Man of God (3 page)

“It may take months, a year or longer, for us
to reach Rome. It is our intention to spread the word in as many
cities as possible on the way.”

“That is indeed good news, Paulus. But that
doesn’t change the fact that, when we presented the names of
faithful and trustworthy men to the Lord, yours was the one chosen.
At least for a time.”

Again Paulus’ gaze sought Alysia’s, and she
gave a slow nod.

“I am much humbled by your words, John, and I
don’t deserve them. But I will guard the shroud with my life until
such a time as God shows me what to do with it.”

That had been the beginning of their journey.
Leaving Galilee, they skirted the city of Damascus, then northward
to Antioch, westward to Tarsus, Perga, Colossae, Ephesus, and
finally, Smyrna. Rachel was, by then, five years old. The three of
them had been strolling along the main thoroughfare for a rare day
of sightseeing; they’d grown less hesitant about appearing in
public, as long as their faces were at least half covered by their
garments.

They had just passed the Temple of Apollo
when the old crone had rushed after them, catching at Paulus’ robe.
Startled and full of alarm, he turned to see the woman staring at
him with her vacant black eyes. “I know you, I have seen you in my
visions! The red-haired one came to see me, many years ago!”

“Don’t look at her, Alysia. Take Rachel—don’t
listen to her.”

Alysia grabbed Rachel’s hand but before she
could move the woman’s garbled voice turned suddenly into a
singsong chant, and she stood as though mesmerized. Paulus tried to
urge them forward, but the crowd around them had stopped, watching
and listening.

In a loud voice, the woman chanted:

“
Kings and kingdoms thou shalt sway, Some
will turn to the Way. Tis the way of life and truth, Thine own eyes
have seen its proof. Tried it will be by fire and flood, and by the
cost of men’s own blood. Destroy it now or count thy doom to that
which was found in an empty tomb!”

Her frightful gaze was now on the satchel
strapped across his back. If it hadn’t been for the fact that the
woman had drawn everyone’s attention to the thing he carried, as
well as to his wife and daughter, Paulus would have taken the
opportunity to speak to the people about the “empty tomb”. As it
was, he knew they’d better leave the area immediately! He began
pushing them through, while the sibyl stood like a statue and
stared after them. They went to their lodging, grabbed their
belongings and headed south for the city of Ephesus, the second
largest city in the Empire. There they could live for a while in
relative obscurity….he hoped.

They remained there for months. Paulus wrote
John, saying he believed that the shroud would no longer be safe
with him. For years the satchel containing it had been either on
his person or concealed close by him. Paulus made light of what the
sibyl had said, even laughing about it, but it was no laughing
matter to consider that anyone who had witnessed the incident might
become determined to see what was inside the satchel—and follow
them in hopes of stealing it. Not long afterward another of Jesus’
disciples, Thomas, had come to retrieve it.

“May God bless you for keeping it safe thus
far, Paulus Valerius,” he said, clasping Paulus’ arm in a warm
greeting.

“Will you take it to Rome?”

“No, I travel east. As we have said, we have
no real destination in mind, only men who can be trusted to guard
it. I hesitate to speak so of myself, but I was selected to come.”
He glanced at Alysia, who stood nearby. “I was the doubter,” he
said soberly. “I said I wouldn’t believe he had risen until I saw
him with my own eyes. And when I did see him, do you know what he
said to me? He said that blessed are they who can believe
without
seeing. And so they are, and so they must be, now
that he has gone to be with God.”

He had stayed with them several days,
visiting with them in the homes of their new converts. Before he
left he told them, “What that woman said—you realize that such
oracles cannot be trusted. This is divination, and we are forbidden
to have anything to do with it. And yet it sounds as
though—whatever empowers her—recognized the shroud, just as the
demons used to recognize Jesus before he cast them out.”

“I know that Satan mixes lies with truth, in
order to deceive,” Paulus answered. “She wanted me to destroy
it.”

“I shouldn’t wonder,” Thomas said, as he left
them…

The carriage rocked in and out of a hole, and
Alysia gave a start, having almost fallen asleep. She saw that
Rachel
was
asleep, and watched as Paulus moved carefully to
lay her down on the pallet covering the floor of the carriage. Then
in an instant he was beside her, pulling her close against him.

