"We're injured unjustly," groaned the two old people.
"Well, suffer the injustice!" answered Julian. "You should rejoice in persecution. What are these sufferings to eternal bliss?"
The old man, unprepared for this deduction, stammered in dismay, as a forlorn hope—
"We are your faithful slaves, Augustus. My son serves on the military staff, in a distant fortress of the Roman frontier, and his superior officers think well of him...."
"Is he also a Christian?" interrupted Julian.
"Yes," sighed the old man, and was immediately dismayed at the avowal.
"You have done well to warn me. As proved enemies of the Roman Augustus, Christians must not henceforth occupy high Imperial office, above all in the army. I am more of your Master's opinion than you are yourselves. How should disciples of Jesus do justice according to the Roman law, when He has said, 'Judge not, and ye shall not be judged'? How should Christians rightly defend the Empire by the sword, when they were taught by Him 'He who shall take up the sword shall perish by the sword'; and again, 'Resist not evil'? Therefore, for the safety of your souls, we shall withdraw Christians from the law and from the army of Rome; that helpless, and disarmed, and free from frivolous earthliness, they may reach the kingdom of heaven!"
Smiling inwardly, and so robbing his hatred of still greater bitterness, the Emperor strode rapidly toward the Temple of Apollo.
The old people stretched their arms after him, sobbing—
"Cæsar, we did it unwittingly! Take our house, our land, all that we have, but have pity on our son!"