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on the command of the new emperor, Caligula. Marcellus orders Paulus
to pull back, but the centurion replies, “Make me obey you,” and challenges
Marcellus to a fight. Marcellus wins and spares Paulus, who reluctantly
withdraws his soldiers. Later that evening, as the village mourns for Justus,
Marcellus reveals to Peter his guilt about the crucifixion, but Peter says
Jesus forgives him as he forgave Peter’s denial of him. Peter invites Marcellus
to join the growing movement, and Marcellus accepts.
Back in Rome, Diana is summoned to the imperial palace by Caligula,
who demands to hear news of Marcellus. When she replies truthfully that
she knows nothing, Caligula harshly informs her Marcellus is a ringleader
for the Christians and thus an enemy of the state. Dragging her to the
armory, the emperor shows her the captive Demetrius, stretched on the
rack and tortured by the Praetorians. Outside the palace, a distraught
Diana asks her manservant to lead her to the Christian hideout to find
Marcellus. The servant takes her to the catacombs, where she is reunited
with Marcellus. He tells her how his madness was cured when he found
the robe, and while she still doesn’t understand his new faith, she pledges
her love for him. He gives her the robe for safekeeping. Marcellus and a
group of volunteers break into the armory and rescue the near-dead
Demetrius, bravely beating back the Roman soldiers. Furious, Caligula
orders his men to find Marcellus on pain of death, and they search Senator
Gallio’s house without success. Behind a secret door, a physician treats
Demetrius, but pronounces he is beyond help and will be dead soon. As
Marcellus prays for Demetrius, Peter arrives to help. After the room is
cleared, the Gallio family is astonished to see Demetrius recovered. Shocked
and insulted, the physician claims it is the work of sorcery, and storms off
in a rage. Senator Gallio sends Marcellus back to the catacombs with
Demetrius, renouncing him as his son. With a pledge to meet tomorrow,
Diana returns the robe to Marcellus.
The next day, Marcellus takes Demetrius out of Rome in a carriage, but
when the emperor’s soldiers pursue them, Marcellus allows himself to be
captured to save his friend. Diana visits Marcellus in prison and begs him
to affirm his allegiance to Caligula in order to save himself. In court the
next day, Caligula denounces the sedition of the Christians, and accuses
Marcellus of plotting against Rome. Marcellus acknowledges he is a Christian,
but denies he is an enemy of the state. As Diana and Senator Gallio
look on, the courtiers condemn Marcellus and call for his death. Caligula
offers Marcellus one final chance to escape punishment. Holding tight to
the robe, Marcellus kneels and pledges his loyalty to Rome, but he cannot
renounce his allegiance to Christ: “He is my king and yours, the son of
38 THE ROBE (1953)