At the same time he was consumed by a violent thirst, for neither food nor drink had touched his lips for the same length of time.

His hands were beginning to tremble, but the weakness and pain that he experienced filled him with silent joy, and he would willingly have retired into his cave and have indulged, not for the first time, in the ecstatic pain of hanging on the cross, and bleeding from five wounds, in imitation of the Saviour.
But Stephanus was calling him, and without hesitation he returned to him and replied to his questions; indeed it was easier to him to speak than to listen, for in his ears there was a roaring, moaning, singing, and piping, and he felt as if drunk with strong wine.
"If only Hermas does not forget to thank the Gaul!" exclaimed Stephanus.
"Thank--aye, we should always be thankful!" replied his companion, closing his eyes.
"I dreamed of Glycera," the old man began again.

"You said yesterday that love had stirred your heart too, and yet you never were married.
You are silent?
Answer me something." "I--who called me ?" murmured Paulus, staring at the questioner with a fixed gaze.
Stephanus was startled to see that his companion trembled in every limb, he raised himself and held out to him the flask with Sirona's wine, which the other, incapable of controlling himself, snatched eagerly from his hand, and emptied with frantic thirst.

The fiery liquor revived his failing strength, brought the color to his cheeks, and lent a strange lustre to his eyes.

"How much good that has done me!" he cried with a deep sigh and pressing his hands on his breast.
Stephanus was perfectly reassured and repeated his question, but he almost repented of his curiosity, for his friend's voice had an utterly strange ring in it, as he answered: "No, I was never married--never, but I have loved for all that, and I will tell you the story from beginning to end; but you must not interrupt me, no not once.