At the younger, who was beautiful, Basil
glanced diffidently, remembering that she might have been his wife;
but Aemiliana knew nothing of the thought her brother had
entertained, and her eyes were calm as those of a little child. When
other guests appeared, Basil drew aside, for most of the persons who
entered were strangers to him. Ecclesiastics grew numerous; among
them might be distinguished a tall, meagre, bald-headed man, the
sub-deacon Arator, who held in his hand the manuscript from which he
was to read. Among the latest to arrive was a lady, stricken in
years and bowed with much grief, upon whom all eyes were
respectfully bent as Gordian conducted her to a place of honour.
This was Rusticiana, the daughter of Symmachus, the widow of
Boethius. When Basil looked at her, and thought of the anguish
through which her life had passed in that gloomy evening of the
reign of Theodoric, he felt himself for a moment at one with those
who rejected and scorned the Gothic dominion. A great unhappiness
flooded his heart and mind; he forgot what was passing about him,
and only returned to himself when there sounded the voice of the
reader.
Pages:
266
267
268
269
270
271
272
273
274
275
276
277
278
279
280
281
282
283
284
285
286
287
288
289
290