CHAPTER XX.
They were all collected behind the rough wall on the edge of theravine-the strange men who had turned their back on life with all itsjoys and pails, its duties and its delights, on the community and familyto which they belonged, and had fled to the desert, there to strive fora prize above and beyond this life, when they had of their own free-willrenounced all other effort. In the voiceless desert, far from theenticing echoes of the world, it might be easy to kill every sensualimpulse, to throw off the fetters of the world, and so bring thathumanity, which was bound to the dust through sin and the flesh, nearerto the pure and incorporate being of the Divinity.
All these men were Christians, and, like the Saviour who had freelytaken torments upon Himself to become the Redeemer, they too soughtthrough the purifying power of suffering to free themselves from thedross of their impure human nature, and by severe penance to contributetheir share of atonement for their own guilt, and for that of all theirrace. No fear of persecution had driven them into the desert--nothingbut the hope of gaining the hardest of victories.
All the anchorites who had been summoned to the tower were Egyptians andSyrians, and among the former particularly there were many who, beingalready inured to abstinence and penance in the service of the old godsin their own country, now as Christians had selected as the scene oftheir pious exercises the very spot where the Lord must have revealedHimself to his elect.
At a later date not merely Sinai itself but the whole tract of ArabiaPetraea--through which, as it was said, the Jews at their exodus underMoses had wandered--was peopled with ascetics of like mind, who gave totheir settlements the names of the resting-places of the chosen people,as mentioned in the Scriptures; but as yet there was no connectionbetween the individual penitents, no order ruled their lives; they mightstill be counted by tens, though ere long they numbered hundreds andthousands.
The threat of danger had brought all these contemners of the world andof life in stormy haste to the shelter of the tower, in spite of theirreadiness to die. Only old Kosmas, who had withdrawn to the desert withhis wife--she had found a grave there--had remained in his cave, andhad declared to Gelasius, who shared his cave and who had urged him toflight, that he was content in whatever place or whatever hour the Lordshould call him, and that it was in God's hands to decide whether oldage or an arrow-shot should open to him the gates of heaven.
It was quite otherwise with the rest of the anchorites, who rushedthrough the narrow door of the watchtower and into its inner room tillit was filled to overflowing, and Paulus, who in the presence of dangerhad fully recovered his equanimity, was obliged to refuse admission toa new-comer in order to preserve the closely packed and trembling crowdfrom injury.
No murrain passes from beast to beast, no mildew from fruit to fruitwith such rapidity as fear spreads from man to man. Those who had beendriven by the sharpest lashings of terror had run the fastest, andreached the castle first. They had received those who followed them withlamentation and outcries, and it was a pitiable sight to see how theterrified crowd, in the midst of their loud declarations of resignationto God's guidance and their pious prayers, wrung their hands, and at thesame time how painfully anxious each one was to hide the little propertyhe had saved first from the disapproval of his companions, and then fromthe covetousness of the approaching enemy.
With Paulus came Sergius and Jeremias to whom, on the way, he hadspoken words of encouragement. All three did their utmost to revive theconfidence of the terrified men, and when the Alexandrian reminded themhow zealously each of them only a few weeks since had helped to roll theblocks and stones from the wall, and down the precipice, so as to crushand slay the advancing enemy the feeling was strong in many of themthat, as he had already proved himself worthy in defence, it was due tohim now to make him their leader.
The number of the men who rushed out of the tower was increasing, andwhen Hermas appeared with his father on his back and followed by Miriam,and when Paulus exhorted his companions to be edified by this patheticpicture of filial love, curiosity tempted even the last loiterers in thetower out into the open space.
The Alexandrian sprang over the wall, went up to Stephanus, lifted himfrom the shoulders of the panting youth and, taking him on his own,carried him towards the tower; but the old warrior refused to enterthe place of refuge, and begged his friend to lay him down by the wall.Paulus obeyed his wish and then went with Hermas to the top of the towerto spy the distance from thence.
