He was, plainly, very much excited. With him was a man of dark
swarthy skin, and a scar across his forehead.
"Thou, Alyrus?" exclaimed Martius, surprised to see the Moor here.
"I have a message for you, my young master." Martius failed to observe
the bitterness in which he spoke the last words, or the glow of his
dark eyes, resting by turns on each member of the group. "You and the
Lady Virgilia are to return home at once. Your father desired me to
tell you that the people are enraged at an insult offered by some
Christians to one of the holy gods."
"Go, go!" said Octavia.
Martius stopped a moment to speak to Hermione, while Marcus assisted
Virgilia into her chair.
"Is it safe for thee?" he asked. "We cannot tell what may happen."
She smiled at him.
"God is with us, Martius, my friend."
"I would that I had thy great faith, Hermione. We part but to meet
again."
"If God will?"
The chair, carried by four men, passed out of the iron gate, which
swung shut behind them. The heavy bolts were shot quickly into place
by the frightened porter.
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