The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1874-03-15

| and the largo folding doors were simultane-
ously flung open outward.
Immediately appeared the very man in the
| dark-eyed purple robe of whom the little
damsel was in quest, and upon whose personal
aspect, already infinitely described in former
place, we need not here dwell. handsome
gentleman, in middle life, with an acute and
Thoughtful face, who wore q Greek mantle diff
ferently shaped from augur's, followed.
| Both these persons moved with that halt. stoop
which seems like a continued though very
faint bow and when in the street. they
turned, stood still and waited. Then came
forth, leaning on q knights arm, and walking
somewhat feebly, white haired, ancient, and
majestic man, around whose person, in strik
| ing contrast with the many new fashions of
dress lately become prevalent, a snowy woolen
! toga, with broad violet borders flowed. In
der this toga, indeed, was tunic richly en-
broidered with gold, and having painted upon
it the head of the idol called the Capitolipe
Jove, half hidden by wide dou BILE stripe of
scarlet silk
When this parsonage had come into the
street, all those who Glanced to be there un-
covered. Tberius, the gentleman in the Greek
mantle, and the knight himself upon whose
arm the object of all this reverence continued
to lean, did the same; and it was thus that
Paulus, who had already guessed from freq uent
descriptions formerly received knew for GER
tain that he beheld for the first time Augustus
Cesar, sovereign of tneo hundred million
human beings, and absolute master of the
known world. In moment those who formed
the personal company of the emperor resumed.
their head-gear; some soldiers who happened
70 hn
upon their respective errands; but the inhab-
'ta2IF. 5siisc::::::! Gazing until the group began
M.s"c.% ia mi. 'ss,Hl.A - ,;oot;
to move on foot up the street in the u..!l lea.
of the temporary circus which had been COM
pleted by the knight Mamurra in some fields
north Invest of the town.
Paulus turned to Benigna and said, "You
perceive the red faced-ehem! the great man.
He does not know you, though you know him.
Shall tell him who you arei Indeed, have
not como hther merely to stare about me SO
wal. you here"
He thereupon left her, and quickly overtak-
ing, and then passing before, the group in
which was Augustus, turned round and stood
directly in their way, hat in hand but all
his sensations were different from what he
had expected. He grew very red and shame
faced, and felt a sudden confusion that
was new to his experience. AS it impos
sible to walk over him, they, on their part,
halted for moment, and looked at him with an
expression of surprise which was common to
them all, though indeed not in the de-
gree. The person who seemed the least as
tonshed the emperor; and the person
who seemed more SO than any of the rest was
Tiberius. Some displeasure, too, seemed to
flash in the glance which he bent upon the
youth.
But Paulrs, though abasled, did not lose
presence of mind to such an extent as to be
have stupidity. He said,
II ask our august emperor's pardon for in
terrupting his promenade, in order to report
TO Tiberius Cesar the execution Of order.
fonder is Crispus' daughter, ilustrious sir" he
added, turning toward Tiberius; "she has
come hither according to your COM
mands."
True" said Tiberus; "let her at once
seek the project Sejanus, who will give the
necessary Instructions"
Paulus's natural courage and enterprisipg
temper had carried him thus far but his de-
sign Of accosting and directly addressing Al
gustus Caesar now seemed when he had more
speedily found an opportunity of doing so than
he could have dared to hope, strange and diff
cult undertaking. How he should procure access
to the emperor had been the problem with
him and his family heretofore hut now, when
the access already achieved, and when he
had only to speak-now when his voice was
sure to reach the ears of the emperor himself
he knew not wkat to say or how to begin
He had thought of splendid topics, of deduc
tons which he would draw, certain arguments
which he would urge-a matter very plain
and easy in fine, statement simple, brief
and conclusive; but all this had vanished
from his mind. There before him, holding
back the folds of his toga with one white hand
upon the back of which moro than seventy
years had brought out tracery of blue vari-
cose veins-a modern doctor would call them
with the other hand, which was gloved, and
grasping the fellow glove, laid upon the arm
of the knight already mentioned, stood the
person who, under FORMS the republican SEM
blance of which he carefully preserved, exer-
| cised throughout the whole civilized and near
! ~ the whole known world, over at least two
if not three hundred million souls, power as
uncontrolled and absolute for all practicsl