Suddenly from the entire concourse rose a cry of astonishment and dismay.
The young man, Æmilius Lentulus Varo, had leaped into the holy basin.
Why had he so leaped? Why?
CHAPTER III
BAUDILLAS, THE DEACON
The chain of priests and priestesses could not restrain the mob, that thrust forward to the great basin, to see the result.
Exclamations of every description rose from the throng.
“He fell in!”
“Nay, he cast himself in. The god will withdraw the holy waters. It was impious. The fountain is polluted.”