Page:Veranilda, by George Gissing, 1904.djvu/56

40 VERANILDA

and her most precious possessions were conveyed, descended at a stately pace the winding road to Surrentum. Before it rode Basil ; behind came a laden wagon, two light vehicles carrying female slaves, and mounted men-servants, armed as though for a long and perilous journey. Since the encounter before sunrise, there had been no meeting between the hostile ladies. Aurelia signified her scorn by paying no heed to her aunt's departure.

Alone in her dominion, the inheritress entered the death- chamber, and there passed an hour upon her knees. Whilst she was thus secluded, a pealing storm traversed the sky. When Aurelia came forth again, her face was wan, tear- stained. She summoned her nurse, and held much talk with her as to the significance of thunder whilst a corpse lay in the house. The good woman, though she durst not utter all her thoughts, babbled concern, and used the occasion to beseech Aurelia — as she had often done since the death of her Gothic lord — to be reconciled with the true church.

' True church ! ' exclaimed Aurelia, with sudden passion. ' How do you know which is the true church ? Have not emperors, have not bishops and numberless holy men lived and died in the faith I confess ? '

She checked herself, grew silent, brooded. Meanwhile, the old nurse talked on, and presently began to relate how a handmaid of Petronilla, in going with her this morning, pro- fessed to know on the surest evidence that Aurelia, by her father's deathbed, had renounced Arianism. The sullen countenance of her mistress flashed again into wrath.

'Did I not forbid you,' cried Aurelia, 'to converse with those women ? And you dare repeat to me their loose-lipped chatter. I am too familiar with you ; go and talk with your kind ; go ! '

Mutteringly the woman went apart. The mistress, alone, fell into a long weeping. When she had sobbed herself into quiet once more, she sought a volume of the Gospels, in- serted her forefinger between the pages at random, and anxiously regarded the passage thus chosen.