Virgilia; or, Out of the Lion's Mouth Part 11

"I have only to show them the symbol," he quoted, "and the sailors and officers are subject to my orders."

That evening, the gladiator went to the cave, and finding Lidia with her father, ate the supper of coa.r.s.e bread and goat's cheese with them.

"Thou art accounted of much wisdom," he said to Lidia, "thy little head hath been ever steady on thy shoulders. Tell us what to do."

"I am only a kitchen-maid," Lidia replied, blus.h.i.+ng at the compliment, "but I should think that we might do thus."

And a plan was made to their satisfaction, a very difficult plan involving great danger for all of them, perhaps death to Lycias and Lucius. It hung to a large degree on one thing which seemed to be unattainable.

"With G.o.d, all things are possible," said wise little Lidia.

"Let us pray," said the shepherd, and he and Lidia fell upon their knees on the gra.s.s in front of the cave, where even now in late Autumn, some tiny pink-tipped daisies were blooming.

After a moment's hesitation, Lycias, who had never knelt to any but heathen G.o.ds, bent his knee also and uncovered his head in the presence of the unseen but powerful Ruler of the Universe.

He and Lidia walked back to Rome together.

As they parted, the big gladiator looked down into her earnest little face, with the clear, honest eyes.

"I should like to learn about Christ," he said.

"I will teach thee, Lycias, though I am but a weak follower of my Master."

The next day, the one before the games were to take place in the Circus, two things happened.

Alyrus, met again by Lycias, took him to the marble quarry by the Tiber, where, on the slowly flowing river, were moored great s.h.i.+ps.

There was a veritable forest of masts, cut from the strong cedars of Lebanon, and the groves of Mt. Hermon.

"That is my s.h.i.+p, yonder," he said. As they emerged from the wharf, Alyrus was suddenly jostled by a rough-looking shepherd. Lycias caught the Moor in his arms to prevent his falling. The draperies Alyrus wore were disarranged and a small object fell, unnoticed by him, to the ground. Lycias placed his big, sandaled foot over this object.

"Dog of a shepherd!" raved Alyrus, running after the man.

Lycias stooped, picked up the small object and thrust it into his gown and soon reached the Moor by a few long strides.

"Let him go!" he advised. "See, he is already almost out of sight."

VIII.

THE SYMBOL OF THE LIZARD.

The games in the amphitheatre on this, the first day of November attracted an unusual number of persons.

The emperor was there, with all his court, and the Vestals honored the games with their presence. Alyrus sat in a prominent place, with Sahira, former slave of Aurelius Luca.n.u.s and maid to Claudia, beside him. The dark-faced girl attracted much attention, so great was her beauty. Freed by special decree of Caesar, at the request of Lycidon, the priest, she had, by her father's desire been dressed like a fas.h.i.+onable girl of the period.

"Dost see them coming?" asked Alyrus, eagerly. "Thine eyes are younger than mine. Dost see them yet?"

"No, father. It is only the gladiators. Ah! that Lycias is a king among men! how strong! how n.o.ble!"

A shade pa.s.sed over the face of Alyrus the Moor.

"Yes. A fine youth, yet--I wish that I had not lost that bronze lizard, Sahira. It bodes misfortune. Rome is not a safe place for us, in spite of the favor of Lycidon. We must go as soon as the games are over. Could it be possible that Lycias--"

"Look, father, see Lycias, the conqueror. The emperor smiles upon him; a lady has thrown him a jewel. He bows. He is gone. How proud he must be!"

"And now, they will come! See, yonder, Sahira, that group of white-robed men and women. Ha! hear the wild beasts, how they growl in their cages, pawing the bars, pleading to be let loose."

Alyrus, wild with gratified hatred, his face as evil as that of a demon, leaned far over that he might lose nothing of the pitiful drama about to be enacted in the arena.

The Christians came forward slowly, the women clinging together in their physical weakness, though their souls were strong in the strength of their faith.

There was Octavia, leading Hermione and Virgilia. The widow's face was bright with a great light. There was Martius almost blinded by the contrast between the terrible darkness of the dungeon beneath Jupiter's temple, where he had spent four days and nights of misery, frantic when he thought of Virgilia and what her fate might be. He and Alexis had only a half hour before been brought through the underground pa.s.sage-way to the cells where the Christians were waiting. He and Virgilia met here, on the sanded arena, where thousands of persons were gazing at them. Martius stepped to his sister's side, and put his arm around her. He stretched out his hand to clasp that of Hermione.

"We shall meet again, yonder," he whispered, glancing upward.

Now, just as they were being pushed into the arena, a strange thing had happened. A tall man, whom Martius had not recognized as Lycias, the gladiator, approached him and said: "In the arena, I will be near you, standing by one of the gates. If you can be calm enough in the moment of excitement, note where I am. When I give the signal, take your sister in your arms and follow me."

He had said the same to Marcus, telling him to a.s.sist Octavia and Hermione and bear them forth.

"Fear not," the stranger had said. "If your G.o.d has power, he will save you all out of the lion's mouth."

Opening from the arena were several iron gates. Some of these served as entrances to the prisons or cells, where the Christians had been kept until the moment when they were commanded to come forth and perform their part in amusing the wicked emperor and his impious people. Others, four in number, were the entrances to pa.s.sageways leading to the open air. There were used by the gladiators and by the employees whose duty it was to arrange the "scenery."

Each gate was guarded, in the arena and at the outer exit, by a soldier, well armed.

It was by one of these open gates that Martius and Marcus obeying the words of the gladiator, eager to seize any chance of escape, kept the women.

The shouts of the mult.i.tude arose. "The Christians! The Christians! To the lions!"

It was then that Alyrus shrank back and a deadly fear seized him. What had he done? What had he done? He remembered past kindnesses. He remembered how Sahira had been saved from a life of sorrow and shame by Aurelius Luca.n.u.s. How had he repaid him? By treachery and evil. For the first time in his life, Alyrus was conscious of sin. The Christian's G.o.d! Who was He? Could he avenge? A horrible coldness enveloped him. He could not move. Then he knew nothing more.

But Sahira, not noticing that her father was ill, was looking down at the white group, now kneeling on the ground, while the white-haired elder prayed, with arms up-raised.

There was another shout.

Martius who had never felt cooler in his life, saw Lycias and touched Marcus on the arm.

"Come," he said. "We are not far from the entrance. Quick!"

Martius seized Virgilia in his arms; Marcus led his mother and Hermione.

It was but a step, a moment and they were by the side of Lycias.

Hermione was fainting. The gladiator lifted her as easily as if she were a child.

"Follow me," said Lycias, striding before them.