Beside himself with rage at his defeat, And aching still with pain from Stephen's blow, Felix now stamped and shouted: "Slaves! What, ho! Rascals, where are ye all?" Some, trembling, came, But ere their master could possess his wits To give them orders, Paul before him stood. Worse crazed at that sight, Felix fiercely cried: "Him! _Him!_ Are ye all blind? Seize _him_, I say!" Betwixt their terror of Felix and their awe Of Paul, august in his unmovéd calm And venerable with virtue and with age, Well-known to them besides as one who wrought With other power than mortal, the poor slaves Hung helpless to perform their master's hest. "These do not need to seize me, here I am," Said Paul, "and of no mind to fly; I came Hastily summoned as to some distress Here, what I know not, that I might relieve." "Smite him upon the mouth," Felix broke forth, "And make him _feel_ distress to need relief!" The freedman's truculence waxed with every word, And swaggering forward he his hand upraised As if himself to strike the blow he bade; When, with a maniple of soldiers armed Accompanied, Julius the centurion stood Abruptly at the door. Stephen with his charge Had met the band of soldiers on their way Just as, with circumspection looking back, He saw Paul, by a different path arrived, And earlier, enter at Felix's abode. He quickly acted on a counsel new. For, with a farewell of, "Now ye are safe, Yet hie ye to the uttermost remove From Felix," to the women spoken, he Turning walked back with Julius who his pace Now slacked to listen while the stripling told What had befallen and how he feared for Paul Imperilled in that violent house alone.