As soon as he had quitted him, Stephanus turned to the anchorites whostood near him, saying, "These stones are loose, and though my strengthis indeed small still it is great enough to send one of them over witha push. If it comes to a battle my old soldier's eyes, dim as they arenow, may with the help of yours see many things that may be useful toyou young ones. Above all things, if the game is to be a hot one for therobbers, one must command here whom the others will obey."
"It shall be you, father," interrupted Salathiel the Syrian. "You haveserved in Caesar's army, and you proved your courage and knowledge ofwar in the last raid. You shall command us."
Stephanus sadly shook his head and replied, "My voice is become tooweak and low since this wound in my breast and my long illness. Noteven those who stand nearest to me would understand me in the noiseof battle. Let Paulus be your captain, for he is strong, cautious andbrave."
Many of the anchorites had long looked upon the Alexandrian as theirbest stay; for many years he had enjoyed the respect of all and on athousand occasions had given proof of his strength and presence of mind,but at this proposal they looked at each other in surprise, doubt anddisapproval.
Stephanus saw what was passing in their minds.
"It is true he has erred gravely," he said. "And before God he is theleast of the least among us; but in animal strength and indomitablecourage he is superior to you all. Which of you would be willing to takehis place, if you reject his guidance."
"Orion the Saite," cried one of the anchorites, "is tall and strong. Ifhe would--"
But Orion eagerly excused himself from assuming the dangerous office,and when Andreas and Joseph also refused with no less decision theleadership that was offered them, Stephanus said:
"You see there is no choice left us but to be, the Alexandrian tocommand us here so long as the robbers threaten us, and no longer. Therehe comes--shall I ask him?"
A murmur of consent, though by no means of satisfaction, answered theold man, and Paulus, quite carried away by his eagerness to stakehis life and blood for the protection of the weak, and fevered with asoldier's ardor, accepted Stephanus' commission as a matter of course,and set to work like a general to organize the helpless wearers ofsheepskin.
Some he sent to the top of the tower to keep watch, others he chargedwith the transport of the stones; to a third party he entrusted the dutyof hurling pieces of rock and blocks of stone down into the abyss inthe moment of danger; he requested the weaker brethren to assemblethemselves together, to pray for the others and to sing hymns of praise,and he concerted signs and passwords with all; he was now here, nowthere, and his energy and confidence infused themselves even into thefaint-hearted.
In the midst of these arrangements Hermas took leave of him and of hisfather, for he heard the Roman war-trumpets and the drums of the youngmanhood of Pharan, as they marched through the short cut to meetthe enemy. He knew where the main strength of the Blemmyes lay andcommunicated this knowledge to the Centurion Phoebicius and the captainof the Pharanites. The Gaul put a few short questions to Hermas, whom herecognized immediately, for since he had met him at the harbor of Raithuhe could not forget his eyes, which reminded him of those of Glycera;and after receiving his hasty and decided answers he issued rapid andprudent orders.
A third of the Pharanites were to march forward against the enemy,drumming and trumpeting, and then retreat as far as the watch-tower asthe enemy approached over the plain. If the Blemmyes allowed themselvesto be tempted thither, a second third of the warriors of the oasis, thatcoul
d easily be in ambush in a cross-valley, were to fall on their leftflank, while Phoebicius and his maniple--hidden behind the rock on whichthe castle stood--would suddenly rush out and so decide the battle.The last third of the Pharanites had orders to destroy the ships of theinvaders under the command of Hermas, who knew the spot where they hadlanded.
In the worst case the centurion and his men could retreat into thecastle, and there defend themselves till the warriors of the nearestseaports--whither messengers were already on their way--should come tothe rescue.
The Gaul's orders were immediately obeyed, and Hermas walked at the headof the division entrusted to him, as proud and as self-possessed as anyof Caesar's veterans leading his legion into the field. He carried a bowand arrows at his back, and in his hand a battleaxe that he had boughtat Raithu.
