ll be done," replied Constantine.

The Arians, meanwhile, had declared Athanasius guilty of all the
charges brought against him and had deposed him from his see. They
were congratulating themselves on the success of their enterprise when
they received an alarming letter from the Emperor accusing them of
concealing the truth and bidding them come at once to Constantinople.
Several of them, seized with fear, returned to their homes; a few
others, who were bolder, headed by Eusebius and Theognis of Nicea, set
out for the Imperial city. They made their plans on the way. Once
arrived, instead of bringing up the old charges, they accused
Athanasius of having prevented the sailing of the grain vessels from
Alexandria to Constantinople in order to cause a famine. It was a
clever trick. Constantine was extremely touchy about the prosperity of
his new city and had just condemned to death a friend of his own for
the same crime. He turned on Athanasius in anger.

"How could I, a poor man and a Bishop, do such a thing?" asked the
Patriarch.

"You are rich enough and powerful enough for anything," retorted
Eusebius bitterly.

As for Constantine, he declared that he would uphold the decisions of
the Council. Athanasius deserved to lose his life, but he would show
indulgence. He therefore banished him to Treves in Gaul, and the
Arians triumphed.

There was mourning and lamentation in Alexandria and throughout all
Egypt when the tidings came. Many appeals were made for justice, but
in vain. Even St. Antony, though he wrote to Constantine, could not
move him. One thing alone the Emperor would not do in spite of all the
persuasions of the Arians--appoint a successor to the absent
Patriarch. Athanasius, indeed, continued to govern the diocese from
his distant exile, writing continually to his Bishops and clergy,
exhorting them to stand fast in the Faith and reminding them that the
road to consolation lay through affliction.

Eusebius, in the meantime, was trying to force Alexander, the aged
Bishop of Constantinople, to admit Arius to communion. Although ninety
years old, he stood firm, and neither threats nor persuasions could
move him. The Emperor was at last induced to fix a day on which
Alexander was to receive the heretic or be driven from his see.

The Bishop appealed to Heaven. He ordered a seven days' fast
throughout his diocese, during which the faithful were to pray that
God would prevent such a sacrilege. On the eve of t