He advised Basil not to leave the
neighbourhood for a day or two, and to communicate with him before
he went far. Gratefully Basil kissed the old man's hand. They never
met again. A week later the bishop was dead.
After all, Venantius sat at table with Chorsoman. Fuming, he waited
till the next morning, when, if the news could be believed, it
became certain that Aurelia and her companion were not at Cumae.
Basil, having no choice, then paid for ransom nearly all the money
he had secreted, and rode away with Venantius, purposing to remain
at Nuceria until joined by Marcian. Three days later Marcian
appeared at the castle He brought no intelligence of the lost
ladies. As for their abode, it had been thoroughly pillaged; the
treasure chamber was discovered and broken open; not a coin, not a
vessel or ornament which had its price, not a piece of silk, had
escaped the clutches of the Hun.
Chorsoman's departure was followed by an invasion of the
Surrentines, who robbed more grossly. A fire broke out in the house
of Proba, and much of that building was destroyed.
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