Attendants placed food beside him.  He mingled wine with water and soothed a feverish thirst.  His physician, an elderly man of Oriental visage, moved respectfully to his side, greeted him as Illustrious, inquired how his Magnificence had passed the latter part of the night.  Whilst replying, as ever courteously—­for in the look and bearing of Maximus there was that senatorius decor which Pliny noted in a great Roman of another time—­his straining eyes seemed to descry a sail in the quarter he continually watched.  Was it only a fishing boat?  Raised upon the couch, he gazed long and fixedly.  Impossible as yet to be sure whether he saw the expected bark; but the sail seemed to draw nearer, and he watched.

The voice of a servant, who stood at a respectful distance, announced:  ‘The gracious Lady’; and there appeared a little procession.  Ushered by her eunuch, and attended by half a dozen maidens, one of whom held over her a silk sunshade with a handle of gold, the sister of Maximus approached at a stately pace.  She was tall, and of features severely regular; her dark hair—­richer in tone and more abundant than her years could warrant—­rose in elaborate braiding intermingled with golden threads; her waistless robe was of white silk adorned with narrow stripes of purple, which descended, two on each side, from the shoulders to the hem, and about her neck lay a shawl of delicate tissue.  In her hand, which glistened with many gems, she carried a small volume, richly bound, the Psalter.  Courtesies of the gravest passed between her and Maximus, who, though he could not rise from his couch, assumed an attitude of graceful deference, and Petronilla seated herself in a chair which a slave had placed for her.  After many inquiries as to her brother’s health, the lady allowed her eyes to wander for a moment, then spoke with the smile of one who imparts rare tidings.

’Late last night—­too late to trouble you with the news—­there came a post from the reverend deacon Leander.  He disembarked yesterday at Salernum, and, after brief repose, hopes to visit us.  Your Amiability will, I am sure, welcome his coming.’

‘Assuredly,’ answered Maximus, bending his head, whilst his eyes watched the distant sail.  ‘Whence comes he?’

’From Sicily.  We shall learn, I dare say, the business which took him there,’ added Petronilla, with a self-satisfied softening of her lips.  ’The deacon is wont to talk freely with me of whatever concerns the interests of our holy Church, even as I think you remember, has now and then deigned—­though I know not how I have deserved such honour—­to ask, I dare not say my counsel, but my humble thoughts on this or that.  I think we may expect him before morning.  The day will not be too warm for travel.’

Maximus wore an anxious look, and spoke after hesitation.

’Will his reverend leisure permit him to pass more than one day with us?’

’Earnestly I hope so.  You, beyond doubt, dear lord, my brother, will desire long privacy with the holy man.  His coming at this time is plainly of Heaven’s direction.’