o the waters of the sea to the end that we should perish. But the God
who loved us in His mortal life mercifully led us to the harbour of
this town. Alas! the people of Marseilles are avaricious, idolatrous and
cruel. They permit the disciples of Jesus to die of hunger and cold.
And had we not taken refuge in this temple, which they deem sacred, they
would already have dragged us to their gloomy prisons. And yet it would
have been well had they welcomed us, since we bring good tidings."

Having thus spoken the stranger held out her hand towards her companions
and pointed to each in turn.

"That old man, lady," she said, "who turns on you his serene gaze, that
is Cedon, he whom, though blind from birth, the Master healed. Cedon now
sees with equal clearness things both visible and invisible. That
other old man, whose beard is as white as the snow on the mountains,
is Maximin. This man, still so young, and who yet seems so weary, is my
brother. He was possessed of great wealth in Jerusalem. Near him stand
Martha my sister and Mantilla, the faithful servant who in happier days
gathered olives on the hillsides of Bethany."

"And you," asked Laeta Acilia, "you whose voice is so soft and whose
face is so beautiful, what is your name?"

The Jewess replied:

"I am called Mary Magdalen. I divined by the gold embroidery on your
raiment, and the unconscious pride of your bearing, that you are the
wife of one of the principal citizens of this town. For this reason
I have approached you, to the end that you may move the heart of your
husband on behalf of the disciples of Jesus Christ. Say to this rich
man: 'Lord, they are naked, let us clothe them; they are anhungered and
thirsty let us give them bread and wine, and God will restore to us in
His Kingdom what was borrowed from us in His name.'"

Laeta Acilia replied:

"Mary, I will do as you ask. My husband is named Helvius; he is of noble
rank and one of the richest citizens of the town; never for long does he
refuse what I desire, for he loves me. Your companions have now ceased,
O Mary, to fill me with fear. I shall even dare to pass close to them,
though their limbs are polluted by ulcers, and I shall go to the temple
to pray to the immortal gods to grant my wish. Alas! hitherto they have
refused."

Mary, with arms outstretched, barred her way.

"Beware, lady," she cried, "of worshipping vain idols. Do not demand of
images of stone words of hope and life. There is only