There was another reason. In the
house of Aurelius Lucanus dwelt a small scullery maid, who assisted
the slaves in the kitchen, doing all the dirty work and being struck
and sworn at for any mistake. She earned a few cents a day. Lucius was
waiting outside in the alley-way, as was his daily custom after
finishing his work, to exchange a word with his daughter, whom he
dearly loved.
I have said that in the lawyer's household were three Christians, one
was Alexis, the Greek, and another was Lidia, the scullery-maid, who
had been baptized by the white-haired elder in the Catacomb, beside
her father.
Through her Lucius had learned that Martius and Virgilia were, also,
Christians and, with his usual genius for following people, he had
gone behind them to the Christian meeting place. He knew how wicked
Alyrus was, how ill the Lady Claudia had been and for what reason.
Lidia had poured out the whole story to him.
Lucius crouched down near the temple door at the side of the huge
white building with its many columns, after he had heard the knock
Alyrus gave at the small portal, and had heard the door clang behind
the porter.
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