Negotiations had reached this point when new visitors arrived, the Bishop of Surrentum and presbyter Joannes.  Though suffering much, the good bishop had risen from bed as soon as the exciting events of this morning had reached his ear His innocence of complicity in the plot against Aurelia and Veranilda, no one who saw him could doubt; with astonishment he had heard of the priests and their armed attendants, and with indignation of the citizens’ tumultuous behaviour.  What right or reason had folk to proclaim that Aurelia was still a heretic, and that she should not have been allowed to inherit property?  Who, he asked severely, could read her heart?  And when inquiry made it too certain that all this angry feeling had originated with Petronilla, the prelate shook his head sadly, thinking more than he cared to say.  Arrived at the villa, he first of all learnt all he could as to the position of things (declaring total ignorance when the Hun sought to examine him as to the relations of Basil and Veranilda), then made earnest inquiry whether there really were slaves here who professed Arianism.  The four were summoned; overcome with dread, they prostrated them selves, and entreated the bishop to make them Catholics Having heard from them that they all had been baptized (the Roman Church held the baptism of Arians valid), he sent them apart for summary instruction by Joannes, and afterwards laid his reconciling hands upon them.  Thus had the Church gained four members, and the good folk of Surrentum lost a heretic-baiting.

With the proceedings of the Imperial commander the worthy cleric could not interfere.  He spoke privately with Basil, and betrayed, in a gentle severity of mien, his suspicion of the young noble’s state of mind, but of this not a word fell from him; his concern seemed to be solely with the lady Aurelia, regarding whom he would set every possible inquiry on foot.  He advised Basil not to leave the neighbourhood for a day or two, and to communicate with him before he went far.  Gratefully Basil kissed the old man’s hand.  They never met again.  A week later the bishop was dead.

After all, Venantius sat at table with Chorsoman.  Fuming, he waited till the next morning, when, if the news could be believed, it became certain that Aurelia and her companion were not at Cumae.  Basil, having no choice, then paid for ransom nearly all the money he had secreted, and rode away with Venantius, purposing to remain at Nuceria until joined by Marcian.  Three days later Marcian appeared at the castle He brought no intelligence of the lost ladies.  As for their abode, it had been thoroughly pillaged; the treasure chamber was discovered and broken open; not a coin, not a vessel or ornament which had its price, not a piece of silk, had escaped the clutches of the Hun.

Chorsoman’s departure was followed by an invasion of the Surrentines, who robbed more grossly.  A fire broke out in the house of Proba, and much of that building was destroyed.  In the once magnificent villa there lurked but a few slaves, who knew not whether their owner lived.