Heaven and sees Jesus Christ in all His divine glory, and falls down
before Him in an ecstasy of joy and repentance, the worst the Lord will
do to him will be to take him by the ear and say: 'Thou fool! Now thou
seest what I really am; but thine errors be forgiven!'"

Elizabeth nodded assent. "Amen," she said, "so be it.--And so, no doubt,
it will be. Did the Lord cast out the woman taken in adultery? Did he
not give us the parable of the Samaritan?--Poor little girl! We have
often wished for a daughter and now we have found one; a pretty creature
she is too. God grants us all our wishes! But you must be tired, old
man; go to rest now."

"Directly, directly," said Eusebius; but then, striking his forehead with
his hand, he went on in much annoyance: "And with all this tumult and
worry I had quite forgotten the most important thing of all: Marcus! He
is like a possessed creature, and if I do not make a successful appeal to
his conscience before he sleeps this night mischief will come of it.
Yes, I am very tired; but duty before rest. It is of no use to
contradict me, Mother. Get me my cloak; I must go to the lad." And a
few minutes later the old man was making his way to the house in the
Canopic street.




CHAPTER XV.

Dread and anxiety had taken possession of the merchant's household after
Constantine had left them. Messengers came hurrying in, one after
another, to request the presence of Olympius. A heathen secretary of