CHAPTER THIRTEEN.
THE ASSASSINS.
The way before Jovinian was now unknown, and he had to walk with thegreatest caution. He might meet with some pit, or hole, or flight ofsteps, or the gallery might turn off abruptly to the right or left. Hehad heard that persons had been lost in these galleries, and wanderedabout for days, unable to find their way out, when they had sunk downfrom hunger and fatigue, and died. These were, however, heathens whohad gone in pursuit of the Christian fugitives. The God of theChristians, he knew, would be watching over him; he, therefore, had nocowardly fears, but went forward in the full confidence that he would beprotected.
Even with a torch the undertaking would have been a difficult one. Itappeared to him that he had gone on for half an hour or more. Every nowand then he shouted out, in the hope that Severus might hear him; but noanswer came to his cries, except an occasional echo from the gallerieson either hand. He remembered that he and his friends had proceeded aconsiderable distance before they encountered the soldiers, so that itmust of necessity take him a long time to get back. He was surprisedthat Severus and the fossor had not come to look for him, feelingconfident that he was following the gallery they had taken. How muchlonger he wandered on he could scarcely tell. At times he felt almostinclined to sit down in despair; but then he said to himself, "He whowatches over Israel neither slumbers nor sleeps; I will trust to Him,"and with renewed courage he went on. Although he might not discover theabode of Gentianus, or find his way out of the catacomb, he was sure toencounter some of the persons who might come to visit the tombs of themartyrs, or to pray at the graves of their relatives, and they wouldcertainly render him all the assistance in their power.
It also occurred to him that other parties might have been sent insearch of Gentianus and Severus, and it would be dangerous to fall intotheir hands.
He might conceal himself, however, should he discover anysuspicious-looking persons approaching. He was too anxious toexperience any sensation of hunger; but he at length began to feel veryweary. He fancied, indeed, that he must already have been groping hisway for several hours. If so, he could hardly have proceeded in astraight line, and might, for aught he could tell, be actually turningback in the direction from which he had come. "Had I myself only todepend on, such might be the case!--but the God of love and mercy willlead me; I will trust Him," he exclaimed.
Becoming accustomed to the darkness, he found that he could move muchfaster than at first, and, with his hands stretched out, the instant hisfingers came in contact with the rock, he was able easily to avoid it.At length his feet struck against a slab of stone. It was the facing ofa tomb, which had never been placed in its intended position. Thisshowed him that he was in a part of the galleries likely to be visited,and reminded him also that he might probably stumble over other similarimpediments.
He sat down to rest, at the same time listening for a sound which mightassist to guide him, should persons perchance be in any of theneighbouring galleries. He had sat thus for some time, and was on thepoint of moving onwards, when a faint cry reached his ear; it came fromthe direction towards which he had been proceeding, he had gone a fewpaces, when he saw a light streaming along the gallery, on the left. Hehurried towards it. As he approached the spot from whence the lightshone forth, he observed that it issued from a lantern held by a female,whom he recognised as Rufina. Another female was bending over a personwho lay stretched on the ground. The first was Julia, the otherEugenia, whom she appeared to be endeavouring to restore to animation,uttering, at the same time, expressions of grief and endearment. "Oh,mother! mother! speak to me," she exclaimed. "Revive! the danger isover; we have escaped our pursuers, and are safe here!" So engaged wereJulia and Rufina in their efforts to recall Eugenia to consciousnessthat they had not heard Jovinian approach. Rufina, her ear catching thesound of footsteps, at length perceived him. At first she cast towardshim a look of alarm, but discovering who he was, she uttered anexclamation of joy. "Here is Jovinian, dear lady," she exclaimed; "yourhusband Severus cannot be far off, and we shall be able to escape fromthe wretches who were following us." From what Jovinian heard, he knewthat Severus and his guide must still be wandering about the galleries,or else that they had been overtaken by some of the parties sent tocapture them. Unwilling, however, to deprive his friends of the hopesRufina had endeavoured to raise, he did not express his fears; but,kneeling down by the side of Eugenia, he tried to assist Julia andRufina in restoring her to animation.
"There is a fountain near," he said; "I heard the sound of the waterbubbling forth as I came along: very likely a cup or basin may have beenleft near it to enable passers-by to drink; let me take the lantern, andI will quickly return."
"Oh, go! go!" said Julia; "we shall not fear to remain in darkness."
He was not disappointed in his expectations; a small metal cup wasplaced in a niche by the side of the rock, out of which the waterbubbled forth, making its escape by some hidden course beneath theground. This showed that the gallery must be frequently visited.
Jovinian hastened back with the cool liquid, with which Julia bathed hermother's brow and lips, pouring a small quantity down her throat.
Julia thanked him more by her looks than with her lips. "Oh, see! sheis reviving now," she exclaimed.
After a short time Eugenia was able to sit up, and declared herselfstrong enough to proceed, should it be necessary.
