under his wings. He stretched his hands over them and said,--

"Why are ye troubled in heart? Who of you can tell what will happen
before the hour cometh? The Lord has punished Babylon with fire; but His
mercy will be on those whom baptism has purified, and ye whose sins are
redeemed by the blood of the Lamb will die with His name on your lips.
Peace be with you!"

After the terrible and merciless words of Crispus, those of Peter fell
like a balm on all present. Instead of fear of God, the love of God took
possession of their spirits. Those people found the Christ whom they
had learned to love from the Apostle's narratives; hence not a merciless
judge, but a mild and patient Lamb, whose mercy surpasses man's
wickedness a hundredfold. A feeling of solace possessed the whole
assembly; and comfort, with thankfulness to the Apostle, filled their
hearts, Voices from various sides began to cry, "We are thy sheep, feed
us!" Those nearer said, "Desert us not in the day of disaster!" And they
knelt at his knees; seeing which Vinicius approached, seized the edge of
Peter's mantle, and, inclining, said,--

"Save me, lord. I have sought her in the smoke of the burning and in
the throng of people; nowhere could I find her, but I believe that thou
canst restore her."

Peter placed his hand on the tribune's head.

"Have trust," said he, "and come with me."

Chapter XLVI

The city burned on. The Circus Maximus had fallen in ruins. Entire
streets and alleys in parts which began to burn first were falling in
turn. After every fall pillars of flame rose for a time to the very
sky. The wind had changed, and blew now with mighty force from the sea,
bearing toward the Caelian, the Esquiline, and the Viminal rivers of
flame, brands, and cinders. Still the authorities provided for rescue.
At command of Tigellinus, who had hastened from Antium the third
day before, houses on the Esquiline were torn down so that the fire,
reaching empty spaces, died of itself. That was, however, undertaken
solely to save a remnant of the city; to save that which was burning
was not to be thought of. There was need also to guard against further
results of the ruin. Incalculable wealth had perished in Rome; all the
property of its citizens had vanished; hundreds of thousands of people
were wandering in utter want outside the walls. Hunger had begun to
pinch this throng the second day, for the immense stores of provisions
in the city had burned wit