the word was given, and the wheels
unrestrained flew back again to their places. Macer was then unbound. He
at first lay where he was thrown upon the pavement. But his life was yet
strong within his iron frame. He rose at length upon his feet, and was
again led to the presence of his judges. His eye had lost nothing of its
wild fire, nor his air any thing of its lofty independence.

Varus again addressed him.

'Christian, you have felt what there is in Roman justice. Reject not
again what Roman mercy again offers thee--life freely, honor too, and
office, if thou wilt return once more to the bosom of the fond mother
who reared thee.'

'Yes,' said Fronto, 'thy mother who reared thee! Die not with the double
guilt of apostacy and ingratitude upon thy soul.'

'Varus,' said Macer, 'art thou a fool, a very fool, to deem that thy
word can weigh more with me than Christ? Make not thyself a
laughingstock to me and such Christians as may be here. The torments of
thy importunity are worse to me than those of thy engines.'

'I wish thee well, Macer; 'tis that which makes me thus a fool,'

'So, Varus, does Satan wish his victim well, to whom he offers his
luscious baits. But what is it when the bait is swallowed, and hell is
all that has been gained? What should I gain, but to live with thee, O
greater fool?'

'Think, Macer, of thy wife and children.'

At those names, Macer bent his head and folded his hands upon his
breast, and tears rolled down his cheeks. Till then there had been, as
it seemed, a blessed forgetfulness of all but himself and the scene
before him. Varus, misinterpreting this his silence, and taking it for
the first sign of repentance, hastily cried out,

'There is the altar, Macer.--Slave! hold to him the sacred libation; he
will now pour it out.'

Instantly a slave held out to him a silver ladle filled with wine.

Macer at the same instant struck it with his sinewy arm and sent it
whirling to the ceiling.

'Bind him again to the rack,' cried the Prefect, leaping from his seat;
'and let him have it till the nerves break.'

Macer was again seized and stretched upon the iron bed--this time upon
another, of different construction, and greater power. Again the
infernal machine was worked by the naked slaves, and, as it was wound
up, inflicting all that it was capable of doing without absolutely
destroying life, groans and screams of fierce agony broke from the
suffering Christian. How long our ears were