iced in his
without restraint; and he made his sister rejoice in hers, if enjoyment it
was. He himself found in the pleasures he pointed out a banquet of
fruits:--she dust and ashes. And so she went on; not changing her life,
from habit, from the captivity of nature, but weary, disappointed,
fastidious, hungry, yet not knowing what she would have; yearning after
something, she did not well know what. And as heretofore she had cast her
lot with the world, yet had received no price for her adhesion, so now she
had bid it farewell; yet had nothing to take in its place.

As to her brother, after the visit of Polemo, he got more and more
annoyed--angry rather than distressed, and angry with her. One more
opportunity occurred of her release, and it was the last effort he made to
move her. Cornelius, in spite of his pomposity, had acted the part of a
real friend. He wrote from Carthage, that he had happily succeeded in his
application to government, and, difficult and unusual as was the grace,
had obtained her release. He sent the formal documents for carrying it
through the court, and gained the eager benediction of the excitable
Aristo. He rushed with the parchments to the magistrates, who recognised
them as sufficient, and got an order for admission to her room.

"Joy, my dearest," he cried; "you are free! We will leave this loathsome
country by the first vessel. I have seen the magistrates already."

The colour came into her wan face, she clasped her hands together, and
looked earnestly at Aristo. He proceeded to explain the process of
liberation. She would not be called on to sacrifice, but must sign a
writing to the effect that she had done so, and there would be an end of
the whole matter. On the first statement she saw no difficulty in the
proposal, and started up in animation. Presently her countenance fell; how
could she say that she had done what it was treason to her inward Guide to
do? What was the difference between acknowledging a blasphemy by a
signature or by incense? She smiled sorrowfully at him, shook her head,
and lay down again upon her rushes. She had anticipated the Church's
judgment on the case of the _Libellatici_.

Aristo could not at first believe he heard aright, that she refused to be
saved by what seemed to him a matter of legal form; and his anger grew so
high as to eclipse and to shake his affection. "Lost girl," he cried, "I
abandon you to the Furies!" and he shook his clenched hand at her.