to me; if yours is
no better, I know not why I should honor Him beyond the old ones."

"But He will restore her to me."

Pettonius shrugged his shoulders. "Dost know," inquired he, "that
Christians are to illuminate Caesar's gardens to-morrow?"

"To-morrow?" repeated Vinicius.

And in view of the near and dreadful reality his heart trembled with
pain and fear. "This is the last night, perhaps, which I can pass with
Lygia," thought he. So bidding farewell to Petronius, he went hurriedly
to the overseer of the "Putrid Pits" for his tessera. But disappointment
was in waiting,--the overseer would not give the tessera.

"Pardon me," said he, "I have done what I could for thee, but I cannot
risk my life. To-night they are to conduct the Christians to Caesar's
gardens. The prisons will be full of soldiers and officials. Shouldst
thou be recognized, I and my children would be lost."

Vinicius understood that it would be vain to insist. The hope gleamed in
him, however, that the soldiers who had seen him before would admit
him even without a tessera; so, with the coming of night, he disguised
himself as usual in the tunic of a corpse-bearer, and, winding a cloth
around his head, betook himself to the prison.

But that day the tesserae were verified with greater care than usual; and
what was more, the centurion Scevinus, a strict soldier, devoted soul
and body to Caesar, recognized Vinicius. But evidently in his iron-clad
breast there glimmered yet some spark of pity for misfortunes. Instead
of striking his spear in token of alarm, he led Vinicius aside and
said,--

"Return to thy house, lord. I recognize thee; but not wishing thy ruin,
I am silent. I cannot admit thee; go thy way, and may the gods send thee
solace."

"Thou canst not admit me," said Vinicius, "but let me stand here and
look at those who are led forth."

"My order does not forbid that," said Scevinus.

Vinicius stood before the gate and waited. About midnight the prison
gate was opened widely, and whole ranks of prisoners appeared,--men,
women, and children, surrounded by armed pretorians. The night was very
bright; hence it was possible to distinguish not only the forms, but
the faces of the unfortunates. They went two abreast, in a long, gloomy
train, amid stillness broken only by the clatter of weapons. So many
were led out that all the dungeons must be empty, as it seemed. In the
rear of the line Vinicius saw Glaucus the physician distinctly, but