and
that to him is nothing but a heathen edifice, and the noble works of the
Greeks that are preserved there he calls revolting images by which Satan
ensnares the souls of Christian men. The other senators can understand
his hard words, but they cannot follow mine; and so they vote with him,
and my motion to construct the roadway was thrown over, because it did
not become a Christian assembly to promote idolatry, and to smooth a way
for the devil."

"I can see that you must have answered them sharply!"

"Indeed I believe so," answered Petrus, looking down. "Many painful
things were no doubt said, and it was I that suffered for them.
Agapitus, who was looking at the deacons' reports, was especially
dissatisfied with the account that I laid before them; they blamed us
severely because you gave away as much bread to heathen households as to
Christians. It is no doubt true, but--"

"But," cried Dorothea eagerly, "hunger is just as painful to the
unbaptized, and their Christian neighbors do not help them, and yet they
too are our flesh and blood. I should ill fulfil my office if I were to
let them starve, because the highest comfort is lacking to them."

"And yet," said Petrus, "the council decided that, for the future, you
must apply at the most a fourth part of the grain allotted to their use.
You need not fear for them; for the future some of our own produce may
go to them out of what we have hitherto sold. You need not withdraw even
a loaf from any one of your proteges, but certainly may now be laid by
the plans for the road. Indeed there is no hurry for its completion, for
Polykarp will now hardly be able to go on with his lions here among
us. Poor fellow! with what delight he formed the clay models, and
how wonderfully he succeeded in reproducing the air and aspect of the
majestic beasts. It is as if he were inspired by the spirit of the old
Athenian masters. We must now consider whether in Alexandria--"

"Rather let us endeavor," interrupted Dorothea, "to induce him at once
to put aside his models, and to execute other more pious works. Agapitus
has keen eyes, and the heathen work is only too dear to the lad's
heart."

The senator's brow grew dark at the last words, and he said, not without
some excitement, "Everything that the heathen do is not to be condemned.
Polykarp must be kept busy, constantly and earnestly occupied, for he
has set his eyes where they should not be set. Sirona is the wife of
another, and