Stephanus was startled to see that his companion trembled in every limb, he raised himself and held out to him the flask with Sirona’s wine, which the other, incapable of controlling himself, snatched eagerly from his hand, and emptied with frantic thirst.  The fiery liquor revived his failing strength, brought the color to his cheeks, and lent a strange lustre to his eyes.  “How much good that has done me!” he cried with a deep sigh and pressing his hands on his breast.

Stephanus was perfectly reassured and repeated his question, but he almost repented of his curiosity, for his friend’s voice had an utterly strange ring in it, as he answered: 

“No, I was never married—­never, but I have loved for all that, and I will tell you the story from beginning to end; but you must not interrupt me, no not once.  I am in a strange mood—­perhaps it is the wine.  I had not drunk any for so long; I had fasted since—­since but it does not matter.  Be silent, quite silent, and let me tell my story.”

Paulus sat down on Hermas’ bed; he threw himself far back, leaned the back of his head against the rocky wall of the cavern, through whose doorway the daylight poured, and began thus, while he gazed fixedly into vacancy, “What she was like?—­who can, describe her?  She was tall and large like Hera, and yet not proud, and her noble Greek face was lovely rather than handsome.

“She could no longer have been very young, but she had eyes like those of a gentle child.  I never knew her other than very pale; her narrow forehead shone like ivory under her soft brown hair; her beautiful hands were as white as her forehead-hands that moved as if they themselves were living and inspired creatures with a soul and language of their own.  When she folded them devoutly together it seemed as if they were putting up a mute prayer.  She was pliant in form as a young palm-tree when it bends, and withal she had a noble dignity, even on the occasion when I first saw her.

“It was a hideous spot, the revolting prison-hall of Rhyakotis.  She wore only a threadbare robe that had once been costly, and a foul old woman followed her about—­as a greedy rat might pursue an imprisoned dove—­and loaded her with abusive language.  She answered not a word, but large heavy tears flowed slowly over her pale cheeks and down on to her hands, which she kept crossed on her bosom.  Grief and anguish spoke from her eyes, but no vehement passion deformed the regularity of her features.  She knew how to endure even ignominy with grace, and what words the raging old woman poured out upon her!

“I had long since been baptized, and all the prisons were open to me, the rich Menander, the brother-in-law of the prefect—­those prisons in which under Maximin so many Christians were destined to be turned from the true faith.