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Updated: June 28, 2025
If ever he thought of marriage, policy and ambition turned his mind towards the royal Franks; but the time for that had not yet come. Meanwhile, having spoken with the young Roman whom Veranilda loved, he saw in Basil a useful instrument, and resolved, if his loyalty to the Goths bore every test, to reward him with Veranilda's hand.
He narrated to her his sojourn at the monastery, told of the penance he had done, of the absolution granted him by Benedict; whereupon a light came into Veranilda's eyes. 'There lives, she exclaimed, 'no holier man! 'None holier lived, was Basil's grave answer. 'Returning from Assisium, I met a wandering anchorite, who told me of Benedict's death. 'Alas!
He told her of that, and of other events such as would interest her, but without uttering the name of Basil. Above all, he spoke of Totila, lauding the victorious king who would soon complete his triumph by the conquest of Rome. 'I had all but forgotten, were Veranilda's words, when she had listened anxiously. 'I thought only of Basil.
Aurelia whispered a few words to her watchman, whose religion was the same as hers, and at once he dropped to his knees. 'Peace be with you, good brother, said the monk, in his feeble voice, as he drew a lantern from beneath his cloak. You may not accompany us; but have no fear. The way is short. Forthwith he turned, and Aurelia, holding Veranilda's hand, followed where he lighted the way.
Was he really playing the part of a simpleton, at whom people laughed? He remembered the seeming indifference of Bessas touching Veranilda at the second interview, natural enough if the maiden had already passed into the Greek's hands. Two days ago Marcian had told him that Petronilla must needs be aware of Veranilda's importance, seeing that it was now common knowledge in Roman society.
Riding once more beside the carriage, Marcian felt his heart light: passions and fears were all forgotten; the sun flaming amid the pale blue sky, the violet shadows of the mountains, the voice of cicadas made rapture to his senses. It was as though Veranilda's beauty, not even yet beheld, rayed something of itself upon all the visible world.
Though so ardent a lover, he had composed no lyric or elegy in Veranilda's honour; his last poetical effort was made in his sixteenth year, when, to his own joy, and to the admiration of his friends, he wrote a distich, the verses of which read the same whether you began from the left hand or the right. Nowadays if he ever opened a book it was some historian of antiquity.
That of Veranilda's parentage I learned from Aurelia, Veranilda refusing to converse with me until I knew. 'Since when you have conversed, I take it, freely enough. 'Good my lord, replied Basil, with a look of some earnestness, 'let us not jest on this matter. 'I am little disposed to do so, O fiery lover! said Marcian, with a return of his wonted melancholy.
And yet he had not beheld Veranilda's face. Himself unable to take repose, he strayed about the purlieus of the villa, in his ears the sound of rushing water, before his eyes a flitting vision which he would not see.
And, as she listened, Veranilda's heart grew light; for the time before her meeting with Basil seemed very far away, and the tremulous passion in his voice assured her of all she cared to know, that his troth pledged to her had never suffered wrong.
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