Now he was at length to look
upon her; nay, she was to pass into his guardianship, and be by him
delivered into the hands of the warrior king. Dreaming, dreaming, he
rode along the Praenestine Way.
Though the personal dignity of Pelagius and the calm force of his
speech had awed and perturbed him, Marcian soon recovered his
habitual mind. He had thought and felt too deeply regarding public
affairs to be so easily converted from the cause for which he lived.
A new treachery was imposed upon him. When, after receiving all his
instructions from Leander, he went to see Pelagius, it was in order
to secure his own safety and the fulfilment of his secret mission by
a seeming betrayal of him he served. He knew that his every movement
was watched; he could not hope to leave Rome without being stopped
and interrogated. If he desired to carry out Leander's project--
and he desired it the more ardently the longer he reflected--his
only course was this. Why did it agitate him more than his treachery
hitherto? Why did he shake and perspire when he left Pelagius, after
promising to bring Veranilda to Rome? He knew not himself--unless
it were due to a fear that he might perform his promise.
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