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Fabiola : or, The church of the catacombs - Digital Repository Services

Fabiola : or, The church of the catacombs - Digital Repository Services

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THK CllCncil O/-' Tllil wall.<br />

" Where?" asked T<strong>or</strong>qunttis, languidly ;<br />

" T HOC uolhi<br />

a figur<br />

fant in a small temple ; and ano<strong>the</strong>i 'it."<br />

"Exactly," mid Severn;; ; "tliatiw <strong>the</strong> w;;v<br />

resent <strong>the</strong> resurrectic m <strong>of</strong> Lazarus. Here look, is a touching<br />

expression <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> hope <strong>of</strong> our fa<strong>the</strong>rs in persecution -<br />

three Babylonian children in <strong>the</strong>, 1'iery fur<br />

not all; and I shall be glad to hear you describe <strong>the</strong>m."<br />

"I am no scholar," replied <strong>the</strong> old mini, modestly, "but<br />

when one has lived sixty years, man and boy, among things,<br />

one gets to know <strong>the</strong>m better than o<strong>the</strong>rs, because one loves<br />

<strong>the</strong>m m<strong>or</strong>e. All here have been fully initiated, I suppose ?"<br />

he added, with a pause.<br />

'All," answered Tiburtius, "though not so fully instructed<br />

as converts <strong>or</strong>dinarily are. T<strong>or</strong>quatus and myself have received<br />

<strong>the</strong> sacred Gift."<br />

"Enough," resumed <strong>the</strong> excavat<strong>or</strong>. "<strong>The</strong> ceiling is <strong>the</strong><br />

oldest part <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> painting, as is natural; f<strong>or</strong> that was done<br />

when <strong>the</strong> crypt was excavated, whereas <strong>the</strong> walls were dec<strong>or</strong>ated,<br />

as tombs were hollowed out. You see <strong>the</strong> "Well, now, I think,"<br />

ceiling has a<br />

s<strong>or</strong>t <strong>of</strong> trellis w<strong>or</strong>k painted over it, with grapes,<br />

to represent perhaps our true Vine, <strong>of</strong> which we are <strong>the</strong><br />

snid ToniuatiiH, " w

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