He stood before its searching words a convicted sinner.
The suspicion of veiled surveillance that haunted Heraklas made him cautious of reading his, papyrus at home.

He sought places, to read it abroad.

Hidden among the crags beside the sea, or in the vines on the banks of Lake Mareotis, Heraklas read, and waged the soul-struggle that had risen within him.
One day Heraklas had hidden himself among the northern crags beside the great sea.

His eyes were bent upon his roll.

He had been reading John's record of the conversation between Christ and the man who was born blind.
"Jesus said unto him, Dost thou believe on the Son of God ?" The man whose eyes Christ had opened, answered and said, "Who is he, Lord, that I might believe on him ?" "Dost thou believe on the Son of God ?" It seemed to Heraklas that there came to him, also, Christ's solemn question.