t weighed on his
spirits, and made him morose and silent.

Old Dido, who had risked her life more than once, looked at him with
mournful eyes, and besought all the gods she worshiped to restore her
good master's former vigor, that she might once more hear him curse
and storm; for his subdued mood seemed to her unnatural and alarming--a
portent of his approaching end.

Praxilla, too, the comfortable widow, had grown pale and thin, but old
Dido had learned a great deal from her teaching. Polybius only was more
cheerful than ever. He knew that his son and Melissa had escaped the
most imminent dangers. This made him glad; and then his sister had
done wonders that he might not too greatly miss his cook. His meals had
nevertheless been often scanty enough, and this compulsory temperance
had relieved him of his gout and done him so much good that, when
Andreas led him out into daylight once more, the burly old man
exclaimed: "I feel as light as a bird. If I had but wings I could fly
across the lake to see the boy. It is you, my brother, who have helped
to make me so much lighter." He laid his arm on the freedman's shoulder
and kissed him on the cheeks. It was for the first time; and never
before had he called him brother. But that his lips had obeyed the
impulse of his heart might be seen in the tearful glitter of his eyes,
which met those of Andreas, and they, too, were moist.

Polybius knew all that the Christian had done for his son and for
Melissa, for him and his, and his jest in saying that Andreas had helped
to make him lighter referred to his latest achievement. Julianus, the
new governor of the city, who now occupied the residence of the prefect
Titianus, had taken advantage of the oppressed people to extract money,
and Andreas, by the payment of a large sum, had succeeded in persuading
him to sign a document which exonerated Polybius and his son from all
criminality, and protected their person and property against soldiers
and town guards alike. This safe-conduct secured a peaceful future
to the genial old man, and filled the measure of what he owed to the
freedman, even to overflowing. Andreas, on his part, felt that his
former owner's kiss and brotherly greeting had sealed his acceptance as
a free man. He asked no greater reward than this he had just received;
and there was another thing which made his heart leap with gladness. He
knew now that the fullness of time had come in the best sense for the
daughter of