himself that old Folces and the girl Nola were close at hisheels, he stepped briskly along the now precipitous incline of the hill.The rapid movement did him good. The air came to him from across thegardens of the palaces, sweetly scented by late lilies and clumps ofdying roses.

  Soon he had left the great circus behind him too, and now he startedclimbing again, for his way led him upwards on the slope of the AventineHill. The silence here seemed more absolute than among the dwellings ofthe rich, for there, at times, a night watchman would emerge from across-road and give challenge to the belated passer-by, whilst a certainbustle of suspended animation always reigned around the palace of theEmperor even during the hours of sleep; some of his slaves and guardwere always kept awake, ready to minister to any fancy or caprice thatmight seize the mad Caesar in the middle of the night.

  But here where there were no palaces to guard, no insane ruler toprotect, no one came to question the purpose of the benighted wanderers,nor did sudden outbursts of laughter or good cheer pierce the mud wallsof the humble abodes that lay scattered on the slope of the hill.

  The waning moon had hidden her light behind a heavy bank of clouds, adull greyness pervaded the whole landscape, causing it to look weird andforlorn in the gloom. The few trees dotted about here and there lookedstarved and gaunt on the barren hill-side, with great skeleton-like armsthat waved mournfully in the breeze; the ground uneven andparched--after the summer's drought--rose and sank in fantastic moundsand shapes like tiny fortresses of ghosts or ghouls; the street itselfsoon became merged in the general surroundings, only a tiny footway,scarcely discernible in the gathering darkness, wound upwards to thesummit of the hill.

  From time to time a solid block of what appeared only as impenetrableblackness loomed up from out the shadows, with all the grandeur ofexaggerated size which the darkness of the night so generously lends.Soon it would reveal itself as a small mud-covered box, with four barewalls and a narrow doorway facing toward the south. Herein lived andsuffered a family of human beings--freedmen and women without the stigmaof slavery, but with all the misery of destitution and often of completestarvation.

  Here and there the little house would be surrounded by a vestibule--amere projection from the roof supported on a few rough beams--but nevera garden, scarcely a tree to cast a cooling shade on hot summerafternoons, or clump of lilies or mimosa to sweeten the air that camedank and fetid from over the marshes beyond the hill.

  Not a sound now disturbed the stillness of the night save when a batfluttered overhead, or when furtive footsteps--on unavowable errandbent--glided softly off the beaten track and quickly died away among theshadows.

  The praefect walked on, heedless of his surroundings. The mood that hadbeen on him ever since he left Caius Nepos' house still caused his mindto wander restlessly in the illimitable regions of perplexity and doubt.He scarcely looked where he was going, for he kept his eyes fixed uponthe starlit canopy above him and upon the crest of the hill which lostitself in the darkness overhead.

  Suddenly, out of the gloom, two pairs of hands emerged, and withoutwarning fastened themselves on the praefect's throat: thin, claw-likehands they were, and above them gaunt arms, mere bones covered withwrinkled flesh that proclaimed starvation and misery.

  The old slave from the rear uttered a cry of terror; Nola clung to himparalysed with fear. The slopes of the Aventine were noted for the gangsof malefactors that infested them, and defying the power of theaediles, rendered them unsafe for wayfarers even in the light of day.

  Taurus Antinor, instantly brought back from the land of dreams, had nogreat difficulty in freeing himself from the claw-like grasp. With aquick gesture of his own powerful hands, he had in a moment succeeded indragging the gaunt fingers from off his throat, and, holding the thinwrists with a firm grip, he gave them a sudden sharp twist, whichelicited two cries of pain and brought two pairs of knees in hardcontact with the ground.

  It had all occurred in the space of a few seconds, and now a bundle ofsoiled rags seemed to be lying huddled up under the praefect's foot, andhe looked like some powerful desert beast that has placed a massive pawon a pair of puny rats.

  The thin arms wriggled like worms in his mighty grasp.

