Meanwhile the soldier approached him, and said in a low voice,
“Be at rest, lord, the guard and Ursus are watching over her.” When he had said this, he bent and, in the twinkle of an eye, drew with his long Gallic sword on the flag stone the form of a fish.
Vinicius looked at him quickly.
“And thou art a pretorian?”
“Till I shall be there,” answered the soldier, pointing to the prison.
“And I, too, worship Christ.”
“May His name be praised! I know, lord, I cannot admit thee to the prison, but write a letter, I will give it to the guard.”
“Thanks to thee, brother.”
He pressed the soldier’s hand, and went away. The pileolus ceased to weigh like lead. The morning sun rose over the walls of the prison, and with its brightness consolation began to enter his heart again. That Christian soldier was for him a new witness of the power of Christ. After a while he halted, and, fixing his glance on the rosy clouds above the Capitol and the temple of Jupiter Stator, he said,—
“I have not seen her to-day, O Lord, but I believe in Thy mercy.”