CHAPTER XIV.

At noon of the following day the senator went to the women's room, and
while he was still on the threshold, he asked his wife--who was busy at
the loom:

"Where is Polykarp? I did not find him with Antonius, who is working at
the placing of the altar, and I thought I might find him here."

"After going to the church," said Dorothea, "he went up the mountain.
Go down to the workshops, Marthana, and see if your brother has come
back."

Her daughter obeyed quickly and gladly, for her brother was to her the
dearest, and seemed to her to be the best, of men. As soon as the pair
were alone together Petrus said, while he held out his hand to his wife
with genial affection, "Well, mother--shake hands." Dorothea paused for
an instant, looking him in the face, as if to ask him, "Does your pride
at last allow you to cease doing me an injustice?" It was a reproach,
but in truth not a severe one, or her lips would hardly have trembled so
tenderly, as she said.

"You cannot be angry with me any longer, and it is well that all should
once more be as it ought."

All certainly had not been "as it ought," for since the husband and wife
had met in Polykarp's work-room, they had behaved to each other as if
they were strangers. In their bedroom, on the way to church, and at
breakfast, they had spoken to each no more than was absolutely necessary,