the moment that through her mouth Christian teaching might speak; he
felt only that a beloved woman was speaking, and that in her answer
there was a special tenderness, a goodness simply preterhuman, which
shook him to the depth of his soul. As just before he had grown weak
from pain, so now he grew weak from emotion. A certain faintness came
on him, at once immense and agreeable. He felt as if falling into some
abyss, but he felt that to fall was pleasant, and that he was happy. He
thought at that moment of weakness that a divinity was standing above
him.

Meanwhile Glaucus had finished washing the wound in his head, and had
applied a healing ointment. Ursus took the brass basin from Lygia's
hands; she brought a cup of water and wine which stood ready on the
table, and put it to the wounded man's lips. Vinicius drank eagerly, and
felt great relief. After the operation the pain had almost passed; the
wound and contusion began to grow firm; perfect consciousness returned
to him.

"Give me another drink," said he.

Lygia took the empty cup to the next room; meanwhile Crispus, after a
few words with Glaucus, approached the bed saying,--

"God has not permitted thee, Vinicius, to accomplish an evil deed, and
has preserved thee in life so that thou shouldst come to thy mind. He,
before whom man is but dust, delivered thee defenceless into our hands;
but Christ, in whom we believe, commanded us to love even our enemies.
Therefore we have dressed thy wounds, and, as Lygia has said, we will
implore God to restore thy health, but we cannot watch over thee longer.
Be in peace, then, and think whether it beseems thee to continue thy