The crowd, soon as their eyes caught this new object, ceased from their tumultuous cries and prepared to hear what she who approached them thus might have to say. Some, indeed, immediately began to hurl missiles, but they were at once checked by others, who insisted that she should have liberty to speak. And these wretches would have been more savage still than I believed them, if the fair girl who stood there pleading to them had not found some favor. Hers was a bright and sparkling countenance, that at once interested the beholder. Deep blushes spread over her face and bosom, while she stood waiting the pleasure of the heaving multitude before her. 'Ah! hah!' cried one; 'who is she but the dancing girl AElia! she is a dainty bit for us. Who would have thought that she was the daughter of a Christian!' 'I am sorry for her,' cried another; 'she is too pretty to be torn in pieces. We must save her.' 'Say on! say on!' now cried one of the leaders of the crowd as silence succeeded; 'we will hear you.' 'Whom do you seek?' then asked AElia, addressing him who had spoken. 'You know well enough, my pretty girl,' replied the other. 'We seek the house and family of Macer the Christian. Is this it? and are you of his household?' 'This,' she replied, 'is the house of Macer, and I am his daughter. My mother with all her children are below. And now why do you seek us thus?' 'We seek,' replied the savage, 'not only you but your lives. All you have to do is to unbar this door and let us in.' Though AElia could have supposed that they were come for nothing else, yet the brutal announcement of the terrible truth drove the color from her cheeks, and caused her limbs to tremble. Yet did it not abate her courage, nor take its energy from her mind. 'Good citizens and friends,' said she, 'for I am sure I must have some friends among you, why should you do us such wrong? We are poor and humble people, and have never had the power, if the will had been ours, to injure you. Leave us in safety, and, if you require it, we will abandon our dwelling and even our native Rome--for we are all native Romans.' 'That, my young mistress, will not serve our turn. Are you not, as you said, the family of the Christian Macer?' 'Yes, we are.' 'Well,' answered the other, 'that is the reason we seek you, and mean to have you.' 'But,' replied the girl, 'there must be many among you who would not willingly harm either Macer or anything that is his. Macer is not only a Christian, Romans, but he is a good warm-hearted patriot as ever was born within the compass of these walls. Brutus himself never loved freedom nor hated tyrants more than he.' 'That's little to the purpose now-a-days,' cried one from the crowd.