As they talked, Marcian urged upon him a close
friendship with Venantius, in whose castle he would be welcomed.
Here at Surrentum he could not long rest in safety, for Chorsoman
might at any time have his suspicions awakened by learning the delay
of Veranilda's journey to Rome, and the news of her marriage could
not be prevented from spreading.
So Basil lay through an anxious hour or two before sleep fell upon
him to-night. He resolved to change the habits of his life, to shake
off indolence and the love of ease, to fortify himself with vigorous
exercises, and become ready for warfare. It was all very well for an
invalid, like Decius, to nurse a tranquil existence, unheeding the
temper of the times. A strong and healthy man had no right to lurk
away from the streaming flood of things; it behoved him to take his
part in strife and tumult, to aid in re-establishing a civic state.
This determination firmly grasped, he turned to think of the
hoped-for meeting with Veranilda in the morning, and gentler
emotions lulled him into dreams.
At dawn he bestirred himself.
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