Virgilia or, Out of the Lion's Mouth

his, the first day of November att

rmer slave of Aurelius Lucanus and maid to Claudia, beside him. The dark-faced girl attracted much attention, so great was her beauty. Freed by sp

rus, eagerly. "Thine eyes are you

ators. Ah! that Lycias is a king

ver the face of

bodes misfortune. Rome is not a safe place for us, in spite of the favor of Lyci

peror smiles upon him; a lady has thrown him a j

hite-robed men and women. Ha! hear the wild beasts, how they g

that of a demon, leaned far over that he might lose noth

ing together in their physical weakness, though the

ad spent four days and nights of misery, frantic when he thought of Virgilia and what her fate might be. He and Alexis had only a half hour before been brought through the underground passage-way to the cells where the Christian

, yonder," he whispe

s Lycias, the gladiator, approached him and said: "In the arena, I will be near you, standing by one of the gates. If you can b

to Marcus, telling hi

and bear

"If your God has power, he will sav

moment when they were commanded to come forth and perform their part in amusing the wicked emperor and his impious people. Others, four in number, were

e arena and at the outer exi

nd Marcus obeying the words of the gladiator, ea

arose. "The Christians! Th

ira had been saved from a life of sorrow and shame by Aurelius Lucanus. How had he repaid him? By treachery and evil. For the first time in his life, Alyr

king down at the white group, now kneeling on the ground,

s anothe

elt cooler in his life,

on th

e are not far from

lia in his arms; Mar

mio

side of Lycias. Hermione was fainting. The glad

id Lycias, stri

ing to the men; walked along the narrow way. In the circus, there were more shout

said, "that He may br

are

Christians, and I, too w

the guard at the outer doorway, which ope

sses here,

my friends," responded

o Lycias that h

relaxed, but still

e Christians escape. For my part, I would willingly let

not gainsay me when

nto the arena, which was sure death, not only for those whom he wished to save, but for himself, also. He would receive no mercy, even though he had been t

oked at him wi

ief-priest," he whisp

, and may his wrath not

air of the blessed day bathed the

one on her feet and wip

caped," he

terest was in the interior. So great had been the number of Christian

oment, they were safe, they all thankfully realized and t

, thank God for our del

they turned their fac

hed forth a f

rum, to-day deserted for the greater amusements of the

set sail, as Lycias well knew. His great fear was lest the Moor might have decided to go earlier and not wait

except the shepherd. Ah! that was it! If the ship had sailed, he wou

, for fear that the ladies, especially Octavia, who was well known, might be recognized. All the Romans had not gone to the Circus, some were sitting in the eating-places, and w

s need f

turned into gold by the sunlight from the

veiled. Standing beside them was a slender girl. It was Lidia, the daughter of the shepherd, who sprang

thou art come. Th

us was a broken man. He had lost his children. He had not known how dear they were to him until they disappeared. What mattered it if they were followers of Christians,

Her daughter, her ambitions, all those things which formed her life had

plumy lavender and rose colored asters nodded cheerfully in the chill breeze of this first o

s a sign that no longer was the lawyer held in high esteem, when he was kept waiting in the outer chamber, and a message was bro

ied home and sitting down where Claudia had rested, looking so beautiful, on her return from

irgilia, so fair, so delicate, shielded all her life from the rough and hard things, protec

ius, whe

th misery and loneliness, into the dark, sallow face of the kitchen-maid, whom

e sentences, sh

case, he would try. Aurelius and Claudia, with herself, would go to a quiet place near the marble quarry, and wait for them. If they did not come, all was lost, and there remained nothing but to return to this house. If they came, there was a chance of escape for

lf than he had been since the children had disappeared. Now, he knew the worst. Sometimes certainty, even tho

t dress t

a no

he diadem sent by the emperor to Virgili

his valuable gift, he would not find it. At least, he would have contributed that much

e of the Lady Claudia, and will hide them in my bosom. No on

art. If the gods please, they will escape, and we shall be

in his strong-box. Three of the documents h

, to the place agreed upon. Here, they waited, while the sun, burning hot in

knew, only, that they were to set sail in a ship and leave this city where sh

ear that the worst had happened. The sun sank and the vessels were shrouded in shadow.

oup, and Lidia threw herself in her father's arms

mbol was shown them. As the tide was high and the wind fresh, the sails were raised and just as the people were swarming out of the Circus, just when the Emperor in his golden chair, was being carried to his marble palace, the fugiti

roth, which in its turn, dissolved into a million jewel-points of colors as brilli

lla on the Island of Cyprus. It had belonged to his father and a reven

a fortnight later, for the winds had been

ength. She held Virgilia's hand as if she could never let it go, while the young girl told her of Jesus and His love

vineyard of Lucia, the Roman matron. He had "finished his course" and

arena, worked diligently in the vineyard, while Lucius guarded the flocks of sheep, grazing beneath t

e day were over, sat on the terrace in the moonlight, while Hermione and Vi

Circus. He died soon afterward. Sahira, robbed of her freedom by the jealousy of a woman high in favor in the imperial court, wh

s the darkness shrouded all nature, young and old knelt

for there were no statues of the gods in this home set among

IN