ome--the faith of thy father, venerable
for piety as for years--the faith of centuries, and of millions of our
great progenitors and thou art safe, and all thine are safe.'

Probus was silent.

'Aurelian bids me say,' continued the Prefect, 'that doing this, there
is not a wish of thy heart, for thyself, or for those who are dear to
thee, but it shall be granted. Wealth, more than miser ever craved,
office and place lower but little than Aurelian's own, shall be thine--'

'Varus! if there is within thee the least touch of humanity, cease! Thy
words have sunk into these dead walls as far as into me; yet have they
entered far enough to have wounded the soul through and through. Not,
Varus, though to all thou hast said and promised thou shouldst add Rome
itself and the empire, and still to that the subject kingdoms of the
East and West, with their treasures, and the world itself, would I prove
false to myself, my faith, and my God. Nor canst thou think me base
enough for such a deed. This is no great virtue in me, Varus. I hold it
not such; nor may you. Go through the secret chambers of these prisons
with the same rich bribe upon thy tongue, and not one so fallen wouldst
thou find that he would hear thee through as I have done. Varus, thou
knowest not what a Christian is! Thou canst not conceive how little a
thing life is in his regard set by the side of truth. I grieve that ever
I should have been so esteemed by thee as to warrant the proffers thou
hast made. This injures more and deeper than these bonds, or than all
thine array of engines or of beasts.'

'Be not the fool and madman,' said the Prefect, 'to cast away from thee
the mercy I have brought. Except on the terms I have now named, I say
there is hope neither for thee, nor for one of this faith in Rome, how
ever high their name or rank.'

'That can make no change in my resolve, Varus.'

'Consider, Probus, well. As by thy renunciation thou couldst save
thyself, I now tell thee that the lives of those whom thou holdest
nearest, hang also upon thy word. Assent to what I have offered, and
Piso and Julia live! Reject it, and they die!'

Varus paused; but Probus spoke not. He went on.

'Christian, are not these dear to thee? Demetrius too, and Felix? Where
are the mercies of thy boasted faith, if thy heart is left thus hard?
Truly thou mightest as well have lived and died a Pagan.'

'Again I say, Varus, thou knowest not what a Christian is. We put truth
before