  "Pity, my lord! Pity!" came in hoarse murmurs from the bundle of ragsunder his foot.

  "Pity? Of that have I in plenty," he replied gruffly. "But methinks'twas not pity ye sought by trying to strangle me."

  "Pity, my lord, my children are starving...."

  "Pity, my lord, I have not tasted food to-day----"

  "Pity, my lord!" retorted the praefect with a grim laugh, and mimickingthe wretched man's words, "I would have murdered you had I had thepower."

  Then he relaxed his grip, and with his foot pushed the bundle of dirtfurther away from him. He groped in his wallet and drew out some silvercoins. These he threw, one by one, into the midst of the shapeless rags,and he stooped forward, striving in the darkness to see something of thefaces that were wilfully hidden from him, something of the mouths thathad uttered the pitiable groans.

  Vaguely he discerned the outline of cadaverous cheeks, of sunkentemples, of furtive eyes veiled by thin lids; he saw the glances half offear, wholly of doubt, that were thrown on
the silver coins, heard themuttered oaths, the incipient quarrel over the distribution of theunexpected hoard.

  Then did the strange perplexities which had assailed him throughout thisnight find expression in bitter words. He threw down a few more coinsand said slowly:

  "These are for pity's sake, and in the name of One Whom mayhap ye willknow one day. He died that ye should live! Bear that in mind and ponderon it. Mayhap ye will find the solution to that riddle. That such as youshould live in eternity, therefore did He die.... When ye haveunderstood this and can explain the value of your lives as compared withHis, come and tell it to the praefect of Rome and he will shower on youwealth beyond your dreams."

  Then, without waiting to hear protestations, or heeding the ironicallaughter that came from the bewildered night-prowlers, he turned on hisheels and resumed his interrupted walk along the slope of the hill.

  The footpath--scarce more than a beaten track--soon disappearedaltogether. Presently Taurus Antinor paused and called to Folces to comeup to him.

  "Methinks we must be near the house," he said.

  "Aye, gracious lord," replied the man, "just on thy right, some twohundred steps from here. The way is very dark, wilt permit me to walk bythy side?"

  "Walk by my side an thou wilt. Thou canst direct me more easily; but asto the darkness I can see through it well."

  "But my gracious lord did not see those evil malefactors that set uponhim."

  "No, Folces, I was dreaming as I walked. They came upon me unawares."

  "And my gracious lord allowed them to go. They were notoriousmiscreants."

  "They were the embodiment of a strange riddle, good Folces. They helpedto puzzle me--and Heaven knows that I was puzzled enough ere I saw thosemiserable wretches. Mayhap some day I'll understand the riddle whichtheir abject persons did represent. But now tell me, is this the house?"

  The wanderers had struck to their right and walked on some two hundredpaces. Now they paused beside one of those square mud-walled boxes, ofwhich they could only discern the narrow door made of unplaned wood, andthrough the chinks of which a faint light glimmered weirdly. Two orthree steps fashioned in the earth itself led down toward the threshold.Taurus Antinor descended these and knocked boldly on the door.

  It was opened from within, and under the rough lintel there appeared thefigure of a man of short stature, clad in a long grey tunic. His head,which he held forward in an attempt to peer through the darkness, lookedalmost unnaturally large, owing to the mass of loose greyish hair thatfell away from his forehead like a mane, and the long beard thatstraggled down upon his breast.

  "May we enter, friend?" asked Taurus Antinor.

  At the sound of the voice the man drew aside, and through the narrowdoorway was now revealed the interior of the house--a straight, squareroom, with a few wooden seats disposed about, and at the top end anoblong table covered with a snow-white cloth. An aperture in the wallappeared to lead to an inner chamber, which must indeed have been ofdiminutive size, for the central room seemed to occupy almost the wholeof the interior of the house. Suspended by an iron chain from theceiling above there hung a small lamp in which flickered a tiny flamefed by some sweet-smelling oil. It threw but little light around andleft deep and curious shadows in the angles of the room.