Miriam attempted to follow the troops he was leading, but he observedher, and called out, "Go up to the fort, child, to my father." And theshepherdess obeyed without hesitation.
The anchorites had all crowded to the edge of the precipice, they lookedat the division of the forces, and signed and shouted down. They hadhoped that some part of the fighting men would be joined to them fortheir defence, but, as they soon learned, they had hoped in vain.Stephanus, whose feeble sight could not reach so far as the plain at thefoot of the declivity, made Paulus report to him all that was goingon there, and with the keen insight of a soldier he comprehended thecenturion's plan. The troop led by Hermas passed by below the tower,and the youth waved and shouted a greeting up to his father. Stephanus,whose hearing remained sharper than his sight, recognized his son'svoice and took leave of him with tender and loving words in as loud avoice as he could command. Paulus collected all the overflow of the oldman's heart in one sentence, and called out his blessings through histwo hands as a speaking-trumpet, after his friend's son as he departedto battle. Hermas understood; but deeply as he was touched by thisfarewell he answered only by dumb signs. A father can find a hundredwords of blessing sooner than a son can find one of thanks.
As the youth disappeared behind the rocks, Paulus said, "He marches onlike an experienced soldier, and the others follow him as sheep followa ram. But hark!--Certainly--the foremost division of the Pharanites andthe enemy have met. The outcry comes nearer and nearer."
"Then all will be well," cried Stephanus excitedly. "If they only takethe bait and let themselves be drawn on to the plateau I think they arelost. From here we can watch the whole progress of the battle, andif our side are driven back it may easily happen that they will throwthemselves into the castle. Now not a pebble must be thrown in vain,for if our tower becomes the central point of the struggle the defenderswill need stones to fling."
These words were heard by several of the anchorites, and as now thewar-cries and the noise of the fight came nearer and nearer, and one andanother repeated to each other that their place of refuge would, becomethe centre of the combat, the frightened penitents quitted the postsassigned to them by Paulus, ran hither and thither in spite of theAlexandrian's severe prohibition, and most of them at last joinedthe company of the old and feeble, whose psalms grew more and morelamentable as danger pressed closer upon them.
Loudest of all was the wailing of the Saite Orion who cried withuplifted bands, "What wilt Thou of us miserable creatures, O Lord? WhenMoses left Thy chosen people on this very spot for only forty days, theyat once fell away from Thee; and we, we without any leader have spentall our life in Thy service, and have given up all that can rejoice theheart, and have taken every kind of suffering upon us to please Thee!and now these hideous heathen are surging round us again, and willkill us. Is this the reward of victory for our striving and our longwrestling?"
The rest joined in the lamentation of the Saite, but Paulus stepped intotheir midst, blamed them for their cowardice, and with warm and urgentspeech implored them to return to their posts so that the wall might beguarded at least on the eastern and more accessible side, and that thecastle might not fall an easy prey into the hands of an enemy fromwhom no quarter was to be expected. Some of the anchorites were alreadyproceeding to obey the Alexandrian's injunction, when a fearful cry, thewar-cry of the Blemmyes who were in pursuit of the Pharanites, rose fromthe foot of their rock of refuge.
They crowded together again in terror; Salathiel the Syrian, hadventured to the edge of the abyss, and had looked over old Stephanus'shoulder down into the hollow, and when he rushed back to hiscompanions, crying in terror, "Our men are flying!"
Gelasius shrieked aloud, beat his breast, and tore his rough black hair,crying out:
"O Lord God, what wilt Thou of us? Is it vain then to strive afterrighteousness and virtue that Thou givest us over unto death, and dostnot fight for us? If we are overcome by the heathen, ungodliness andbrute force will boast themselves as though they had won the victoryover righteousness and truth!"
