"I know not. You forget I was a child. But this stands yet clear before me: In the evening father and mother took me between them, each holding one of my hands; the master was also there; and they led me with bandaged eyes--for the raw evening air of the late autumn might have hurt them--into the Basilica. Here they took off the bandage and"---- "And now?" "What didst thou see? What happened?" "For the first time for months without pain, did my eyes again see the bright but gentle light. Before the altar, which was lighted with many wax candles, stood Johannes in shining white garments; the master placed us all three at the lowest step of the altar, and then spoke a number of words that I did not understand: the priest blessed us; my parents wept--but I noticed it was from emotion, not from pain--and kissed their master's knees; they then again put the bandage on my eyes, and we went from the light of the church out into the darkness. Since then light and Church and Johannes are to me one." Felicitas could not quite understand what now happened to her. Her husband warmly kissed her brow and eyes, and her uncle almost crushed her hand. "Go thou back to the house," cried at last her husband. "We must go immediately to the church; thou art right--as always. Thou--thou hast given to us the best, the saving counsel." And he led her eagerly, with a last kiss, back into the garden. "It is quite certain," said Crispus, when Fulvius again appeared, "that it was not only by letter that they were set free; for greater safety there was the ceremony in the church, before the priest, according to all the forms of the law. And the child has all unsuspiciously revealed it to us in our greatest need!" "And the priest"---- "Was Johannes himself!" "He yet lives. Thanks be to the holy ones! He can testify to it." "And he shall: before this night! Before witnesses, before the Curies shall he verify it! To the church!" "To Johannes!" And the two men hastened as fast as feet could carry them, down the high-road to the town, towards the Porta Vindelica. In the meanwhile Felicitas went slowly back to the house, often stopping to look back at her husband until he had disappeared from view. "What may they be doing?" said she quietly, bending her beautiful head. "Well, they are good: the holy ones are with them. The sun is now set behind Vindelicia. But in the forest the sweet bird still sings his evening song: how peaceful! how quiet! I will go to the bed of my little one. I can wait there most calmly; Fulvius will come back before night. For he loves us--yes, he loves us much, my little son!" She then entered the house. CHAPTER V. But Fulvius did not come back that night.