CHAPTER SEVEN.
THE ESCAPE.
Jovinian's position became excessively trying. He was more strictlywatched than before; it was evident that Gaius had lost all confidencein him. Still he did not abandon the hope of escaping; he did not wishto commit Eros, who, should he connive at his escape, would be severelypunished; he had, however, hopes that the mind of the Numidian wasgradually opening to spiritual truth. Whenever Gaius was abroad, andEros had no fear of being interrupted, he entered Jovinian's room, andbegged him to read from the wonderful book he possessed. This Joviniangladly did, and the humble slave gradually began to comprehend the faithwhich his proud master rejected. Though Jovinian was convinced thatEros had become a true Christian, yet still he would not tempt him toassist in his escape. Eros had early become interested in his youngcaptive; he was now deeply attached to him. He observed with an eye ofaffection that the confinement to which he was subjected was injuringhis health. "He requires fresh air and exercise, and the society ofthose of like mind," Eros said to himself. "I must persuade the pontiffto let him go out as before, or, if my petition is refused, I will runall risks, and give him his liberty. He has not asked me to set himfree, because he believes I should be the sufferer; but, as he has givenme the greatest blessing I can enjoy on earth, I am bound, in gratitude,to enable him to do what his heart desires."
With these thoughts in his mind, Eros went to his master, and stronglyurged that, unless the young Jovinian were allowed to go out and breathethe pure air, he would fall sick, and very likely die. His request wasgranted much more easily than he had expected.
"Take him forth, then," answered Gaius; "but beware, slave, lest theyouth escape your vigilance; you will be answerable with your life forhis safe custody."
"The life of the slave is in the hands of his master," answered Eros."The air is fresh and cool; a walk into the country will restore vigourto his limbs and the colour to his pale cheek."
"See to it, and let me hear a better account of him," observed thepontiff, as the slave left his presence.
"Joyful news I bring!" said Eros, as he entered the chamber; "we may setoff without delay. Let me advise you not to leave your gospel behind,nor any article that you value."
Jovinian did not enquire why Eros gave this advice, but gladlyaccompanied the slave into the open air.
"In what direction shall we go?" he asked.
"We will take the way at the foot of the Palatine, and along the banksof the Tiber," answered Eros; "then round by the Aventine hill, andreturn home by the Flavian amphitheatre."
"That seems a somewhat long circuit to make," replied Jovinian.
"The fresh air will enable you to enjoy it, and possibly you may beinduced to prolong your walk," replied the Numidian. Every step theytook Jovinian felt inclined to proceed farther and farther. Instead,however, of following the road along the bank of the river, Eros turnedoff to the left, and passing through the nearest gate of the city,struck directly across the country. They had gone on for some distance,when a female was seen approaching them. She stopped as she observedJovinian. "Surely I know you!" she exclaimed, taking his hands, "thoughgrown so much and become so manly. Have you forgotten Rufina?"
"No, indeed! never can I forget one who was ever so faithful to mybeloved mother," answered Jovinian: "but how happens it that we havethus met?"
"I have long been watching for you," answered Rufina, in a low voice,drawing Jovinian aside. "There are some friends not far off who greatlydesire to embrace you--one especially, by whom your mother Livia wasgreatly beloved: Eugenia, now the wife of the presbyter Severus--andshould you desire to escape from the thraldom in which you are held,they will afford you a secure asylum where the pontiff Gaius can neverfind you. Fear not," she added, as she observed Jovinian glance towardsEros; "the Numidian will not stop you. I have communicated with him,and promised to secure his safety. Though he may not accompany you, hecan no longer willingly serve a heathen master, and the price of hisfreedom has been provided."
"Can you assure me of this?" asked Jovinian. "Much as I desire toobtain my liberty, I would not risk the safety of Eros, now that he is aChristian; and terrible would be his punishment were Gaius to discoverthat he had willingly allowed me to escape."
"I will speak to him, and his answer shall convince you that I am notmistaken," said Rufina; and, advancing towards Eros, she told him whatJovinian had said, adding, "I will now bid you farewell."
"I desire not to impede you from going whithersoever you wish, thoughgrieved that I may not accompany you," said Eros. "My prayer is that weshall soon meet again, and that I may serve you as a freedman; and Irejoice to know that no longer as a slave shall I be compelled to actthe guard and spy upon you. Farewell, Jovinian: Rufina forbids me tofollow your footsteps, or I would thankfully accompany you. But do notbe alarmed about my safety; she has provided a refuge where I can remainconcealed, for I would avoid the enmity of Gaius,--he is aware that Iknow too many of the secrets of the college to allow me to retain myliberty, or even my life, could he get me into his power."
Jovinian, satisfied on hearing that Eros was cared for, followed Rufina,who hastily led him along over the uncultivated country, which even inher palmiest days surrounded the city, till they reached one of theentrances to those subterranean labyrinths which have already beendescribed. Jovinian followed her without hesitation; he had been wellacquainted with them in his younger days, when he had dwelt inconcealment with his mother and many other Christians. A well-trimmedlamp, which Rufina found within, enabled her to guide him through theintricate turnings of the labyrinth. Although several years had elapsedsince he had entered them, he recognised, as they went along, many ofthe tombs of those who had departed in the faith. She stopped suddenlybefore one of them; he read the inscription on it. "Livia, thewell-beloved! She rests in Christ." The symbol above it was a dove,with an anchor carved on its breast. He gazed at it earnestly, and knewat once that it indicated his mother's tomb.
"They brought her here to rest in peace, as she desired. And may I everpossess that sure and certain hope, the anchor of the soul, whichenabled her to endure without wavering the storms and trials of life,"he mused.
