CAESAR’S APOSTASY (continued 3)

Julian.

True, true, true!

Maximus.

These are your brothers in arms, my Julian; you will find none better among them. Or perhaps you count upon those two great Galilean lights that were to be, in Cappadocia? Ha-ha; Gregory, the bishop’s son, pleads causes in his native town, and Basil, on his estate in the far east, is buried in the writings of secular philosophers.

Julian.

Yes, I know it well. On all sides they fall away! Hekebolius, my former teacher, has grown rich through his zeal for the faith, and his expositions of it; and since then——! Maximus—it has come to this, that I stand almost alone in earnestness.

Maximus.

You stand quite alone. Your whole army is either in headlong flight, or lying slain around you. Sound the battle-call,—and none will hear you; advance,—and none will follow you! Dream not 215that you can do anything for a cause which has despaired of itself. You will be beaten, I tell you! And where will you turn then? Disowned by Constantius, you will be disowned by all other powers on earth,—and over the earth. Or will you flee to the Galilean’s bosom? How stands the account between you and him? Did you not own, a moment ago, that you are under the terror? Have you his commands within you? Do you love your enemy, Constantius, even if you do not smite him? Do you hate the lusts of the flesh or the alluring joys of this world, even if you do not, like a heated swimmer, plunge into their depths? Do you renounce the world, because you have not courage to make it your own? And are you so very sure that—if you die here—you shall live yonder?

Julian.

[Pacing to and fro.] What has he done for me, he who exacts so much? If he hold the reins of the world-chariot in his hands, it must have been within his power to——

[The psalm-singing in the church becomes louder.

Listen, listen! They call that serving him. And he accepts it as a sweet-smelling sacrifice. Praise of himself,—and praise of her in the coffin! If he be omniscient, how then can he——?

The Chamberlain Eutherius.

[Coming hastily down through the passage on the left.] My Caesar! My lord, my lord; where are you?

Julian.

Here, Eutherius? What would you with me?

216Eutherius.

You must come up, my lord;—you must see it with your own eyes;—the Princess’s body is working miracles.

Julian.

You lie!

Eutherius.

I do not lie, my lord! I am no believer in this foreign doctrine; but what I have seen I cannot doubt.

Julian.

What have you seen?

Eutherius.

The whole town is in a frenzy. They are bearing the sick and crippled to the Princess’s bier; the priests let them touch it, and they go away healed.

Julian.

And this you yourself have seen?

Eutherius.

Yes, my lord; I saw an epileptic woman go forth from the church healed, praising the Galileans’ God.

Julian.

Ah, Maximus, Maximus!

Eutherius.

Hark, how the Christians exult;—some fresh miracle must have happened.

217The Physician Oribases.

[Calling out in the passage to the left.] Eutherius,—have you found him? Eutherius, Eutherius, where is Caesar?

Julian.

[Meeting him.] Here, here;—is it true, Oribases?

Oribases.

[Coming forward.] Incredible, inexplicable,—and yet true; they touch the bier, the priests read and pray over them, and they are healed; from time to time a voice proclaims: “Holy, holy, is the pure woman!”

Julian.

A voice proclaims——?

Oribases.

The voice of one invisible, my Caesar; a voice high up under the vaultings of the church——; no man knows whence it comes.

Julian.

[Stands a moment immovable, then turns suddenly to Maximus, and cries:] Life or the lie!

Maximus.

Choose!

Oribases.

Come, come, my lord; the awe-stricken soldiers threaten you——

Julian.

Let them threaten.

218Oribases.

They accuse you and me of the Princess’s death——

Julian.

I will come; I will satisfy them——

Oribases.

There is only one way: you must turn their thoughts in another direction, my lord;—they are wild with despair over the fate awaiting them if you delay any longer.

Maximus.

Now go to heaven, thou fool; now die for thy Lord and Master!

Julian.

[Grasping him by the arm.] The Emperor’s empire for me!

Maximus.

Achilles!

Julian.

What looses the covenant?

Maximus.

[Handing him the sacrificial knife.] This.

Julian.

What washes the water away?

Maximus.

The blood of the sacrifice.

[He tears off the fillet from his own brow, and fastens it round Caesar’s.

219Oribases.

[Drawing nearer.] What is your purpose, my lord?

Julian.

Ask not.

Eutherius.

Hark to the clamour! Up, up, my Caesar!

Julian.

First down,—then up. [To Maximus.] The sanctuary, my beloved brother——?

Maximus.

Straight below, in the second vault.

Oribases.

Caesar, Caesar,—whither are you going?

Maximus.

To freedom.

Julian.

Through darkness to light. Ah——!

[He descends into the lower galleries.

Maximus.

[Softly, looking after him.] So it has come at last!

Eutherius.

Speak, speak; what mean these hidden arts?

Oribases.

And now, when every instant is precious——

220Maximus.

[Whispering uneasily, as he shifts his place.] These gliding, clammy shadows! Faugh! The slimy things crawling underfoot——!

Oribases.

[Listening.] The turmoil waxes, Eutherius! It is the soldiers; listen, listen!

Eutherius.

It is the song in the church——

Oribases.

No, ’tis the soldiers!—here they come!

The Knight Sallust appears up in the gallery, surrounded by a great crowd of excited soldiers. The Standard-Bearer Maurus is amongst them.

Sallust.

Be reasonable, I entreat you——!

The Soldiers.

Caesar has betrayed us! Caesar shall die!

Sallust.

And what then, madmen!

Maurus.

What then? With Caesar’s head we will buy forgiveness——

The Soldiers.

Come forth, come forth, Caesar!

221Sallust.

Caesar,—my Caesar, where are you?

Julian.

[Calling out, in the vault underneath.] Helios! Helios!

Maximus.

Free!

The Choir in the Church above.

Our Father which art in heaven!

Sallust.

Where is he? Eutherius, Oribases,—what is here afoot?

The Choir.

[In the church.] Hallowed be Thy name!

Julian.

[Comes up the steps; he has blood on his forehead, on his breast, and on his hands.] It is finished!

The Soldiers.

Caesar!

Sallust.

Blood-stained——! What have you done?

Julian.

Cloven the mists of terror.

Maximus.

Creation lies in your hand.

222The Choir.

[In the church.] Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven!

[The chant continues during what follows.

Julian.

Now Constantius has no longer a bodyguard.

Maurus.

What say you, my lord?

Julian.

Ah! My faithful ones! Up into the daylight to Rome, and to Greece!

The Soldiers.

Long live the Emperor Julian!

Julian.

We will not look back; all ways lie open before us. Up into the daylight! Through the church! The liars shall be silenced——!

[He rushes up the steps in the background.

The army mine, the treasure mine, the throne mine!

The Choir.

[In the church.] Lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil!

[Julian throws wide the doors, revealing the brightly-lighted interior of the church. The priests stand before the high altar; crowds of worshippers kneel below, around the Princess’s bier.

223Julian.

Free, free! Mine is the kingdom!

Sallust.

[Calls to him.] And the power and the glory!

The Choir.

[In the church.] Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory——

Julian.

[Dazzled by the light.] Ah!

Maximus.

Victory!

The Choir.

[In the church.] ——For ever and ever, amen!

225