Perpetua. A Tale of Nimes in A.D. 213
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CHAPTER VI
THE PASSAGE INTO LIFE
AEmilius had sprung to his feet and called to the men to cease punting.They rested on their poles, awaiting further instructions, and the impetusgiven to the raft carried it among some yellow flags and rushes.
Callipodius said: "I mostly admire the splendor of your intellect, thatshines forth with solar effulgence. But there are seasons when the sun iseclipsed or obscured, and such is this with thee. Surely thou dost notcontemplate a return to Nemausus to risk thy life without being in any wayable to assist the damsel. Consider, moreover--is it worth it--for a girl?"
"Callipodius," said the young lawyer in a tone of vehemence, "I cannot flyand place myself in security and leave her exposed to the most dreadfuldanger. I did my work by half only. What I did was unpremeditated, butthat done must be made a complete whole. When I undertake anything it ismy way to carry it out to a fair issue."
"That is true enough and worthy of your excellent qualities of heart andmind. But you know nothing of this wench, and be she all that you imagine,what is a woman that for her you should jeopardize your little finger?Besides, her mother and kinsfolk will hardly desire your aid, willcertainly not invoke it."
"Why not?"
Callipodius shrugged his shoulders. "You are a man of the world--a votaryof pleasure, and these people are Christians. They will do their utmostfor her. They hang together as a swarm of bees."
"Who and what are these people--this mother and her kinsfolk?"
"I know little about them. They occupy a house in the lower town, and thattells its own tale. They do not belong to the quality to which you belong.The girl has been reputed beautiful, and many light fellows have sought tosee and have words with her. But she is so zealously guarded, and isherself so retiring and modest that they have encountered only rebuff anddisappointment."
"I must return. I will know for certain that she is in safety. Methinks nosooner were they balked of me than they would direct all their efforts tosecure her."
"You shall not go back to Nemausus. You would but jeopardize your ownvaluable life without the possibility of assisting her; nay, ratherwouldst thou direct attention to her. Leave the matter with me and trustmy devotion to thine interests."
"I must learn tidings of her. I shall not rest till assured that she isout of danger. By the infernal gods, Callipodius, I know not what is comeupon me, but I feel that if ill befall her, I could throw myself on asword and welcome death, life having lost to me all value."
"Then I tell thee this, most resolute of men," said Callipodius, "I willreturn to the town. My nothingness will pass unquestioned. Thou shalttarry at the house of Flavillus yonder on the promontory. He is a timbermerchant, and the place is clean. The woman bears a good name, and, whatis better, can cook well. The house is poor and undeserving of the honorof receiving so distinguished a person as thyself; but if thou wiltcondescend----"
"Enough. I will do as thou advisest. And, oh, friend, be speedy, relievemy anxiety and be true as thou dost value my esteem."
Then AEmilius signed to the raftmen to put him ashore at the landing placeto the timber yard of Flavillus.
Having landed he mounted a slight ascent to a cottage that was surroundedby piles of wood--of oak, chestnut, pine and olive. Flavillus was amerchant on a small scale, but a man of energy and industry. He dealt withthe natives of the Cebennae, and bought the timber they felled, conveyed itto his stores, whence it was distributed to the towns in the neighborhood;and supplies were furnished to the shipbuilders at Arelate.
The merchant was now away, but his wife received AEmilius with deference.She had heard his name from the raftmen, and was acquainted withCallipodius, a word from whom sufficed as an introduction.
She apologized because her house was small, as also because her mother,then with her, was at the point of death from old age, not from any feveror other disorder. If AEmilius Lentulus, under the circumstances, wouldpardon imperfection in attendance, she would gladly extend to him suchhospitality as she could offer. AEmilius would have gone elsewhere, butthat the only other house he could think of that was near was a tavern,then crowded by Utriculares, who occupied every corner. He was sorry toinconvenience the woman, yet accepted her offer. The period was not one inwhich much consideration was shown to those in a lower grade. The citizensand nobles held that their inferiors existed for their convenience only.AEmilius shared in the ideas of his time and class, but he had sufficientnatural delicacy to make him reluctant to intrude where his presence wasnecessarily irksome. Nevertheless, as there was no other place to which hecould go, he put aside this feeling of hesitation.
The house was small, and was constructed of wood upon a stone basement.The partitions between the rooms were of split planks, and the joints werein places open, and knots had come out, so that what passed in oneapartment was audible, and, to some extent, visible in another. A bedroomin a Roman house was a mere closet, furnished with a bed only. All washingwas done at the baths, not in the house. The room had no window, only adoor over which hung a curtain.
AEmilius divested himself of his wet garment and gave it to his hostess todry, then wrapped himself in his toga and awaited supper.
The meal was prepared as speedily as might be. It consisted of eggs, eels,with melon, and apples of last year. Wine was abundant, and so was oil.
When he had eaten and was refreshed, moved by a kindly thought AEmiliusasked if he might see the sick mother. His hostess at once conducted himto her apartment, and he stood by the old woman's bed. The evening sunshone in at the door, where stood the daughter holding back the curtain,and lighted the face of the aged woman. It was thin, white and drawn. Theeyes were large and lustrous.
