Chapter LXVI

FOUR Bithynians carried Lygia carefully to the house of Petronius.
Vinicius and Ursus walked at her side, hurrying so as to give her into
the hands of the Greek physician as quickly as possible. They walked in
silence, for after the events of the day they had not power to speak.
Vinicius so far was as if half conscious. He kept repeating to himself
that Lygia was saved; that she was threatened no longer by imprisonment,
or death in the Circus; that their misfortunes had ended once and
forever; that he would take her home and not separate again from her.
This appeared to him the beginning of some other life rather than
reality. From moment to moment he bent over the open litter to look on
the beloved face, which in the moonlight seemed sleeping, and he
repeated mentally, "This is she! Christ has saved her!" He remembered
also that while he and Ursus were carrying her from the spoliarium an
unknown physician had assured him that she was living and would recover.
At this thought delight so filled his breast that at moments he grew
weak, and being unable to walk with his own strength leaned on the arm
of Ursus. Ursus meanwhile was looking into the sky filled with stars,
and was praying.

They advanced hurriedly along streets where newly erected white
buildings shone brightly in the moonlight. The city was empty, save
here and there where crowds of people crowned with ivy, sang and danced
before porticos to the sound of flutes, thus taking advantage of the
wonderful night and the festive season, unbroken from the beginning of
the games. Only when they were near the house did Ursus stop praying,
and say in a low voice, as if he feared to waken Lygia,--

"Lord, it was the Saviour who rescued her from death. When I saw her on
the horns of the aurochs, I heard a voice in my soul saying, 'Defend
her!' and that was the voice of the Lamb. The prison took strength from
me, but He gave it back in that moment, and inspired that cruel people
to take her part. Let His will be done!"

And Vinicius answered,--

"Magnified be His name!"

He had not power to continue, for all at once he felt that a mighty
weeping was swelling his breast. He was seized by an overpowering wish
to throw himself on the earth and thank the Saviour for His miracles and
His mercy.

Meanwhile they had come to the house; the servants, informed by a slave
despatched in advance, crowded out to meet them. Paul of Tarsus had
sent back from Antium the greater part of those people. The misfortune
of Vincius was known to them perfectly; therefore their delight at
seeing those victims which had been snatched from the malice of Nero was
immense, and increased still more when the physician Theocles declared
that Lygia had not suffered serious injury, and that when the weakness
caused by prison fever had passed, she would regain health.

Consciousness returned to her that night. Waking in the splendid
chamber lighted by Corinthian lamps, amidst the odor of verbena and
nard, she knew not where she was, or what was taking place with her.
She remembered the moment in which she had been lashed to the horns of
the chained bull; and now, seeing above her the face of Vinicius,
lighted by the mild rays of the lamp, she supposed herself no longer on
earth. The thoughts were confused in her weakened head; it seemed to
her natural to be detained somewhere on the way to heaven, because of
her tortures and weakness. Feeling no pain, however, she smiled at
Vinicius, and wanted to ask where they were; but from her lips came
merely a low whisper in which he could barely detect his own name.

Then he knelt near her, and, placing his hand on her forehead lightly,
he said,--

"Christ saved thee, and returned thee to me!"

Her lips moved again with a meaningless whisper; her lids closed after a
moment, her breast rose with a light sigh, and she fell into a deep
sleep, for which the physician had been waiting, and after which she
would return to health, he said.

Vinicius remained kneeling near her, however, sunk in prayer. His soul
was melting with a love so immense that he forgot himself utterly.
Theocles returned often to the chamber, and the golden-haired Eunice
appeared behind the raised curtain a number of times; finally cranes,
reared in the gardens, began to call, heralding the coming day, but
Vinicius was still embracing in his mind the feet of Christ, neither
seeing nor hearing what was passing around him, with a heart turned into
a thanksgiving, sacrificial flame, sunk in ecstasy, and though alive,
half seized into heaven.