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454 DARKNESS AND DAWN
and he was carried back to prison, a pitiable sufferer, dislocated
in every limb. Indeed, so nigh was he unto death, that
the jailors, burdened by the crowded and horrible condition
of the prisoners, accepted a bribe from the Christians to allow
him to be removed. He was taken, by Pomponia's kindness,
into her own house, and there was lovingly tended many
days. He lived to send a greeting to Timotheus by St. Paul
but he was never again able to resume his
some years later;
functions as the bishop of the little community. Stricken to
the heart by the anguish of witnessing the apparent destruction
of the Church, and hopelessly maimed by torture, he
was removed in secrecy to one of the country villas of Aulus
Plautius, and after being long confined to his bed, he died no
less a martyr of the Neronian persecution than any of his
brethren.
Others showed equal fortitude. Foiled and savage, Tigellinus
noticed among the prisoners a timid, shrinking boy, and
ordered him to be stripped and laid upon the rack, confident
that anything might be wrung from him. But the poor boy
could only keep repeating,
'
I am a Christian ! I am a Christian ! but we are innocent.
The crimes you charge us with are false.'
We do no wrong.
'
Give up the names of your accomplices, jail-bird,' said
Tigellinus, striking him fiercely on the cheek.
'I am no jail-bird,' said the boy; '1 am free-born. Oh, set
me free from this anguish I have done no !
wrong.'
'
You shall try another turn or two of the rack first, crucisalus'
said Tigellinus. Confess, and you shall not only be
'
set free, but rewarded.'
His limbs were stretched still further. A groan of agony
burst from his lips,
and the sweat stood in thick dews over
the face which had become pale as death ;
but he spoke not,
and fainted. When they were taken back to prison, the
Christians did their utmost to tend and console the glorious
young confessor.
'
How were you strengthened,' they asked him, ' to endure
such pangs
?
When
'
it seemed to
'
all was at the worst,' he said,
'
me
that music sounded in my ears, and a fair youth with wings
by me who wiped the perspiration from my forehead.
And seeing him I felt that I could hold out even to death.'