Seeing that he was followed as he had commanded, Ulpius passed on before
them to the pile of idols; but a strange and sudden alteration appeared
in his gait. He had hitherto walked with the step of a man--young,
strong, and resolute of purpose; now he dragged one limb after the other
as slowly and painfully as if he had received a mortal hurt. He
tottered with more than the infirmity of his age, his head dropped upon
his breast, and he moaned and murmured inarticulately in low, long-drawn
cries.
He had advanced to the side of the pile, half-way towards the doorway of
the temple, when Numerian, who had watched with searching eyes the
abrupt change in his demeanour, forgetting the dissimulation which might
still be all-important, abandoned himself to his first impulse, and
hurriedly pressing forward with Antonina, attempted to pass the Pagan
and escape. But at the moment Ulpius stopped in his slow progress,
reeled, threw out his hands convulsively, and seizing Numerian by the
arm, staggered back with him against the side-wall of the temple.
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