"I am an intruder," said the young man, "yet I would not sleep the nightin this house without paying my respects to the mother of my kind hostess.Alas! thou art one I learn who is unable to escape that which befalls allmortals. It is a lot evaded only by the gods, if there be any truth in thetales told concerning them. It must be a satisfaction to you tocontemplate the many pleasures enjoyed in a long life, just as after anexcellent meal we can in mind revert to it and retaste in imaginationevery course--as indeed I do with the supper so daintily furnished by myhostess."
"Ah, sir," said the old woman, "on the couch of death one looks not backbut forward."
"And that also is true," remarked AEmilius. "What is before you buteverything that can console the mind and gratify the ambition. With yourexcellent daughter and the timber-yard hard by, you may calculate on areally handsome funeral pyre--plenty of olive wood and fragrant pine logsfrom the Cebennae. I myself will be glad to contribute a handful oforiental spices to throw into the flames."
"Sir, I think not of that."
"And the numbers who will attend and the orations that will be madelauding your many virtues! It has struck me that one thing only is wantingin a funeral to make it perfectly satisfactory, and that is that theperson consigned to the flames should be able to see the pomp and hear thegood things said of him."
"Oh, sir, I regard not that!"
"No, like a wise woman, you look beyond."
"Aye! aye!" she folded her hands and a light came into her eyes. "I lookbeyond."
"To the mausoleum and the cenotaph. Unquestionably the worthy Flavilluswill give you a monument as handsome as his means will permit, and formany centuries your name will be memorialized thereon."
"Oh, sir! my poor name! what care I for that? I ask Flavillus to spend nomoney over my remains; and may my name be enshrined in the heart of mydaughter. But--it is written elsewhere--even in Heaven."
"I hardly comprehend."
"As to what happens to the body--that is of little concern to me. I desirebut one thing--to be dissolved, and to be with Christ."
"Ah!--so--with Christ!"
AEmilius rubbed his chin.
"He is my Hope. He is my Salvation. In Him I shall live. Death isswallowed up in Victory."
"She rambles in her talk," said he, turning to the daughter.
"Nay, sir, she is clear in her mind and dwells on the thoughts thatcomfort her."
"And that is not that she will have an expensive funeral?"
"Oh, no, sir!"
"Nor that she will have a commemorative cenotaph belauding her virtues?"
Then the dying woman said: "I shall live--live forevermore. I have passedfrom death unto life."
AEmilius shook his head. If this was not the raving of a disordered mind,what could it be?
He retired to his apartment.
He was tired. He had nothing to occupy him, so he cast himself on his bed.
Shortly he heard the voice of a man. He started and listened in the hopesthat Callipodius had returned, but as the tones were strange to him he laydown again.
Presently a light struck through a knot in the boards that divided hisroom from that of the dying woman. Then he heard the strange voice say:"Peace be to this house and to all that dwell therein."
"It is the physician," said AEmilius to himself. "Pshaw! what can he do?She is dying of old age."
At first the newcomer did inquire concerning the health of the patient,but then rapidly passed to other matters, and these strange to the ear ofthe young lawyer. He had gathered that the old woman was a Christian; butof Christians he knew no more than that they were reported to worship thehead of an ass, to devour little children, and to indulge in debauchery attheir evening banquets.
The strange man spoke to the dying woman--not of funeral and cenotaph asthings to look forward to, but to life and immortality, to joy and restfrom labor.
"My daughter," said the stranger, "indicate by sign that thou hearest me.Fortified by the most precious gift thou wilt pass out of darkness intolight, out of sorrow into joy, from tears to gladness of heart, from wherethou seest through a glass darkly to where thou shalt look on the face ofChrist, the Sun of Righteousness. Though thou steppest down into theriver, yet His cross shall be thy stay and His staff shall comfort thee.He goeth before to be thy guide. He standeth to be thy defence. Thespirits of evil cannot hurt thee. The Good Shepherd will gather thee intoHis fold. The True Physician will heal all thine infirmities. As thesecond Joshua, He will lead thee out of the wilderness into the land ofPromise. The angels of God surround thee. The light of the heavenly citystreams over thee. Rejoice, rejoice! The night is done and the day is athand. For all thy labors thou shalt be recompensed double. For all thysorrows He will comfort thee. He will wipe away thy tears. He will cleansethee from thy stains. He will feed thee with all thy desire. Old thingsare passed away; all things are made new. Thy heart shall laugh andsing--Pax!"
AEmilius, looking through a chink, saw the stranger lay his hand on thewoman's brow. He saw how the next moment he withdrew it, and how, turningto her daughter, he said:
"Do not lament for her. She has passed from death unto life. She sees Him,in whom she has believed, in whom she has hoped, whom she has loved."
And the daughter wiped her eyes.
"Well," said AEmilius to himself, "now I begin to see how these people areled to face death without fear. It is a pity that it should be delusionand mere talk. Where is the evidence that it is other? Where is thefoundation for all this that is said?"