'Marcian! Venantius!' he cried, for at that moment the two entered
the atrium. 'I understand it all. Why had I no fear of this?'
That Aurelia had been deceived and inveigled by one professing to be
an Arian priest, seemed clear from the watchman's story. For the
originator of the plot, Basil had not far to look. This was the
vengeance of Petronilla. But whither the two captives would be
conveyed, was less easy to conjecture. Perhaps to Cumae. The thought
stung Basil to frenzy, for, if Veranilda once fell into the hands of
the Greeks, what hope had he of ever seeing her again?
'Did Petronilla know?' he asked of Marcian.
'Who can say?' answered his friend, easily understanding the
curtailed question. 'Like enough that she had sent to Cumae to learn
all she could; and in that case, she found, you may be sure, ready
instruments of her malice. Were it not better,' Marcian added in an
aside, 'to tell Venantius what danger threatened Veranilda?'
The warlike Roman, who, aroused on an alarm, had instantly equipped
himself with casque and sword, stood listening to what passed,
sniffing the air and rolling his eyes about as if he desired nothing
better than a conflict.
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