“Years went on; my parents died.  My mother’s last glance was directed at me, for I had always been her favorite child.  They said too that I was like her, I and my sister Arsinoe, who, soon after my father’s death, married the Prefect Pompey.  At the division of the property I gave up to my brother the manufactories and the management of the business, nay even the house in the city, though, as the elder brother, I had a right to it, and I took in exchange the land near the Kanopic gate, and filled the stables there with splendid horses, and the lofts with not less noble wine.  This I needed, because I gave up the days to baths and contests in the arena, and the nights to feasting, sometimes at my own house, sometimes at a friend’s, and sometimes in the taverns of Kanopus, where the fairest Greek girls seasoned the feasts with singing and dancing.

“What have these details of the vainest worldly pleasure to do with my conversion, you will ask.  But listen a while.  When Saul went forth to seek his father’s asses he found a crown.

“One day we had gone out in our gilded boats, and the Lesbian girl Archidike had made ready a feast for us in her house, a feast such as could scarcely be offered even in Rome.

“Since the taking of our city by Diocletian, after the insurrection of Achilleus, the Imperial troops who came to Alexandria behaved insolently enough.  Between some of my friends, and certain of the young officers of Roman patrician families, there had been a good deal of rough banter for some months past, as to their horses, women—­I know not what; and it happened that we met these very gentry at the house of Archidike.

“Sharp speeches were made, which the soldiers replied to after their fashion, and at last they came to insulting words, and as the wine heated us and them, to loud threats.

“The Romans left the house of entertainment before we did.  Crowned with garlands, singing, and utterly careless, we followed soon after them, and had almost reached the quay, when a noisy troop rushed out of a side street, and fell upon us with naked weapons.  The moon was high in the heavens, and I could recognize some of our adversaries.  I threw myself on a tall tribune, throttled him, and, as he fell, I fell with him in the dust.  I am but dimly conscious of what followed, for sword-strokes were showered upon me, and all grew black before my eyes.  I only know what I thought then, face to face with death.”

“Well—?” asked Stephanus.

“I thought,” said Paulus reddening, “of my fighting-quails at Alexandria, and whether they had had any water.  Then my dull heavy unconsciousness increased; for weeks I lay in that state, for I was hacked like sausage-meat; I had twelve wounds, not counting the slighter ones, and any one else would have died of any one of them.  You have often wondered at my scars.”

“And whom did the Lord choose then to be the means of your salvation?”