I do not find your name here,' he said aloud, shaking his head and pointing to the roll; and he added in a lower voice, 'Nor do I intend to find it.' "She went closer up to him, and said out loud, Grant me my place among the believers, and write down, that Magdalen, the Christian, refuses to sacrifice.' "My soul was deeply moved, and with joyful eagerness I cried out, 'Put down my name too, and write, that Menander, the son of Herophilus, also refuses.' The Roman did his duty.
"Time has not blotted out from my memory a single moment of that day.
There stood the altar, and near it the heathen priest on one side, and on the other the emperor's officer.

We were taken up two by two; Magdalen and I were the last.

One word now--one little word--would give us life and freedom, another the rack and death.

Out of thirty of us only four had found courage to refuse to sacrifice, but the feeble hearted broke out into lamentations, and beat their foreheads, and prayed that the Lord might strengthen the courage of the others.

An unutterably pure and lofty joy filled my soul, and I felt, as if we were out of the body floating on ambient clouds.