A courageous man, strong in body as in mind, he was not to be alarmed by mere talk of the pest; bidding the porter conduct him, he came to Marcian's bedside, and there sat for half an hour.

When he went away, his handsome countenance wore a smile of thoughtful satisfaction.
As though this conversation had relieved him, the sick man at once began to mend.

But with his recovery came another torment.

Lying in fear of death and hell, he had opened his soul to Pelagius, and had revealed secrets upon which depended all he cared for in this world.
Not only he himself was ruined, but the lives of those he had betrayed were in jeopardy.

That suspicion was busy with him he knew; the keen-sighted deacon had once already held long talk with him, whereupon followed troublesome interrogation by Bessas, who had since regarded him with somewhat a sullen eye.