  From out these, as the praefect entered, there emerged the figure of anold woman, with smooth grey hair half-hidden beneath a kerchief ofstrange oriental design, and straight dark robe, foreign in cut andappearance to those usually seen in the streets of Rome.

  The massive figure of Taurus Antinor seemed almost to fill the entireroom, but he stood to one side now disclosing the old slave and the girlNola.

  "This," he said, addressing the woman, "is the child of whom I spoke tothee. She is friendless and motherless, but she is free, and I havebrought her so that thou mayest teach her all thou knowest."

  In the meanwhile the man with the leonine head had closed the door onthe little party. He came forward eagerly, and raising himself on thetips of his toes, he put his hands on Antinor's shoulder, and withgentle pressure forced him to stoop. Then he kissed him on either cheek.

  "Greeting to thee, dear friend," he said cheerily. "Thou hast done wellto bring the girl. My mother and I will take great care of her."

  "And ye will teach her your religion," said Taurus Antinor earnestly;"because of that did I bring her. She is young and will be teachable.She'll understand as a child will, that which hardened hearts are unableto grasp."

  "Nay, friend," said the man simply, "there is not a great deal toteach, nor a great deal to understand. Love and faith, that issufficient ... and, as our dear Lord did tell us, love is the greatestof all."

  For the moment the praefect made no reply. The man had helped him tocast off his heavy mantle, and he stood now in all the splendour ofbarbaric pomp, a strangely incongruous figure in this tiny bare room,both to his surroundings and to his gentle host and hostess with theirhumble garb and simple, timid ways.

  She--the woman--had drawn Nola with kindly gesture to her. The child wascrying softly, for she was half-frightened at the strangeness of theplace, and also she was tired after her long walk up and down the roughroad. The woman, with subtle feminine comprehension, soon realised this,and also understood that the girl, reared in slavery, felt awed in thepresence of so great a lord. So, putting a kindly arm round the slenderform of the child, she led her gently out of the main room to the tinycubicle beyond, where she could rest.

  The three men were now left alone. Folces, squatting in a dark corner,kept his eyes fixed upon his master. He took no interest in what went onaround him; he cared nothing about the strangeness of the surroundings,his master was lord and praefect of Rome, and could visit those whom helist. But Folces, like a true watch-dog, remained on the alert, silentand ever suspicious, keeping an eye on his master, remaining obedientand silent until told to speak.

  The man, in the meanwhile, had asked the praefect to sit.

  "Wilt rest a while, O friend," he said, "whilst I make ready forsupper."

  But Antinor would not sit down. In his habitual way he leaned againstthe wall, watching with those earnest eyes of his every movement of hishost, as the latter first passed a loving hand over the white cloth onthe table and then smoothed out every crease on its satiny surface. Anonhe disappeared for a moment in the dark angle of the room, where a roughwooden chest stood propped against the wall. From this he now took out aloaf of fine wheaten bread, also a jar containing wine and some plainearthenware goblets. These things he set upon the table, his big leoninehead bent to his simple task, his small grey eyes wandering across fromtime to time in kindliness on his friend.

  Intuition--born of intense sympathy--had already told him that somethingwas amiss with the praefect. He knew every line of the rugged face whichmany deemed so fierce and callous, but in which he had so often seen thelight of an all-embracing charity.

  When Taurus Antinor used to visit his friend in the olden days he waswont to shed from him that mantle of rebellious pride with which, duringthe exercise of his duties in Rome, he always hid his real personality.People said of the praefect that he was sullen and morose, merciless inhis judgments in the tribunal where he presided. They said that he wasambitious and intriguing, and that he had gained and held the Caesar'sear for purposes of his own advancement. But the man and woman who hadcome recently on the Aventine and who called the praefect of Rome theirfriend, knew that his rough exterior hid a heart brimming over withpity, and that his aloofness came from a mind absorbed in thoughts ofGod.

