There was a general clamor to be led against the apostate.
“Members of the Inner Circle! I wot we may take him unawares while darkness is still over the Holy City.”
After further taking counsel together, all descended to the street, and made their way through a narrow lane to a place beyond Hezekiah’s Pool, which was near the house where Serenus lived with his mother. Though within the city walls, the locality was remote and lonely. Arming themselves with stones as they passed along, Saulus commanded that, when they arrived at the house, they should surround it and make some outcry. Serenus would then appear, when they could smite him, and flee in the darkness, with none to witness against them.
“He shall lick the dust like a serpent,” said Saulus; “yea, as the Lord liveth, he shall fall and not rise again.”
All then joined hands in a small circle, and made a solemn vow of secrecy and service.
“By the stones of the Holy City, we swear that the God of Israel shall accomplish his fury and pour out his fierce anger, through us, his chosen servants, for we do his bidding.”
Unclasping hands, they again gathered up the stones which they had laid down during the ceremony, and made their way to the house.
The moon had gone down, and the first flush of dawn was faintly visible over the eastern mountains. A sullen chill pervaded the air, and the boundless Impalpable which surrounds the earth seemed filled with a life which needs not breath. Nature was in a mood of gloom and [pg 91]distemper. The very leaves of the trees, invisible in the darkness, rustled a chorus of Sibylline sighs and hisses; but the comrades heard and saw nothing.
At a given signal an outcry was made, and Serenus looked down from a window to make inquiry concerning it.
“What would ye? Doth a stranger need succor?”