When I give the signal, take
your sister in your arms and follow me."
He had said the same to Marcus, telling him to assist Octavia and
Hermione and bear them forth.
"Fear not," the stranger had said. "If your God has power, he will
save you all out of the lion's mouth."
Opening from the arena were several iron gates. Some of these served
as entrances to the prisons or cells, where the Christians had been
kept until the moment when they were commanded to come forth and
perform their part in amusing the wicked emperor and his impious
people. Others, four in number, were the entrances to passageways
leading to the open air. There were used by the gladiators and by the
employees whose duty it was to arrange the "scenery."
Each gate was guarded, in the arena and at the outer exit, by a
soldier, well armed.
It was by one of these open gates that Martius and Marcus obeying the
words of the gladiator, eager to seize any chance of escape, kept the
women.
The shouts of the multitude arose. "The Christians! The Christians! To
the lions!"
It was then that Alyrus shrank back and a deadly fear seized him.
Pages:
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118