ew aside, for most of
the persons who entered were strangers to him. Ecclesiastics grew
numerous; among them might be distinguished a tall, meagre, bald-headed
man, the sub-deacon Arator, who held in his hand the manuscript from
which he was to read. Among the latest to arrive was a lady, stricken
in years and bowed with much grief, upon whom all eyes were
respectfully bent as Gordian conducted her to a place of honour. This
was Rusticiana, the daughter of Symmachus, the widow of Boethius. When
Basil looked at her, and thought of the anguish through which her life
had passed in that gloomy evening of the reign of Theodoric, he felt
himself for a moment at one with those who rejected and scorned the
Gothic dominion. A great unhappiness flooded his heart and mind; he
forgot what was passing about him, and only returned to himself when
there sounded the voice of the reader.

Arator's poetic version of the Acts of the Apostles was written in
hexameters; whether good or ill, Basil felt unable to decide, and he
wished Decius had been here to whisper a critical comment. In any case
he would have found the reading wearisome; that monotonous, indistinct
voice soon irritated him, and at length made him drowsy. But admiration
frequently broke out from the audience, and at the end applause became
enthusiasm. Unspeakably glad that the ceremony was over, Basil mingled
with the moving crowd, and drew towards Silvia. At length their eyes
met; the lady thereupon spoke a word to a cleric who was standing by
her, and in the next moment summoned Basil with a movement of the head.
There was a brief formality, then Basil found himself led aside by the
deacon Pelagius, who spoke to him in a grave, kind voice very pleasant
to the ear, with the courtesy of a finished man of the world, and at
the same time with a firmness of note, a directness of purpose, which
did not fail to impress the listener.

Aged about five-and-thirty, bearing upon his countenance the signature
of noble birth, Pelagius was at this moment the most accomplished
diplomat that the Church of Rome possessed. He had spent some years at
Byzantium, as papal emissary; had engaged the confidence of Justinian;
and, on his return, had brought an Imperial invitation to Vigilius, who
was requested to set forth for the East as soon as possible. Pope
Vigilius had the misfortune to differ on certain dogmatic questions
with that pious and acute theologian the Empress Theodora; being a man