was called, and Basil spoke apart with her; he
learnt that Petronilla, as soon as her pains began, sent a messenger to
the deacon Leander, entreating him to come; but Leander had only
yesterday set out on a journey, and would not be back for a week or
more. Hearing this, the stricken lady fell into an anguish of mind
worse even than that of the body; she uttered words signifying
repentance for some ill-doing, and, after a while, said to those who
were beside her--a physician and the speaker--that, if she died, they
were to make known to Bessas that the deacon Leander, he and he alone,
could tell all. Having said this, Petronilla became for a time calmer;
but her sufferings increased, and suddenly she bade summon the
presbyter of St. Cecilia's church. With him she spoke alone, and for a
long time. Since, she had uttered no word touching worldly matters; the
woman believed that she was now unconscious.

'And you swear to me,' said Basil, who quivered as he listened, 'that
this is the truth and all you know?'

Leo's wife swore by everything sacred on earth, and by all the powers
of heaven, that she had falsified nothing, concealed nothing. Thereupon
Basil turned to go away. In the vestibule, the slaves knelt weeping
before him, some with entreaties to be permitted to leave this stricken
house, some imploring advice against the plague; men and women alike,
all were beside themselves with terror. In this moment there came a
knocking at the entrance; the porter ran to open, and admitted Gordian.
Basil and he, who had not met since the day of the family gathering,
spoke together in the portico. He had come, said Gordian, in the fear
that Petronilla had been forsaken by all her household, as sometimes
happened to those infected. Had it been so, he would have held it a
duty to approach her with what solace he could. As it was, physician
and priest and servants being here, he durst not risk harm to his own
family; but he would hold himself in readiness, if grave occasion
summoned him. So Gordian remounted his horse, and rode back home.

Basil lingered. He no longer entertained the suspicion that Veranilda
might be here, but he thought that, could he speak with Petronilla
herself, penitence might prompt her to tell him where the captive lay
hidden. It surprised him not at all to hear Leander's name as that of
her confidant in the matter, though hitherto his thought had not turned
in that direction. Leander signified the Church,