e. It was
strange to see them so passionless, so antagonistic, like St. Michael and
his adversary.

"There is that within you," said Caecilius, "which speaks as I speak. That
inward voice takes the part of the Creator, and condemns you."

"_He_ put it there," said Juba; "and _I_ will take care to put it out."

"Then He will have justice as well as power on His side," said the priest.

"I will never fawn or crouch," said Juba; "I will be lord and master in my
own soul. Every faculty shall be mine; there shall be no divided
allegiance."

Caecilius paused again; he said at length, "My son, my soul tells me, or
rather my Maker tells me, and your Maker, that some heavy judgment is
impending over you. Do penance while you may."

"Tell your forebodings to women and children," said Juba; "I am prepared
for anything. I will not be crushed."

Agellius was not strong enough to bear a part in such a scene. "Father,"
he said, "it is his way, but don't believe him. He has better thoughts.
Away with you, Juba, you are not wanted here."

"Agellius," said the priest, "such words are not strange to me. I am not
young, and have seen much of the world; and my very office and position
elicits blasphemies from others from time to time. I knew a man who
carried out his bad thoughts and words into act. Abjuring his Maker, he
abandoned himself to the service of the evil one. He betrayed his brethren
to death. He lived on year after year, and became old. He was smitten with
illness; then I first saw him. I made him contemplate a picture; it was
the picture of the Good Shepherd. I dwelt on the vain efforts of the poor
sheep to get out of the fold; its irrational aversion to its home, and its
desperate resolution to force a way through the prickly fence. It was
pierced and torn with the sharp aloe; at last it lay imprisoned in its
stern embrace, motionless and bleeding. Then the Shepherd, though He had
to wound His own hands in the work, disengaged it, and brought it back.
God has His own times; His power went along with the picture, and the man
was moved. I said, '_This_ is His return for your enmity: He is determined
to have you, cost Him what it will.' I need not go through the many things
that followed, but the issue may be told in few words. He came back; he
lived a life of penance at the Church's door; he received the peace of the
Church in immediate prospect of the persecution, and has within the last
ten days died a martyr's death.