  But to-day the praefect seemed different. The look of joy with which hehad greeted his friends had quickly faded away, leaving the facedarkened with some hidden care; and as the man watched him across thenarrow room, he seemed to see in the strong face something that almostlooked like remorse.

  Therefore, whilst accomplishing the task which he loved so well, hequietly watched his friend and resolved that he should not recross thethreshold of this house without having unburdened hi
s soul.

  "Friend," he now said abruptly, "I have a curious whim to-night. Wiltindulge it?"

  "If it be in my power," responded the praefect, rousing himself from hisreverie.

  A look of deep affection softened for the moment the hard look on hisface, as his deep-set eyes rested on the quaint figure of the man withthe leonine head.

  "What is thy whim?" he asked.

  "Over in Judaea we were so little alone," rejoined the latter, "and thenwe had such earnest things to talk about, that I have never heard fromthy lips how it came to pass that thou didst hear our dear Lord preachin Galilee."

  "Yet I did tell thee," said the praefect, "when first thou didst ask myconfidence."

  "Then 'tis my whim to hear thee tell me again," rejoined the man simply."All that pertains to our dear Lord doth lie so close to my heart, and'tis long now since I have spoken of Him to one who hath seen and heardHim. 'Tis great joy to me to hear of every impression which He made onthe heart of those whose life was gladdened by a sight of His face."

  "Whose life was gladdened by a sight of His face!" repeated TaurusAntinor gently. "Aye! there dost speak the truth, O friend! for my lifetoo was gladdened by a sight of His face. I was travelling throughJudaea, on my way to Syria, and the Caesar had desired me to visit theproconsul. Thus did I halt in Jerusalem one day. Having done theEmperor's bidding, I had time to kill ere I started further on myjourney. So I bethought me that I would like to see something of the Manfrom Nazareth of Whom I had heard speak."

  "And God prompted thee, friend, to go and hear Him."

  "God, sayest thou?" rejoined the praefect slowly. "Aye! mayhap thou'rtright. 'Twas God then that sent me. Disguised in humble raiment I wentforth one day and made my way to the desert lands of Galilee."

  "And didst see Him there?"

  "I saw Him sitting on a low mound of earth with the canopy of blue aboveHis head, and all around Him a multitude that hung entranced upon Hislips. He spoke to them of the Kingdom of Heaven--a Kingdom of whoseexistence, alas! I had never dreamed. But His words did wring my heart,and the majesty of His presence has ever since been before mine eyes.To-day it all came back to me, the gentle face, the perfect mouthframing exquisite words. Above Him a curtain of azure, and far away, theillimitable stretch of horizon merging into the water beyond. The veryair was still and listening to His words; from under jagged boulderstiny lizards peeped out, and on the branches of starved, gaunt trees thebirds had stopped to rest. Then it was that panther-like, sleeksleuth-hounds hovered round Him, trying to entangle Him in His talk.They made their way close to Him, and with honeyed words and deftinsinuations, spoke of allegiance and of the tribute due to Caesar. Istood not far off and could hear what they said. My very heart seemed tostill its beating, for did not their questions embrace the whole riddleof mine own life. God and Caesar! I, the servant of Caesar--the recipientof rich gifts from his hands--should I forswear the Caesar and followJesus of Nazareth?"

  "And didst hear what He answered, friend?"

  "Aye! I heard it. And to-day when traitors spoke, it seemed as if theDivine Presence stood close to me amongst the shadows. Once more I sawthe bleak and arid land, the skeleton arms of the trees, the bluefirmament above my head, I saw the multitude of simple folk around Himand the leer in the eyes of the tempters. And above the din of drunkenrevelries to-night I heard again the voice that bade me then to renderunto Caesar the things which are Caesar's, and unto God the things thatare God's."

  The other sighed, a sigh of glad content.

  "I thank thee, friend, for telling me this. 'Tis a joy to hear theespeak of Him. It is so long since we talked of this matter. And--tell meyet again--thou wast in Jerusalem when He died?"

