After an
interval, he muttered to himself in a low, moaning voice--'I called her
harlot! My pure, innocent child! I called her harlot--I called her
harlot!'
In a paroxysm of despair, he started up and looked distractedly around
him. Ulpius still stood motionless at the window. At the sight of the
ruthless Pagan he trembled in every limb. All those infirmities of age
that had been hitherto spared him, seemed to overwhelm him in an
instant. He feebly advanced to his betrayer's side, and addressed him
thus:--
'I have lodged you, taught you, cared for you; I have never intruded on
your secrets, never doubted your word, and for all this, you have repaid
me by plotting against my daughter and deceiving me! If your end was to
harm me by assailing my child's happiness and honour you have succeeded!
If you would banish me from Rome, if you would plunge me into obscurity,
to serve some mysterious ambition of your own, you may dispose of me as
you will! I bow before the terrible power of your treachery! I will
renounce whatever you command, if you will restore me to my child! I am
helpless and miserable; I have neither heart nor strength to seek her
myself! You, who know all things and can dare all dangers, may restore
her to pardon and bless me, if you will! Remember, whoever you really
are, that you were once helpless and alone, and that you are still old,
like me! Remember that I have promised to abandon to you whatever you
desire! Remember that no woman's voice can cheer me, no woman's heart
feel for me, now that I am old and lonely, but my daughter's! I have
guessed from the words of the nobleman whom you serve, what are the
designs you cherish and the faith you profess; I will neither betray the
one nor assault the other! I thought that my labours for the Church
were more to me than anything on earth, but now, that through my fault,
my daughter is driven from her father's roof, I know that she is dearer
to me than the greatest of my designs; I must gain her pardon; I must
win back her affection before I die! You are powerful and can recover
her! Ulpius! Ulpius!'
As he spoke, the Christian knelt at the Pagan's feet.
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