“It’s been too long,” he said softly. “Never
again, without me.”

“No,” she whispered. “Never without you.”

CHAPTER II

“Wake up, Rachel, we’re almost to the
gate.”

Alysia reached down and smoothed her
daughter’s hair back from her face. Rachel stirred and sat up.
Night had fallen, but the brightness of the moon reflected off the
road, and the white stone of the surrounding tombs.

“Look, there’s the pyramid,” Paulus said,
putting his arm around her and pointing out the window. A wealthy
Roman, fond of Egyptian monuments, had built his tomb to resemble
one of theirs…on a much smaller scale.

“Yes, Father, I’ve seen it before,” Rachel
yawned.

Paulus smiled as he donned his robe and
pulled the hood forward. Alysia, wearing a light blue stola, draped
by a palla of dark blue, arranged the latter so that it covered her
head. Two openings arched over the city gate, one for pedestrians
and one for vehicles, and Simon drove the carriage slowly forward
until they heard a man say, “Stop—everyone out.”

The Roman guards were only slightly more
vigilant than those at Ostia. They customarily searched, or at
least glanced at every wagon, cart and carriage that passed
through. The soldiers seldom paid any attention to
people
,
unless they had been alerted to do so.

Simon kept his seat as the other three
climbed out of the carriage. The guards leaned through the windows,
poked disinterestedly at the baggage in the corner, and motioned
for Simon to move the vehicle forward. As the others began to walk
toward it, Rachel stumbled and almost fell. Paulus reached out and
caught her, picking her up in his arms, and as he did so the hood
over his face fell backward. The brilliant moonlight clearly
revealed the tousled tawny hair, the strong clean lines of his
face, the deep sea blue of his eyes.

The soldier nearest him gave him one look and
exclaimed, “Lord Maximus!”

Paulus froze. He instantly recognized the
man, one of his own former legionaries. The army had called him
Maximus, meaning
greatest
, to the chagrin of some who were
in high positions…including the chief advisor of the former
emperor.

“You are mistaken,” he said roughly, hoping
to disguise his voice. “I am not known by that name.”

He took Alysia’s elbow and hurried her back
into the carriage, handed Rachel inside, then climbed in and told
Simon, “Let’s go.”

Simon flapped the reins and the coach rolled
forward. They all held their breaths until some time had gone by
and no attempt was made to halt their progress.

“I’m sorry,” Rachel gulped, huge tears in her
eyes.

“It’s not your fault, darling.” Paulus called
out, “Will you stop please, Simon?”

Alysia had been too stricken to speak until
now. “Paulus, what are you going to do?”

“I want you to go ahead. I’m going to walk
behind and make sure you’re not followed.”

“Don’t do this—please stay with us!”

He pulled her close, saying quietly into her
ear, “Think of Rachel. I should be right behind you, but if I’m not
home in half an hour after you get there, take Rachel and go
wherever Simon thinks he can get you, as quickly as possible.”

She pulled away from him and looked tearfully
into his eyes. “Paulus!”

He clasped her hands in his. “I don’t believe
anything is going to happen. Just stay safe…and know that I love
you.”

He moved away, took Rachel’s face between his
hands, and kissed her forehead. “I will see you soon.”

He disappeared over the side and merged into
the crowded street. Alysia sat back as Simon drove slowly forward,
pulling Rachel with her.

“What will he do, Mother, if he
does
see soldiers following us?”

“I don’t know, darling—but he’ll do
something. We must pray.”

The carriage was unable to move any faster
than a person would walk. Rome teemed with life all night long,
especially in the summer. It was too hot to sleep and much too
noisy, with the creaks and rattles of wagons not allowed in the
streets during the day, the curses and yells of their drivers,
people shouting and laughing as they went in and out of taverns,
the hammering of blacksmiths and carpenters who worked into the
night hours…when it was a
little
cooler.

Their house was only a few miles away, to the
northeast and some distance from the center of town. The horses
pulled them up the sloping ridge, and then downward again as they
passed luxurious villas and gardens, finally nearing the region
where the less wealthy lived. The gaps between houses grew wider
and the street became a narrow, walled lane, until finally it
seemed they were in the country. Oak trees covered the entire
landscape, except where they’d been thinned out along the road.