"We are as safe here as in any other part of the gallery," observedRufina. "Should any person approach, we can seek for shelter in one ofthe many passages which turn off close to us."
Eugenia's first inquiry was for her husband.
"I trust that he is safe," answered Jovinian; and he then described howhe had been parted from him. His answer appeared rather to increasethan to calm Eugenia's alarm. Jovinian now inquired of Rufina what hadcaused them to take to flight; for he was unwilling to question eitherJulia or her mother, who was, indeed, little able to answer him.
"It was I who have been the instrument in God's hands of warning them ofthe dangers with which they were threatened, and of assisting them toescape from their heathen enemies," answered Rufina. "It happened inthis wise: Eros had ventured forth, unwisely as it proved, from hishiding-place, when he was captured by some emissaries of your uncleGaius. We mourned him as lost, feeling sure that his life would besacrificed to the vengeance of the pontiff. We were not mistaken: hewas doomed to be crucified. The night before he was to suffer, when itwas believed by his guards that he would never again hold communicationwith his fellow-creatures, he sat with heavy chains on his legs andarms; they, either supposing him to be asleep, or not caring whether heheard or not, began to talk of various projects on foot; some of those,which only showed in what vile offices they were engaged, were mattersof indifference to him. At length, however, they spoke of a design forthe destruction of Gentianus and Severus. They hoped to obtain aguide--one well acquainted with the galleries, a recreant to the faithof the Gospel--and by his means they felt sure of accomplishing theirobject.
"What he heard brought deep grief to the heart of Eros. A slave boundin chains and expecting to die on the morrow, he could render noassistance to the noble patrician who was thus placed in such fearfuljeopardy, and about whom I had so often spoken to him." Rufina thendescribed how the life of Eros had been saved by the vestal Marcia. "Assoon as he was at liberty," she continued, "he hastened to me, and toldme what he had heard--I being better able to warn our friends than anyone he knew. There was not a moment to be lost, he said, for that veryday the assassins would set out on their search. Eros offered toaccompany me; but this I declined, and hastened as fast as my feet wouldconvey me to the entrance of the galleries. After much difficulty Ifound the ladies, Eugenia and Julia, with the patrician Gentianus; Iwarned them of the approach of the assassins, entreating Gentianus tofly with his daughter and Julia.
"`I should only impede them,' he answered. `Rufina, I charge youconduct them to a place of safety;
I will remain here; I am prepared forwhatever Heaven will allow my enemies to do.'
"In vain we pleaded with him. He made his commands imperative on us.`Seek for Severus, and warn him,' he added; `his life is of more valuethan mine; he may still live to preach the Gospel and to exhort sinnersto turn to the Saviour.' Again he charged us to fly, in a way we couldnot disobey; and Eugenia, who had ever implicitly followed his commands,taking Julia by the hand, accompanied me in the direction I consideredthe safest.
"Scarcely had we left the gallery when we heard the shouts of theassassins, as, led by their treacherous guide, they burst into thelong-concealed chamber. I judged by their voices that they wereexpressing their disappointment at not discovering Severus. The guide,either knowing his way no farther, or having performed what he hadundertaken, must have refused to lead them on, for they did not followus, as I feared they would have done. I could not leave Eugenia andJulia, or I would have retraced my steps, and endeavoured to ascertainthe direction they had taken. Judging by the sounds I heard, I believedthat, dreading to remain in the gallery, they had endeavoured to regainthe upper world."
Jovinian trusted that such might be the case; but greatly feared theywere more likely to have gone in search of Severus. He offered to tryand find his way to the abode of Gentianus, if Rufina could give himsufficient directions. "I have been so many hours moving in the darkthat I do not fear to make the attempt," he said, "and the lamp hangingto the roof, which it is not likely has been extinguished, will guide mewhen I approach the chamber."
Eugenia, deeply anxious to know what had occurred to her father, gladlyaccepted Jovinian's offer.
"Oh that I might go with, you!" said Julia, taking his hand.
"No," said Rufina; "it will be far safer for you to go alone." And shethen proceeded to give him such directions as he believed would enablehim to direct his course aright.
He set out, counting his steps, that he might not fail to know thedistance he had traversed. More than once he stopped, fearing that hehad missed his way; but, feeling the importance of his errand, hepersevered in his endeavour, and so well did he remember his directions,that he made no mistake. At length he reached the entrance to thegallery which led to the chamber. It had been left open by Rufina, whohad been unable to shut it, and at the farther end he saw the faintlight of the lamp still burning. He stopped and listened. No soundreached his ear. He feared that the assassins, disappointed at notfinding their chief victim, had wreaked their anger on the head of hisaged father-in-law. He hurried forward as he approached the chamber,hoping to see Gentianus still seated in his chair; but the chair wasempty. In another minute he was kneeling beside the old man, who wasstretched his length on the ground. Jovinian at first thought thatGentianus was dead; but as he lifted up the head of his venerablefriend, the few faint words uttered by Gentianus showed him that he wasstill conscious.
