eally cruel," thought he, "and a very good thing is such a woolly
sheepskin; but the Saviour endured far other sufferings than these, and
for what did I quit the world but to imitate Him, and to endure to the
end here that I may win the joys of the other world. There, where angels
soar, man will need no wretched ram's fell, and this time certainly
selfishness has been far from me, for I really and truly suffer for
another--I am freezing for Hermas, and to spare the old man pain. I
would it were even colder! Nay, I will never, absolutely never again lay
a sheepskin over my shoulders."

Paulus nodded his head as if to signify assent to his own resolve;
but presently he looked graver, for again it seemed to him that he was
walking in a wrong path.

"Aye! Man achieves a handful of good, and forthwith his heart swells
with a camel-load of pride. What though my teeth are chattering, I am
none the less a most miserable creature. How it tickled my vanity, in
spite of all my meditations and scruples, when they came from Raithu and
offered me the office of elder; I felt more triumphant the first time
I won with the quadriga, but I was scarcely more puffed up with pride
then, than I was yesterday. How many who think to follow the Lord
strive only to be exalted as He is; they keep well out of the way of His
abasement. Thou, O Thou Most High, art my witness that I earnestly seek
it, but so soon as the thorns tear my flesh the drops of blood turn to
roses, and if I put them aside, others come and still fling garlands in
my way. I verily believe that it is as hard here on earth to find pain
without pleasure, as pleasure without pain."

While thus he meditated his teeth chattered with cold, but suddenly
his reflections were interrupted, for the dogs set up a loud barking.
Phoebicius was knocking at the senator's door.

Paulus rose at once, and approached the gate-way. He could hear
every word that was spoken in the court-yard; the deep voice was the
senator's, the high sharp tones must be the centurion's.

Phoebicius was demanding his wife back from Petrus, as she had hidden in
his house, while Petrus positively declared that Sirona had not crossed
his threshold since the morning of the previous day.

In spite of the vehement and indignant tones in which his lodger spoke,
the senator remained perfectly calm, and presently went away to ask his
wife whether she by chance, while he was asleep, had opened the house to
the missing wom