Do you know that it was he who so shamelessly ruined the domestic peace of the centurion ?" "Paulus!" cried Hermas.

"How can you believe it ?" "Phoebicius found his sheepskin in his wife's room," replied Petrus gravely.

"And the impudent Alexandrian recognized it as his own before us all and allowed the Gaul to punish him.

He committed the disgraceful deed the very evening that you were sent off to gain intelligence." "And Phoebicius flogged him ?" cried Hermas beside himself.

"And the poor fellow bore this disgrace and your blame, and all--all for my sake.