“Bring forth the woman!”
There was a great rustling and stir in the vast audience. Every one held his breath. A sudden outcry was raised from the prison:
“She has escaped!”
It was echoed by a thousand hoarse whispers in the crowd—“She has escaped!” There was a tremendous [pg 342]excitement. All stood upon their feet. How? where? when? by whom? echoed from all sides. Simon Magus, a picture of flaming wrath, leaped into the arena and ran through the walk enclosed by iron railings that led into the prison.
He returned in a moment dragging the poor, old, bald-headed and beardless man by the arms, and holding up the female mask in the air, he exclaimed:
“The woman and the keeper have fled; but here is the miscreant; here is the criminal! Clear the arena and give him to the lion.”
“Give him to the lion!” echoed thousands of voices, followed by thunders of applause.
A tall, stern-looking man, in the front row of seats, sprang to his feet and looking over to Lelius, exclaimed:
“Justice! justice! This man is no Christian; this man is no heretic.”
“To the lion—to the lion!” interrupted the multitude with fiercer yells than before.