Paulus had turned from the lamenting hermits, perplexed and besidehimself, and stood with Stephanus watching the fight.
The Blemmyes had come in great numbers, and their attack, before whichthe Pharanites were to have retired as a feint, fell with such forceupon the foremost division that they and their comrades, who had rushedto their aid on the plateau, were unable to resist it, and were drivenback as far as the spot where the ravine narrowed.
"Things are not as they should be," said Stephanus. "And the cowardlyband, like a drove of cattle," cried Paulus in a fury, "leave the wallsunprotected, and blaspheme God instead of watching or fighting."
The anchorites noticed his gestures, which were indeed those of adesperate man, and Sergius exclaimed: "Are we then wholly abandoned? Whydoes not the thorn-bush light its fires, and destroy the evil-doers withits flames? Why is the thunder silent, and where are the lightnings thatplayed round the peak of Sinai?
"Why does not darkness fall upon us to affright the heathen? Why doesnot the earth open her mouth to swallow them up like the company ofKorah?"
"The Might of God," cried Dulas, "tarries too long. The Lord mustset our piety in a doubtful light, for He treats us as though we wereunworthy of all care."
"And that you are!" exclaimed Paulus, who had heard the last words,and who was dragging rather than leading the feeble Stephanus to theunguarded eastern wall. "That you are, for instead of resisting Hisenemies you blaspheme God, and disgrace yourself by your miserablecowardice. Look at this sick old man who is prepared to defend you, andobey my orders without a murmur, or, by the holy martyrs, I will dragyou to your posts by your hair and ears, and will--"
But he ceased speaking, for his threats were interrupted by a powerfulvoice which called his name from the foot of the wall.
"That is Agapitus," exclaimed Stephanus. "Lead me to the wall, and setme down there."
Before Paulus could accede to his friend's wish the tall form of thebishop was standing by his side. Agapitus the Cappadocian had in hisyouth been a warrior; he had hardly passed the limits of middle age, andwas a vigilant captain of his congregation. When all the youth of Pharanhad gone forth to meet the Blemmyes, he had no peace in the oasis, and,after enjoining on the presbyters and deacons that they should pray inthe church for the fighting men with the women and the men who remainedbehind, he himself, accompanied by a guide and two acolytes, had gone upthe mountain to witness the battle.
To the other priests and his wife who sought to detain him, he hadanswered, "Where the flock is there should the shepherd be!"
Unseen and unheard he had gained the castle-wall and had been a witnessto Paulus' vehement speech. He now stood opposite the Alexandrian withrolling eyes, and threateningly lifted his powerful hand as he calledout to him:
"And dare an outcast speak thus to his brethren? Will the champion ofSatan give orders to the soldiers of the Lord? It would indeed be a joyto you if by your strong arm you could win back the good name that yoursoul, crippled by sin and guilt, has flung away. Come on, my friends!the Lord is with us and will help us."
Paulus had let the bishop's words pass over him in silence, and r
aisedhis hands like the other anchorites when Agapitus stepped into theirmidst, and uttered a short and urgent prayer.
After the "Amen" the bishop pointed out, like a general, to each man,even to the feeble and aged, his place by the wall or behind the stonesfor throwing, and then cried out with a clear ringing voice that soundedabove all other noise, "Show to-day that you are indeed soldiers of theMost High."
Not one rebelled, and when man by man each had placed himself at hispost, he went to the precipice and looked attentively down at the fightthat was raging below.
The Pharanites were now opposing the attack of the Blemmyes withsuccess, for Phoebicius, rushing forward with his men from their ambush,had fallen upon the compact mass of the sons of the desert in flankand, spreading death and ruin, had divided them into two bodies. Thewell-trained and well-armed Romans seemed to have an easy task withtheir naked opponents, who, in a hand to hand fight, could not availthemselves of either their arrows or their spears. But the Blemmyeshad learned to use their strength in frequent battles with the imperialtroops, and so soon as they perceived that they were no match for theirenemies in pitched battle, their leaders set up a strange shrill cry,their ranks dissolved, and they dispersed in all directions, like a heapof feathers strewn by a gust of wind.