  "I stood on Golgotha," said the praefect slowly, "on that day before theJewish Passover, seven years ago. Once again wrapped in a dark cloak,one among a multitude, I gazed with eyes that I felt could never look onanything else again. I saw the patient face smeared with blood, theGod-like head crowned with thorns, the eyes--still brimming over withlove--slowly closing in agony. Overhead the heavens murmured, vividflashes of lightning rent the canopy of the sky, and men around memocked and jeered, whilst the Divine Soul fled upwards back to God. Atthat moment, O friend! I seemed to lose mine own identity. I--even Ialone--became the whole multitude. I was no longer just mine own self,but I was all of us who looked, who heard and saw and did not yetunderstand.... A multitude was looking through my eyes ... a multitudeheard through mine ears ... I was the crowd of poor, of helplessslaves, and I was the whole of the patriciate of Rome. I was barbarianand Italian, I was British and Roman, all in one ... and my voice wasthe voice of the entire world, as suddenly I cried out to Him: 'Do notdie now and leave us desolate!'"

  His harsh voice broke down in a great sob that came from out the depthsof an overburdened heart. He took a few steps forward and slowly droppedon his knees right against the table, his clasped hands resting on thecloth, his forehead buried in his hands.

  The man had listened to him silently and patiently with, in his heart,that subtle understanding for another's sorrow, which his own missionhad instilled into him. And thus understanding he went up to that end ofthe table where knelt the rich and mighty praefect of Rome, the friendof Caesar, all-powerful in the land, with burning head buried in hishands, and eyes from which despite his will hot tears gushed up thatwould not be suppressed.

  He placed a kindly hand on the bowed shoulder of his friend.

  "Wilt tell me what troubles thee?" he said gently.

  Taurus Antinor passed his hand across his forehead as if to chase awaythe brain-searing thoughts. He raised himself from his knees andgratefully pressed the hand that had recalled him to himself.

  "Nay, friend," he said, "I'll not do that. Thy friendship is tooprecious a guerdon that I should jeopardise it by showing thee theblackness of my soul."

  "Dost talk at random," said the other firmly; "my friendship doth notcome and go like fleeting sunshine on a winter's day. I gave it thee onthat self-same unforgettable day when I saw thee standing alone upon thehill after the crowd had departed and we who loved Him were lifting Himdown from His Cross."

  "Thou didst take pity then on my loneliness."

  "I saw in thee one who had faith," said the man simply. "I grasped thyhand in friendship then, not knowing who thou wast. When I knew, thendid I follow thee to Rome, for I needed thy help. My Master sent mehere. I do His work that He did enjoin on all His disciples. Thyprotection and friendship, O mighty praefect of Rome, hath been aninfinite help to me. Thy kindness and charity hath saved from want themany humble followers of Christ who have been forced to give up all forHis sake. Therefore whatever doth burden thy soul now, I pray thee shareit with me, so that I might bear it with thee and mayhap ease thy load."

  "May God bless thee for these words."

  "And thy burden, friend?"

  "Ask not to share it--'tis one of treachery."

  "Of treachery?... Whose treachery?..."

  "Mine."

  "Thine?... I'll not believe it.... Thou a traitor ... against Caesar?"

  "No."

  "Against whom, then?"

  "Against Him Whose death I witnessed seven years ago."

  "Then I'll not believe it. And 'tis sacrilege thus to jest."

  "Jest?" said Taurus Antinor, with a laugh that rang unnatural andhoarse. "Jest! when for a day and a night my soul hath been on the rackand mocking demons have jeered at my torments? Jest! When----?"

  He broke off abruptly and looked down with an earnest gaze on theupturned face of his friend.

  "If thou wouldst tell me more it would ease thy heart," said the mansimply.

  For a moment or two the praefect was silent. His hand rested on hisfriend's shoulder, and his eyes, with their deep furrow between thebrows, were fixed on the kind face that invited confidence.

