ladies Aurelia and Petronilla. Perchance, in respect for the
honoured Maximus, they would feel reluctant to see me take your
place.'

'O modest Decius!' exclaimed the other. 'Which, pray, carries the
more dignity, your name or mine?--not to speak of your learning
and my ignorance. As to Aurelia, I can ease your mind at once. She
would not dream of objecting.'

'Then let us, to-morrow, beg audience of the pious lady at
Surrentum, and request her permission.'

The proposal made Basil uncomfortable; but a visit of respect to
Petronilla was certainly due, and perhaps it would pass without
troublesome incident. He nodded assent.

Early on the morrow they carried out their purpose. To the surprise
of both, Petronilla received them in her modest abode not
ungraciously, though with marked condescension; she gave them to
understand that her days, and much of her nights, passed in
religious exercises, the names of her kinsfolk not being omitted
from her prayers; of the good bishop she spoke almost tenderly, and
with a humble pride related that she had been able to ease a
persistent headache from which his Sanctity suffered. When Basil
found an opportunity of reporting what had passed between him and
Decius, the lady's austere smile was for a moment clouded; it looked
as though storm might follow. But the smile returned, with perhaps a
slightly changed significance. Did Basil think of remaining long at
the villa? Ah, he could not say; to be sure, the times were so
uncertain. For her own part, she would start on her journey as soon