Agapitus took the hasty disappearance of the enemy for wild flight,he sighed deeply and thankfully and turned to go down to the field ofbattle, and to speak consolation to his wounded fellow-Christians.
But in the castle itself he found opportunity for exercising hispious office, for before him stood the shepherdess whom he had alreadyobserved on his arrival and she said with much embarrassment, butclearly and quickly, "Old Stephanus there, my lord bishop--Hermas'father for whom I carry water-bids me ask you to come to him; for hiswound has reopened and he thinks his end is near."
Agapitus immediately obeyed this call; he went with hasty steps towardsthe sick man, whose wound Paulus and Orion had already bound up, andgreeted him with a familiarity that he was far from showing to the otherpenitents. He had long known the former name and the fate of Stephanus,and it was by his advice that Hermas had been obliged to join thedeputation sent to Alexandria, for Agapitus was of opinion that no oneought to flee from the battle of life without having first taken somepart in it.
Stephanus put out his hand to the bishop who sat down beside him, signedto the bystanders to leave them alone, and listened attentively to thefeeble words of the sufferer. When he had ceased speaking, Agapitussaid:
"I praise the Lord with you for having permitted your lost wife to findthe ways that lead to Him, and your son will be--as you were once--avaliant man of war. Your earthly house is set in order, but are youprepared for the other, the everlasting mansion?"
"For eighteen years I have done penance, and prayed, and borne greatsufferings," answered the sick man. "The world lies far behind me, and Ihope I am walking in the path that leads to heaven."
"So do I hope for you and for your soul," said the bishop. "That whichit is hardest to endure has fallen to your lot in this world, but haveyou striven to forgive those who did you the bitterest wrong, and canyou pray, 'Forgive us our sins as we forgive them that sin against us?'Do you remember the words, 'If ye forgive men their trespasses yourheavenly father will also forgive you?'"
"Not only have I pardoned Glycera," answered Stephanus, "but I havetaken her again into my heart of hearts; but the man who basely seducedher, the wretch, who although I had done him a thousand benefits,betrayed me, robbed me and dishonored me, I wish him--"
"Forgive him," cried Agapitus, "as you would be forgiven."
"I have striven these eighteen years to bless my enemy," repliedStephanus, "and I will still continue to strive--"
Up to this moment the bishop had devoted his whole attention to the sickanchorite, but he was now called on all sides at once, and Gelasius, whowas standing by the declivity with some other anchorites, called out tohim, "Father--save us--the heathen there are climbing up the rocks."
Agapitus signed a blessing over Stephanus and then turned away from him,saying earnestly once more, "Forgive, and heaven is open to you."
Many wounded and dead lay on the plain, and the Pharanites wereretreating into the ravine, for the Blemmyes had not indeed fled, buthad only dispersed themselves, and then had climbed up the rocks whichhemmed in the level ground and shot their arrows at their enemies fromthence.
"Where are the Romans?" Agapitus eagerly enquired of Orion.
"They are withdrawing into the gorge through which the road leads uphere," answered the Saite. "But look! only look at these heathen! TheLord be merciful to us! they are climbing up the cliffs like woodpeckersup a tree."
"The stones, fly to the stones!" cried Agapitus with flashing eyes tothe anchorites that stood by. "What is going on behind the wallthere? Do you hear? Yes that is the Roman tuba. Courage, brethren! theemperor's soldiers are guarding the weakest side of the castle. But lookhere at the naked figures in the cleft. Bring the blocks here; set yourshoulders stoutly to it, Orion! one more push, Salathiel! There it goes,it crashes down if only it does not stick in the rift! No! thank God,it has bounded off-that was a leap! Well done--there were six enemies ofthe Lord destroyed at once."
