wilt receive my blessing and forgiveness of sins."

Then, without waiting for an answer, he thrust the reins into his hands,
and, in company with Vinicius, joined the advancing throng.

They entered the excavation after a while, and pushed on through the
dark passage by the dim light of lanterns till they reached a spacious
cave, from which stone had been taken evidently, for the walls were
formed of fresh fragments.

It was brighter there than in the corridor, for, in addition to tapers
and lanterns, torches were burning. By the light of these Vinicius saw
a whole throng of kneeling people with upraised hands. He could not
see Lygia, the Apostle Peter, or Linus, but he was surrounded by faces
solemn and full of emotion. On some of them expectation or alarm was
evident; on some, hope. Light was reflected in the whites of their
upraised eyes; perspiration was flowing along their foreheads, pale as
chalk; some were singing hymns, others were repeating feverishly the
name of Jesus, some were beating their breasts. It was apparent that
they expected something uncommon at any moment.

Meanwhile the hymn ceased, and above the assembly, in a niche formed by
the removal of an immense stone, appeared Crispus, the acquaintance
of Vinicius, with a face as it were half delirious, pale, stern, and
fanatical. All eyes were turned to him, as though waiting for words of
consolation and hope. After he had blessed the assembly, he began in
hurried, almost shouting tones,--

"Bewail your sins, for the hour has come! Behold the Lord has sent down
destroying flames on Babylon, on the city of profligacy and crime. The
hour of judgment has struck, the hour of wrath and dissolution. The Lord
has promised to come, and soon you will see Him. He will not come as the
Lamb, who offered His blood for your sins, but as an awful judge, who in
His justice will hurl sinners and unbelievers into the pit. Woe to the
world, woe to sinners! there will be no mercy for them. I see Thee, O
Christ! Stars are falling to the earth in showers, the sun is darkened,
the earth opens in yawning gulfs, the dead rise from their graves, but
Thou art moving amid the sound of trumpets and legions of angels, amid
thunders and lightnings. I see Thee, I hear Thee, O Christ!"

Then he was silent, and, raising his eyes, seemed to gaze into
something distant and dreadful. That moment a dull roar was heard in the
cave,--once, twice, a tenth time, in the burning city whole s