Page:A Dictionary of Saintly Women Volume 1.djvu/324

310 ST. FEBRONIA and it seemed that she must die. Hieria came and sat by her bedside, and wonld not leave her nntil she showed signs of recovery. In those days Selenns and his nephew Lysimachns were charged by the Emperor Diocletian to exterminate Christianity in the East. Selenns was a fierce perse- cutor, but Lysimachns secretly favoured the Christians, and with the help of his faithful friend and aide-de-camp Primus, he often contrived to warn them to con- ceal themselves. Just at this time a report reached Sibapolis that the perse- cutors were approaching, and all the Christians, including the bishop, sought safety in flight. Then the nuns came to their deaconess, and said, *'What shall we do, mother? These wild beasts are already at the gates, and all our friends have fled." " What would you have ?" said Bryene. They said, " Give ns leave to hide in the neighbourhood, and thus save our- selves.*' ^' You have not seen war, and yet yon think of flight. The battle is not begun ; and are you vanquished already ? Not so, my sisters ; let us stay, and, if neces- sary, die for Him who died for us, that we may live with Him." The nuns could say no more ; but next day one of them, named Etheria, said to the others, I know it is on account of Febronia that our mistress will not let us go away. Are we all to perish for her sake ? " Some of them agreed with Etheria, and some differed, and as a great dissen- sion arose amongst them, they decided to refer the matter to the superior. Etheria spoke for them all, and said, " We come to ask you to order us to flee from the coming tribulation. Are we better than the bishop and the clergy ? Is it certain that we should be able to bear all the trials and torments to which we might bo subjected by the heathen ? We might forsake our faith and so lose our souls. Consider also that there are young girls amongst us, and that you ought not to suffer them to fall into the hands of the soldiers. If you will give us the order to go, we will carry Febronia with us, and set off" Then Febronia, who was lying on her bench, and heard all that was said, answensd, ^^ As the Lord liveth, to whom I am betrothed, and to whom I have committed my soul, I will not go out of this place, but I will die here and be buried here." Bryene then said to the sisters, ** Each one of you knows what she wishes ; let each choose what she will do.'* They all took leave of Bryene and Febronia with many tears, and left the monastery. Proda, Febronia's friend and fellow-pupil, embraced and kissed her, and entreated her to pray for her. Febronia held her hand and kept her back, saying, "Fear God, Procla, and do not you also desert us. Do yon not see that if I die, our mother will not be able to bury me without your help ? " Proda replied, Since yon wish it, I will stay with you." Febronia said, '^ I adjure yon before God, who sees all that we do, go not away from me." Nevertheless, in the evening, Procla disappeared. When Bryene saw the desolation of the convent, she went into the oratory, and wept and lamented. Then Thomais, her assistant, who had not left with the others, came and sat by her, and tried to comfort her, saying that God was able to save His own people. Bryene said, " You say the truth, sister ; but what shall I do with Febronia ? Where can I hide her, or how could I bear to see her carried captive by barbarians ? " '* Do you forget what I have just said to you?" said Thomai& "God, who raises the dead, can defend Febronia from harm. Dry your tears, and let us go and comfort her, for she is lying ill on her bed." They went; but Bryene could not restrain her tears or comfort Febronia, who asked Thomais why the deaconess was in such distress. Thomais said, "Her distress is on your account. If the soldiers come here they can do no harm to old women like us — they can but kill us to be rid of us ; but you are young and beautiful, and they will try to seduce you from the innocent life and holy religion in which you have been brought up."