Rufina stopped to throw a light on the slab, unwilling to interrupt hismeditations, and remained without speaking. At length she observed, "Wemust hurry on, or the oil in the lamp may be exhausted before we reachour destination."
They continued their course, proceeding along several galleries,--nowdescending some flights of steps, now ascending others,--till theyreached a slab of stone, which resembled many they had passed, let intothe wall, with rude inscriptions on them. Rufina knocked three times onthe slab with a small mallet which she carried in her basket. Placingher ear against the slab, she listened, when, in the course of a fewminutes, she heard the sound of a bolt being withdrawn, and the stoneslowly swung back, allowing an opening sufficiently large for a personto pass through. Rufina taking the hand of her young companion, theyentered, when the slab was immediately closed behind them. So rapid hadbeen their movements, that to any one following them they would seem tohave vanished. The janitor, a humble fossor, after saluting Rufina as asister, led them on to the end of a long passage, when another door, ofa similar character to the first, being opened for them to pass through,they found themselves, after advancing a short distance further, at theentrance of a small hall, from the roof of which hung a silver lamp, itsrays casting a pale light on several persons assembled within. Jovinianhung back, not recognising those he saw before him; but no sooner hadRufina stated who he was than he heard himself greeted by friendlyvoices.
"Welcome, son of our well-beloved: thou hast been faithful as she was!"said the aged Gentianus, who was seated at a table in the centre of thehall. He drew Jovinian towards him, and placing his hand on the lad'shead, gazed into his face as he spoke. "We indeed rejoice that you haveescaped from the power of the pontiff Gaius, and still more that youhave resisted the temptations he offered you to d
epart from the faith.May the Holy Spirit ever strengthen and support you in the fiery trialsyou may be called on to go through. The mystery of iniquity dothalready work, and who shall escape its toils? Those alone who clingfast to Christ. May you be among them, my son!"
Much more to the same effect was said by the patrician Gentianus, whenhis daughter Eugenia, and her husband Severus, advancing, welcomedJovinian. His mother's dearest friend was well disposed to treat himwith affection. By her side was a young girl--her daughter Julia. Asthe maiden took his hand, Jovinian gazed at her with admiration. Herlovely features beamed with intelligence, and the light of Christianvirtue. Firm in the faith, had the days of persecution returned shewould have been ready to suffer martyrdom rather than renounce theSaviour who had bought her. Since their childhood Jovinian and Juliahad not met, for Gentianus and his household had resided far away to thesouth, on the sunny slopes of the Apennines, where he and Severus haddevoted themselves to the spreading of the truth among their heathenneighbours of all ranks. They had lately returned, called by importantbusiness, both secular and on matters relating to the Church; but,warned of the undying hostility of Coecus the pontiff, they had judgedit prudent to take up their residence in their former abode, whence,undiscovered, they could communicate freely with their friends in thecity, and afford an asylum to those Christian converts who might becompelled to escape from the malice of their idolatrous relatives.There was persecution even in those days; for though heathenism, as asystem, was crumbling away, and few of the better educated or wealthybelieved in the myths of the gods of Olympus, yet many clung to theancient faith, or rather to its form, simply because it was ancient, andtheir ancestors were supposed to have believed in it. These persons inmost instances treated with supreme contempt, and often with greatcruelty, any of their relatives or dependents who openly professed abelief in Christ, refusing to have any transactions with them, andendeavouring to ruin or drive them into exile. Still more terrible werethe penalties inflicted by the sacerdotal orders on any of their numberwho, abandoning idolatry, embraced the truth. If unable to escape fromRome, the dagger or poison too generally overtook them. Their safestplace of refuge was in the subterranean galleries in which Jovinian nowfound himself. Thus it happened that he met numerous visitors at theabode of Gentianus. He had been conversing with his old friends, whenhe saw emerging into the light a lady of radiant beauty, habited inwhite, without the slightest ornament on her dress or head, a purpleband round her forehead confining her close-cut hair. A second glanceconvinced him that he had seen her before, seated in a silver chariot onthe day of the procession.
"Who is she?" he asked of Julia.
"She is the vestal Marcia," was the answer. "Already the light of truthhas entered the dark recesses of the temple; Marcia has received it, andwould escape from the thraldom in which she is held, but that she has ayoung sister, Coelia, also a vestal, who is yet undecided. Coelia hasheard the Gospel, and imbibed many of its truths, but the shackles ofsuperstition are still around her; and while she dreads the malignity ofCoecus should he discover that her faith in the false goddess has beenshaken, she cannot resolve on flight. Marcia has come to seek counselof Gentianus on the matter."
"Surely he will advise her to urge her sister no longer to delay!" urgedJovinian. "Would that I could tell her all that I know of that fearfulman! He will hesitate at no deed, however dark, so that he may attainhis ends."
Taking Jovinian's hand, Julia, rapid in all her actions, made him knownto Marcia. He, being under no vow of secrecy with regard to the aims ofthe pontiffs, briefly explained them to her.
"And are such the men who have so long directed the rites and ceremoniesof the time-honoured religion of Rome!" she exclaimed. "Alas! how havewe been duped. They themselves do not even believe in the false godsthey pretend to worship."
"Not only have they long held sway over the religious affairs ofidolatrous Rome, but will continue to lead and govern in our futureRome, unless her sons and daughters adhere to the simple truths of ourholy faith as taught by the apostles in the blessed Gospel," saidGentianus, solemnly.
These words sank deeply into Jovinian's mind. He never forgot them.
The vestal Marcia, having a dark robe thrown over her white dress,conducted by the guide--a Christian slave like Rufina, who had broughther to the abode of Gentianus--returned to the temple of Vesta.