"Have they escaped?" he asked; "have my beloved Eugenia and Julia beenpreserved from the daggers of the assassins? And Severus,--can you giveme news of him, my son? or have their cruel weapons struck him down?"
Jovinian replied that he had but just left Eugenia and Julia, andtrusted that Severus, being accompanied by the fossor, would have beenenabled to conceal himself from the assassins, even should they havegone in pursuit of him. "But can I render you no aid?" he continued;"let me endeavour to staunch the blood which flows from your side."
"It is too late now," answered Gentianus; "you must not attempt to moveme. I know not how many daggers entered my body, though the hands ofthose who desired my death failed to strike home. I would forgive them,as I would also the relentless foe by whom they were despatched on theirbloody errand. Hasten back, my son, and bring my beloved daughter andchild; I would thankfully see them once more ere I die."
Jovinian rose to obey the commands of Gentianus. As he did so he heardfootsteps approaching. Stopping a moment, he recognised Severus and thefossor. "Heaven has sent you assistance!" he said, again kneeling downby the side of his wounded friend. Ere long Severus joined him, andthey together endeavoured to ascertain the injuries received by the oldman.
"It is useless," said Gentianus; "you cannot for long prolong my life,and I am willing to depart, and to be with Christ. Go, Jovinian, summonmy beloved daughter and her child; I would speak to them again ere myspirit wings its flight to Him who has gone before to prepare a placefor me."
Severus, struck with horror at what he saw, had scarcely spoken, nor hadhe time to inquire by whom Gentianus had been wounded; but the words heheard assured him that his wife and daughter were still safe.
Jovinian would have gone alone, but the old fossor, who carried alantern, at a sign from Severus, accompanied him, and he was thus able,much more speedily than otherwise would have been the case, to return towhere he had left his female friends.
He endeavoured to prepare Eugenia and Julia for what had occurred, hisheart at the same time beating with gratitude to Heaven for enablingthem to escape the fearful danger to which they had been exposed. Whathad caused the assassins to retreat he could not tell; but he dreadedthat they might return, and discover Severus. He resolved, therefore,to advise his friend to seek immediately some other place ofconcealment.
Gentianus was still conscious when they regained the chamber; indeed, heappeared to have somewhat recovered his strength. His daughter andgrandchild threw themselves down beside him, and assisted Severus insupporting his head.
"Do not mourn over me, my children," he said, taking Eugenia's hand."The days of my pilgrimage were naturally drawing to a close; God in Hismercy has allowed them to be somewhat shortened, and has saved me fromwitnessing the result of the corruptions and errors which have crept inamong our brethren at Rome in consequence of their departure from theclear teaching of the blessed Gospel. They having neglected the lightwhich was in them, it is becoming darkness. I see it but too plainly,--the greed of riches and power possesses the hearts of many of those whoshould have been the humble overseers of Christ's flock; and thepresbyters and deacons but too willingly support them, for the sake ofsharing the wealth they seek to acquire.
"Many rejoice that the emperor supports the Christians, and has bestowedworldly rank and dignity on the overseers and presbyters; but I warnyou, my children, that he is a far greater foe to the true Church ofChrist than those monarchs who have been deemed its greatestpersecutors. Oh, let me charge you, my beloved ones, to cling closelyto the simple Gospel! Be living stones of the temple of which Christ isthe chief corner-stone! Let not Satan succeed in inducing you, with theoffer of wealth, dignity, or honours, to depart from the truth.Endeavour by God's grace to stem the tide, and never cease to protestagainst the errors and corruptions which have crept in among those whohave a name to live, but are dead. Seek for guidance and direction withprayer and supplication, and, if you find that you cannot succeed, go tosome other land, and preach the truth of the Gospel among its heatheninhabitants; ground them soundly in the faith, teaching them that theremust be no compromise, that they must turn to the true God, and worshipHim in spirit and truth through Christ, abandoning all their idolatrouspractices, that they must live as Christians lived in the apostolicdays, not looking to emperors, or rulers, or men great in the world'seye for support, but to Christ the risen One alone."
"With God's grace I will follow your counsel," said Severus, to whomGentianus had stretched out his hand. Jovinian also took it, and withdeep earnestness repeated the same words.
"Now, my children, I feel myself sinking. My beloved Eugenia, I leaveyou with confidence under the protection of Severus." Then, takingJulia's hand, he placed it in that of Jovinian. "May heaven give youlife and strength, and may you, together, fight the good fight of faith,and prove a blessing to each other, as God, in His loving-kindness, hasordained that those united with His will shall ever be to one another."
Jovinian pressed Julia's hand. "With her, I promise, thankfully andjoyfully, to obey your wishes," he said.
Thus were Jovini
an and Julia betrothed.
The old man continued to address those grouped around him, while Rufinaand the fossor kept watch at the two entrances to the chamber.
The voice of Gentianus grew fainter and fainter. It ceased at last, andhis children knew that his spirit had departed.