  "For seven years," he said abruptly, but speaking very slowly, "whilst Iserved the Caesar, every one of my waking thoughts and many of my dreamstended to that day in Jerus
alem and the three hours' agony which I hadwitnessed on Golgotha. Yesterday did a woman cross my path--and now Ihave thoughts only of her."

  "Who is this woman?" asked the other.

  "She is of the House of Caesar, pure and chaste as the lilies in mygarden at Ostia, proud and unapproachable as the stars ... her heart isa closed book wherein man hath never read ... but since her eyes havemocked me with their smile, my heart is enchained to her service and Isee naught but her loveliness."

  "Look upwards, man; a glowing Cross will blind thine eyes to all save toitself."

  "Have I not looked," said the praefect, with a sharp, quick sigh, "untilmine eyes have ached with trying to see that which once was so clear.But now, between me and that sacred memory that methought had beenbranded into my very soul, there always rises the vision of a girl, talland slender as the lilies, clad all in white as they. She stands betweenme and memory, and mine eyes grow weary and dim trying to see beyondthat vision, recalling to my mind the picture of that Cross, thethorn-crowned head, the pierced hands and feet. She stands between meand memory, and with laughing eyes defies me not to see her, and I lookand look, and the vision of the Cross grows more faint, and she standsthere serene and white and silent, with blue eyes smiling on mytreachery and scornful voice upraised, denying God and Christ. She is ofthe House of Caesar and she is ignorant, and she laughs at my belief andscorns all thought of God, and I do find it in my treacherous heart topity her and pitying her to kneel at her feet. And all the while athousand demons shout mockingly unto mine ear: 'Thou art a traitor--atraitor to thy God--for were she to beckon, 'tis to her that thouwouldst go, forgetting all--thine immortal soul, thy crucified God...?'And thus do devils mock me, and my soul grows darker and darker andgreater and greater grows the mystery, for my heart, broken, miserablydoubting and weak, cries out not with resignation, not in patience, butin a spirit of angry rebellion: 'God, my God! why hast thou forsakenme?'"

  He raised his arms up to heaven as if in a last desperate appeal; butnow he did not kneel--he stood beside his friend shamed and yet proud,and the look in his eyes was that of one who sees a vision that isexquisitely beautiful and dear. The other saw the look, and with thekind indulgence taught by a sublime teacher, he found it in his heart topity and to love. Once more he placed his thin, wrinkled hand on thepraefect's shoulder, and his small eyes beamed with perfect faith andtrust as he said gently:

  "Do not try and probe any mystery just now, O friend, the day has beenlong and thou art weary and sad. Come and sit beside me here at table;my mother will join us and the girl Nola too, and the man who is thyslave, if thou wilt so allow it. Together we'll think of that day inJudaea seven years ago, and we'll break bread and drink wine,and--without trying to understand anything--we'll do it all together inmemory of Him!"

  For a moment Taurus Antinor was silent. In the strong face every linetold of the great storm within the innermost heart.

  And slowly the man beside him repeated the most exquisite words thathave ever been spoken to a troubled soul.

  "Come unto Me all ye that travail and are heavy laden and I will refreshyou."

  Taurus Antinor's head fell upon his breast. He closed his eyes, for noteven his friend should see that they were wet with tears. But evenwhilst the heartstrings were torn by the ruthless hand of passion, itseemed as if--when the man had finished speaking--the magic words hadalready left upon the soul their impress of infinite peace.

  And without another word, he went slowly forward and took his place atthe table.

  At a call from the man, the old woman entered softly, her woollen shoesmaking no sound upon the wooden floor. She had Nola by the hand whoseemed comforted and rested. The praefect beckoned to Folces, whosilently obeyed and came forward to the table.

  Then the five of them sat down and quietly partook of supper, sittingside by side, the disciple from Judaea and his mother, the two slaves andthe praefect of Rome. The Christians sat beside the pagans, the mightylord beside his slave, and they broke bread and drank wine, all inmemory of Him.