CHAPTER XXI
A MANUMISSION
“Blanda, what shall I do?”
Æmilius had withdrawn immediately after the interview in the citron-house, and Perpetua was left a prey to even greater distress of mind than before.
Accustomed to lean on her mother, she was now without support. She drew towards the female slave, who had a patient, gentle face, marked with suffering.
“Blanda, what shall I do?”
“Mistress, how can I advise? If you had been graciously pleased to take counsel of my master, he would have instructed you.”
“Alack! what I desire is to find my mother. If, as I suppose, she is in concealment in Nemausus, he will be unable to discover her. No clue will be put into his hand. He will be regarded with suspicion. He will search; I do not doubt his good will, but he will not find. Those who know where my mother is will look on him with suspicion. O [pg 243]Blanda, is there none in this house who believes, whom I could send to some of the Church?”
“Lady,” answered the slave, “there be no Christians here. There is a Jew, but he entertains a deadly hate of such as profess to belong to this sect. To the rest one religion is as indifferent as another. Some swear by the White Ladies, some by Serapis, and there is one who talks much of Mithras, but who this god is I know not.”
“If I am to obtain information it must be through some one who is to be trusted.”