FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   18   19   20   21   22   23   24   25   26   27   28   29   30   31   32   33   34   35   36   37   38   39   40   41   42  
43   44   45   46   47   48   49   50   51   52   53   54   55   56   57   58   59   60   61   62   63   64   65   66   67   >>   >|  
dvice, and alas! have suffered death for so doing. But their zeal was superfluous; for the hand of the Lord suddenly bereft the slave of life before further revelations, and the secret writings of Albinus had been successfully destroyed before his arrest. "But do you believe that Albinus would have been silent under torture, under the threat of death, if naming his co-conspirators could have saved him? You do not believe it, Albinus himself did not believe it. Therefore it was necessary, before all else, to gain time and to prevent the use of torture. This was accomplished by his oath. Meanwhile, it is true, Boethius and Symmachus suffered; they could not be saved; but of their silence, even under torture, we were sure. "Albinus was freed from his prison by a miracle, like St. Paul at Philippi. It was said that he had escaped to Athens, and the tyrant was contented with prohibiting his return. But the triune God has prepared a refuge for him here in His temple until the hour of freedom approaches. In the solitude of His sacred asylum the Lord has touched his heart in a wonderful manner, and, undismayed by the danger of death, which once before had so nearly overtaken him, he again enters into our circle, and offers to the service of God and the fatherland his whole immense fortune. Listen: he has made over all his property to the church of St. Maria Majoris for the uses of our league. Would you despise him and his millions?" A pause of astonishment ensued; at last Licinius cried: "Priest, you are as wise as----as a priest. But such wisdom pleases me not." "Silverius," said the jurist, "you may take the millions. It is fitting that you should do so. But I was the friend of Boethius; it is not fitting that I should have anything in common with that coward. I cannot forgive him. Away with him!" "Away with him!" sounded from all sides. Scaevola had given utterance to the sentiment of all present. Albinus grew pale; even Silverius quailed under this general indignation. "Cethegus!" whispered he, claiming assistance. This man, who, until now, had remained silent and had only regarded the speakers with cool superiority, now stepped into the middle of the assembly. He was tall and lean, but powerful, with a broad breast and muscles of pure steel. A purple hem on his toga and delicate sandals betrayed riches, rank and taste, but a long brown soldier's mantle hid the remainder of his underclothing. His head w
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   18   19   20   21   22   23   24   25   26   27   28   29   30   31   32   33   34   35   36   37   38   39   40   41   42  
43   44   45   46   47   48   49   50   51   52   53   54   55   56   57   58   59   60   61   62   63   64   65   66   67   >>   >|  



Top keywords:
Albinus
 

torture

 

Silverius

 
millions
 

fitting

 
Boethius
 

suffered

 

silent

 

jurist

 

friend


mantle

 
sounded
 

forgive

 

coward

 

remainder

 

soldier

 

common

 

wisdom

 

astonishment

 
ensued

despise

 

league

 
Licinius
 

priest

 

pleases

 

Priest

 

underclothing

 
riches
 

regarded

 
speakers

Majoris

 

remained

 

purple

 

muscles

 
breast
 

powerful

 

assembly

 
superiority
 

stepped

 

middle


betrayed

 
sandals
 

present

 

sentiment

 

utterance

 

delicate

 

quailed

 

Cethegus

 

whispered

 

claiming