Athanasius remained silent for some moments, looking up into the face of the tall emperor, who was watching his beautiful countenance with interest and curiosity, and a strange, almost indefinable expression lighted his sparkling features. The red lips parted and very slightly curled, but not with scorn or dislike. He had the very same expression, perhaps, that the face of some beautiful young girl might wear if a grandmother, whom she loved and revered, should begin to lecture her upon the observance of some propriety which the world had outgrown since the ancient dame had been a maiden of her own age. At last he said: "Nay, verily. The presbyter Arius surpasseth all living men in personal holiness; but his holiness is stern, ascetic, forbidding. He surpasseth all men in learning; but his learning laboreth to blight and destroy all the rare flowers of sentiment wherewith art, science, and philosophy seek to adorn and beautify the faith. He is the most earnestly Christian of all men; but his religion is hard, exacting, exclusive, and refuseth to blend with the performance of the duties of faith the light and human tenderness that endeareth piety unto the hearts of common men. He saith that the kingdom of heaven is the only government that our Lord established upon earth; that the Christian hath need of no other; and that to own allegiance to an earthly sovereign, or blend his laws with our religion, is to betray the Christ. He belongeth to a past age and to a vanishing system, and while he is one of the ablest, purest, most admirable Christians in the world, he is not, and never will be, an ecclesiastic. He hath been reared up in an age of miracles and martyrdoms, and can not comprehend the world as it is, nor the Church as it must be and is fast becoming."

Constantine regarded the gifted youth with wonder and delight, and listened with joy and amazement while the fresh and silvery tongue struck out, in forms of speech as clear and beautiful as the last coins issued from the royal mint, thoughts which he had himself long cherished and acted upon, but had never been able to conceive so perspicuously as the young archdeacon uttered them. The emperor then said, "Thou adoptest the opinions of the most learned and pious Bishop Alexander rather than those of the primitive, inflexible, and turbulent presbyter, dost thou not?"

"Only to a limited extent," answered the musical voice of Athanasius. "For our venerable bishop himself is ancient, and agreeth in many things with the presbyter. Truly, the great advantage that Arius hath over him consisteth in the fact that they have attended the same councils and witnessed the same events together, and the presbyter doth continually affirm this thing or that, and sayeth unto the bishop: 'Thou, also, wast then present; is it true, or not, as I have stated it?' And the bishop answereth, 'That thing I deny not, for it is true.' And then, as the report of the thunder followeth the lightning's flash, the fierce presbyter's conclusion striketh and overwhelmeth him. Thou canst scarcely understand how all this may be, unless thou hast seen men and women burned at the stake thyself, and hast heard their testimony, sifting through the flames, that they obeyed Jesus Christ, the only rightful King, whence they were called martyrs, that is, witnesses; but both Alexander and Arius have beheld such things, and the influence thereof abideth with them forever."

Then answered Constantine: "I thank God this day that I have seen no such events, and that no man under mine own government, or under that of my father, the most holy Emperor Constantius, hath ever seen them. But whence, then, hast thou learned thy views of the relation that ought to subsist between the Church and the emperor?"

"Chiefly from mine own thoughts, which many circumstances have provoked to activity, especially the efforts I have made to aid our venerable bishop. Long ago, in one of our social gatherings, when Arius did press the bishop fiercely upon the point that Christians must have naught to do with any government except the kingdom of heaven, which Jesus ordained for them, I arose and asked permission to put a question, which being granted, I said, 'If Tiberius Cæsar had been a Christian, would not our Lord have rejoiced to see him rule the world?' And for some time the fierce man was silent."

"And what answer did he ever make?" asked Constantine.

"He said at last: 'And if the little foxes that destroy the vines could have asked foolish questions in Greek, would Moses have pronounced the animals unclean?' And I said: 'But the foxes never speak in Greek; it is contrary to the law of nature.' And he said to me: 'Neither can an emperor be a Christian; it is contrary to the law of Christ, which ordaineth equality, liberty, and fraternity for all believers.' And those of his party thought the answer to be sufficient. But, notwithstanding, I did follow the leading of mine own thoughts, and many things grew out of it."

"Let not thy thoughts change their course," replied Constantine; "for thou art altogether right. Thou shalt be my friend: remember that thou art young, and that the pious Alexander groweth very old; so that, in the course of nature, thou mayst live to see the episcopal throne at Alexandria vacant; or if they have no throne there yet, one shall some day be established. But thou hast charmed me into the neglect of other duties. Go, now, and come again on to-morrow at the same hour."

Then the beautiful boy again glided forward, lightly kneeled and kissed the emperor's hand, and smilingly withdrew.

And for many months afterward Constantine kept the young man Athanasius with him, and also Hosius, the venerable and learned Bishop of Cordova; and daily the youth passed some hours in conversation with the emperor or with the bishop, or with both of them together; so that when he returned to Alexandria his bright and wonderful intelligence was enlarged and enlightened by the foremost thoughts concerning things both royal and ecclesiastical that any men of that age could teach him. And the youth bore with him a most kind and affectionate letter written to the ancient Bishop Alexander by Constantine's own hand, and also a beautiful communion service of silver for his church. And Athanasius said unto Constantine almost at the moment of his departure, "Shall I deliver unto Arius for thee any message?"