ter.

And seeing the child at his feet he asked what had happened. Crispus
began then to narrate all that Lygia had confessed to him,--her sinful
love, her desire to flee from Miriam's house,--and his sorrow that a
soul which he had thought to offer to Christ pure as a tear had defiled
itself with earthly feelings for a sharer in all those crimes into which
the pagan world had sunk, and which called for God's vengeance.

Lygia during his speech embraced with increasing force the feet of
the Apostle, as if wishing to seek refuge near them, and to beg even a
little compassion.

But the Apostle, when he had listened to the end, bent down and placed
his aged hand on her head; then he raised his eyes to the old presbyter,
and said,--"Crispus, hast thou not heard that our beloved Master was in
Cana, at a wedding, and blessed love between man and woman?"

Crispus's hands dropped, and he looked with astonishment on the speaker,
without power to utter one word. After a moment's silence Peter asked
again,--"Crispus, dost thou think that Christ, who permitted Mary of
Magdala to lie at his feet, and who forgave the public sinner, would
turn from this maiden, who is as pure as a lily of the field?"

Lygia nestled up more urgently to the feet of Peter, with sobbing,
understanding that she had not sought refuge in vain. The Apostle raised
her face, which was covered with tears, and said to her,--"While the
eyes of him whom thou lovest are not open to the light of truth, avoid
him, lest he bring thee to sin, but pray for him, and know that there is
no sin in thy love. And since it is thy wish to avoid temptation, this
will be accounted to thee as a merit. Do not suffer, and do not weep;
for I tell thee that the grace of the Redeemer has not deserted thee,
and that thy prayers will be heard; after sorrow will come days of
gladness."

When he had said this, he placed both hands on her head, and, raising
his eyes, blessed her. From his face there shone a goodness beyond that
of earth.

The penitent Crispus began humbly to explain himself; "I have sinned
against mercy," said he; "but I thought that by admitting to her heart
an earthly love she had denied Christ."

"I denied Him thrice," answered Peter, "and still He forgave me, and
commanded me to feed His sheep."

"And because," concluded Crispus, "Vinicius is an Augustian."

"Christ softened harder hearts than his," replied Peter.

Then Paul of Tarsus, who had been silent so