"I see three more yonder," cried Orion. "Come here, Damianus, and helpme."
The man he called rushed forward with several others, and the firstsuccess raised the courage of the anchorites so rapidly and wonderfullythat the bishop soon found it difficult to restrain their zeal, and topersuade them to be sparing with the precious missiles.
While, under the direction of Agapitus stone after stone was hurledclattering over the steep precipice down upon the Blemmyes, Paulus satby the sick man, looking at the ground.
"You are not helping them?" asked Stephanus. "Agapitus is right,"replied the Alexandrian. "I have much to expiate, and fighting bringsenjoyment. How great enjoyment I can understand by the torture it is tome to sit still. The bishop blessed you affectionately."
"I am near the goal," sighed Stephanus, "and he promises me the joysof heaven if I only forgive him who stole my wife from me. He isforgiven-yes, all is forgiven him, and may everything that he undertakesturn to good; yea, and nothing turn to evil--only feel how my heartthrobs, it is rallying its strength once more before it utterly ceasesto beat. When it is all over repeat to Hermas everything that I havetold you, and bless him a thousand, thousand times in my name and hismother's; but never, never tell him that in an hour of weakness sheran away with that villain--that man, that miserable man I mean--whomI forgive. Give Hermas this ring, and with it the letter that you willfind under the dry herbs on the couch in my cave; they will secure him areception from his uncle, who will also procure him a place in the army,for my brother is in high favor with Caesar. Only listen how Agapitusurges on our men; they are fighting bravely there; that is the Romantuba. Attend to me--the maniple will occupy the castle and shoot downon the heathen from hence; when they come carry me into the tower. I amweak and would fain collect my thoughts, and pray once more that I mayfind strength to forgive the man not with my lips only."
"Down there see--there come the Romans," cried Paulus interrupting him."Here, up here!" he called down to the men, "The steps are more to theleft."
"Here we are," answered a sharp voice. "You stay there, you people, onthat projection of rock, and keep your eye on the castle. If any dangerthreatens call me with the trumpet. I will climb up, and from the top ofthe tower there I can see where the dogs come from."
During this speech Stephanus had looked down and listened; when afew minutes later the Gaul reached the wall and called out to the meninside, "Is there no one there who will give me a hand?" he turned toPaulus, saying, "Lift me up and support me--quick!"
With an agility that astonished the Alexandrian, Stephanus stood uponhis feet, leaned over the wall towards the centurion--who had climbedas far as the outer foot of it, looked him in the face with eagerattention, shuddered violently, and repressing his feelings with theutmost
effort offered him his lean hand to help him.
"Servianus!" cried the centurion, who was greatly shocked by sucha meeting and in such a place, and who, struggling painfully forcomposure, stared first at the old man and then at Paulus.
Not one of the three succeeded in uttering a word; but Stephanus' eyeswere fixed on the Gaul's features, and the longer he looked at him thehollower grew his cheeks and the paler his lips; at the same time hestill held out his hand to the other, perhaps in token of forgiveness.
So passed a long minute. Then Phoebicius recollected that he had climbedthe wall in the emperor's service, and stamping with impatience athimself he took the old man's hand in a hasty grasp. But scarcely hadStephanus felt the touch of the Gaul's fingers when he started as struckby lightning, and flung himself with a hoarse cry on his enemy who washanging on the edge of the wall.
Paulus gazed in horror at the frightful scene, and cried aloud withfervent unction, "Let him go--forgive that heaven may forgive you."
"Heaven! what is heaven, what is forgiveness!" screamed the old man."He shall be damned." Before the Alexandrian could hinder him, the loosestone over which the enemies were wrestling in breathless combat gaveway, and both were hurled into the abyss with the falling rock.
Paulus groaned from the lowest depth of his breast and murmured whilethe tears ran down his cheeks, "He too has fought the fight, and he toohas striven in vain."