ST. SABINA 207 appear that either of them had direct interconrse with Christians, they hegan to adopt their tenets and follow their teaching. Sabinus had allowed his children to spend freely on their wants and pleasures whatever they chose ; bnt when he found that his son gave his most precious possessions to the poor, taking for them eyerything he could lay his hands on, and lavii^ing large sums on h^gg^ro, he was yery angry, and dis- tressing scenes occurred between the father and son. One day Sabinian took off his silken robe and clothed himself in sackcloth. His father, exasperated at this new out- rage, accused him of intending to ruin his family, and threatened to put him to death, saying with bitter msdedictioas, It. is better for me to kill you alone, than that you should destroy us all." Sabinian fled from his home, and when Sabinus*s anger had cooled, and he wanted to reason with his refractory son, the youth could not be found. They sought him with eyer-increasing anxiety, but in yain. Sabina fretted for him, and her longing to know at least what had become of him left her no rest : she neither ate nor slept, nor employed her- self as before. Sabinus was half inclined to curse her too, but restrained the cruel words, re- membering what his yiolence had cost him already, and tried instead every means to soothe and amuse the poor girl. He brought her jewels and beautiful articles of dross and curiosities, but she would not look at them. One day, ac- companied by her faithful servant and foster-sister Maximinola, she went ac- cording to her custom to the temple of Juno, that famous HeraBum which ranked with the temple of Diana at Ephesus as one of the greatest works of the Oreoks, and of which one solitary giant pillar still stands to tell of the days of its grandeur. Sabina, exhausted with fret- ting and weeping, fell asleep in the temple, and saw in a dream a heavenly being, who bade her be comforted, for she should be delivered from the vain and impious religion in which she had been brought up, and should meet her brother again, and find him promoted to great honour. The two girls consulted and planned how they could set out in search of him. Ships were continually leaving the island for all sorts of ports far and near, so it was easy to get away unobserved; and this they soon did. They wandered by unknown ways, through many countries and across many waters, led on from day to day by the hope of soon finding Sabinian, and as ** all ways lead to Bome," they came there in course of time, and lived amongst the Christians with a holy woman named Justina, who in due time had them baptized. They remained at Eome some years, always expecting to see Sabinian, or re- ceive some message from him. During this time Sabina acquired a consider- able reputation for sanctity, and people suffering from divers afflictions resorted to her that they might be cured by her prayers. From time to time, her brother appeared to her in her dreams, encourag- ing her to hope for reunion with him. At last a more distinct and decided vision showed her Sabinian wearing a crown set with dazzling jewels, and beckoning her to come to him. She therefore determined to set out again in search of him. She remembered her first dream of him in the Temple of Juno at Samos. The Christians loved her and wished to keep her amongst them. Maximinola urged her to stay for the rest of her life in peace; but again angels appeared, and told her that at Trecas (now Troyes^ in Gaul, Sabinian was crowned with gold and jewels, and raised to the highest honours, and that she should go and meet him there. Again the two women started on a long and difficult pilgrimage. After many a toilsome day's journey and many an anxious and comfortless night, some- times accompanied on their way by other pilgrims, sometimes alone, sometimes finding welcome and shelter in the houses of Christians, sometimes lodging on the cold ground under the open sky, they found themselves getting near Troyes. At last, after a night passed in a thick wood in considerable danger from wild beasts, the rising day revealed to them at no great distance the towers and
