Virgilia or, Out of the Lion's Mouth

past. He told Alexis to guard the entrance and if the master inquired for him to tell him that a pair of sandals needed repairing and he was carry

through the heated rooms, Alyrus went into the narrow alley at the rear. Just outside, a man crouched against the brick wall. It was Lucius, the water-carrier, who

villas and gardens lining the wide ways leading out of the city to North and South and West. This cave was in a mass of tufa rock rising abruptly from the flat, green fields, a

ds. It was such as these that Cincinnatus guided, ploughing the fields, when the mes

a water-carrier. He was resting now, after his

o wide wakefulness, by

thy kennel, wherever it may be, dog of a Christi

red Lucius, scrambling to h

aught th

ilt go to feed the lions and offer entertainment to the thousands who are weary of other amusements and seek something new. Turn pale, scarecrow, an

the waist. He wore only one garment, a sort of a shirt, made from the skin of one of his own sh

ck eyes. A long beard fell from cheeks and chin on to his hairy breast. Th

him. "When my time comes, I can die, trusting to a God whom thou know

owest me

g and servile. "I did but wait here a moment

complished this business, and saved himself from having left a lying message for the lawyer, the porter went on his way to the Fo

nd had increased to a gale. There were sharp flashes of copper-blue lightning and a roar of

range figure with a sheep-skin flung over his back not far behind him, slipping f

ing the Campagna, he had, out of curiosity, followed them to their gathering-place, where he had learned the truth about Jesus. Outside of this Lucius was absolutely unlearned, and almost as stupid as his own sheep. He had not wit eno

dwelt a small scullery maid, who assisted the slaves in the kitchen, doing all the dirty work and being struck and sworn at for any mistake. She earned a few cent

s Alexis, the Greek, and another was Lidia, the scullery-maid, who had b

learned that Martius

is usual genius for fo

e Christian meeting pl

e Lady Claudia had bee

ed out the who

oor clang behind the porter. No good could come from that temple and its priests. Even though they bowed before the statue of the god and burned incense, the Romans did not trust the pr

the groups of stately buildings in the Forum and Caesar's palace on the Palatine Hill. The rain

er and his finery could not be spoiled. He drew his bare legs up unde

s priests. He worshipped Baal, a greater god than Jupiter. As a matter of person

ugh several winding passages. A man could get into this gruesome building and never find his way out, thought Alyrus,

ch contained a taper. Evidently this was an internal room, having no windows. Alyrus judged that it was lighted by day from an opening in the r

ces were stern and gloomy. The Moor began to feel a misgiving about his

e?" asked Lycidon, the priest,

rehead was bound a golden circlet, bearing a lizard covered with jewels.

hav

lizard, similar in form to t

and relate to me and these my brethren

rus at this moment. He felt approaching the glad hour of his re

rd for this knowledge wh

ger and he raised his arm to strike Alyrus, who did not cri

perior's right, laid a t

thou frightenest the slave, he wil

ng up her hardened little hands to caress affectiona

watching him," Lucius nodd

er? Surely tho

dia. It was not the

hing," responded wise

ivacity. Lucius had said sometimes that her eyes talked, they varied so with her different moods. She pette

, he has been for an ho

tle good. What has he t

e of them, not one. It

lli

eyes gre

when delicate problems were to be solved. Her own brain was much more clear. "I will watch," she added. "Go home now, dear father and get t

that he could see her. "Art thou happy here? Remember thou art no slave, though thou hast cho

oes the meanest work faithfully and well, has the Lord Christ by his side. I am happy. And though I am only a kitchen maid, I can see sometime

ilt. But it is lonely without t

nd Lidia watched his strange, wild-loo

id in her heart and going insi

s possession as a legacy from his father, who had said: "Guard and care for her well, for she has view of the future beyond that of human kind." Now, she was very aged, h

se. Her expression was almost queenly

ng to these some things that her father did not know, which b

quietly. Then she la

head, ve

child, and be at peace

ture holds

home, one was Alexis, the Greek, one was Lidia, the scullery-maid. And