Alysia had resisted the urge to crane her
neck out the window, but as Simon turned the carriage to drive
behind the brick and stucco house, she glanced frantically through
the curtained opening and could see nothing but the usual
sights…the trimmed grass and shrubbery, the dark grove of trees
that stretched endlessly into the night.

Where was Paulus? Had he been seized by the
soldiers, and how long could he detain them before they came after
her—and Rachel? She didn’t care for herself, but long ago she and
Paulus had pledged that if either could help it, their daughter
would not be left an orphan…especially not in Rome!

Simon followed them into the house, leaving
the baggage inside the coach. He helped Alysia light the lamps;
soon the wavering beams fell upon the polished wooden floors and
stucco walls. The wide, main corridor opened into several rooms:
two large bedchambers, a kitchen, a dining room. The furniture was
plain but comfortable, the ceilings high; there were many latticed
windows, over which the shutters now stood closed.

Alysia ushered Rachel into her room and told
her to wash and put on her nightclothes. Then she went back into
the wide hallway.

She whispered, “Oh, Simon, every time
something like this happens, I never know if I will see him
again.”

“It all depends on the guard,” Simon replied
in a low voice. “He thought he recognized Paulus, but he can’t be
sure, after such a long time. He may be wondering whether to put
out an alarm, or wait and tell his superiors in the morning that he
saw a man who
resembled
Paulus Valerius. Or he may say
nothing at all, Alysia.”

“Simon, you know very well he knew it was
Paulus, and of course he’ll know Paulus has never been found.”

“Your husband can take care of himself.”

She glanced at him. “But against how many,
Simon?”

When he didn’t answer she dropped her gaze
and looked toward the kitchen.

“Oh, forgive me—you must eat—especially if we
have to—” Alysia stopped abruptly and swept into the kitchen,
removing the palla from around her head and letting it fall across
her shoulders.

This was the largest room in the house, with
a brick oven, a table for cutting meat, and a separate one for
mixing ingredients in preparation for baking. A long, high counter
stretched across the front. A clay vessel, more broad than tall,
held water that was brought from the well outside. There were
storage cabinets and shelves on the wall, holding pottery and clay
dishes. Quickly she set out bread and cheese, and found some
stuffed dates in a jar. She poured a cup of wine mixed with
honey.

“Aren’t you going to—” he began, and she
shook her head. “Not yet.”

Simon sat on a bench and partook
appreciatively of the small meal, confident of Paulus’ safety, but
Alysia moved restlessly back into the hall and paced its length
several times. Rachel came out of her room and sat down in one of
the cushioned chairs, her worried eyes on her mother.

Half an hour, he had said. How could she bear
to leave this place without him?

Suddenly a knock sounded on the door at the
front of the house. At once Simon set aside his plate and stood up,
gesturing for her to remain where she was. He went to the door and
called out, “Who’s there?”

“It’s Paulus.”

Simon glanced at Alysia with a smile and
unbolted the door. Her husband came striding in, removing the
hooded robe and dropping it across a chair. Rachel ran to him, her
arms tight around his waist. He put one arm around her and the
other around Alysia.

“You weren’t followed, and I’m reasonably
certain that no one followed me.”

“All the same, I think I should be the one to
return the carriage,” Simon offered.

“Thank you, Simon, but not tonight—you must
stay with us and rest. The man will be more than happy to have me
pay for an extra day’s lease.”

“Very well—I am
more than happy
to
stay.” Simon grinned and clapped Paulus on the shoulder before
going back to his plate of food.

Paulus smiled reassuringly at Alysia. “Let’s
all have something to eat.”

* * *

A lack of privacy had accompanied them ever
since they left Jerusalem. Rachel had been a baby and they had left
hurriedly, traveling during the day and staying at night some
distance off the roads, in a large tent Paulus had purchased.
Rarely did they stay at wayside inns, for most were nasty and
infested with vermin. Later, as they began to enter villages, towns
and cities—and to speak to the people there of what they knew of
Jesus—they were invited to stay in homes and apartments. When they
stayed for a long time, they rented a house.