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14. But this was all being stored up in his memory for a medicine
hereafter. As was that also, that when he was yet studying under me
at Carthage, and was meditating at noonday in the market-place upon
what he had to recite (as scholars are wont to be exercised), Thou
sufferedst him to be apprehended as a thief by the officers of the
market-place. For no other reason, I apprehend, didst Thou, O
our God, suffer it, but that he who was in the future to prove so
great a man should now begin to learn that, in judging of causes, man
should not with a reckless credulity readily be condemned by man. For
as he was walking up and down alone before the judgment-seat with his
tablets and pen, lo, a young man, one of the scholars, the real
thief, privily bringing a hatchet, got in without Alypius' seeing
him as far as the leaden bars which protect the silversmiths' shops,
and began to cut away the lead. But the noise of the hatchet being
heard, the silversmiths below began to make a stir, and sent to take
in custody whomsoever they should find. But the thief, hearing their
voices, ran away, leaving his hatchet, fearing to be taken with it.
Now Alypius, who had not seen him come in, caught sight of him as he
went out, and noted with what speed he made off. And, being curious
to know the reasons, he entered the place, where, finding the
hatchet, he stood wondering and pondering, when behold, those that
were sent caught him alone, hatchet in hand, the noise whereof had
startled them and brought them thither. They lay hold of him and drag
him away, and, gathering the tenants of the market-place about them,
boast of having taken a notorious thief, and thereupon he was being led
away to apppear before the judge.
15. But thus far was he to be instructed. For immediately, O
Lord, Thou camest to the succour of his innocency, whereof Thou
wert the sole witness. For, as he was being led either to prison or
to punishment, they were met by a certain architect, who had the chief
charge of the public buildings. They were specially glad to come
across him, by whom they used to be suspected of stealing the goods
lost out of the market-place, as though at last to convince him by
whom these thefts were committed. He, however, had at divers times
seen Alypius at the house of a certain senator, whom he was wont to
visit to pay his respects; and, recognising him at once, he took him
aside by the hand, and inquiring of him the cause of so great a
misfortune, heard the whole affair, and commanded all the rabble then
present (who were very uproarious and full of threatenings) to go with
him. And they came to the house of the young man who had committed the
deed. There, before the door, was a lad so young as not to refrain
from disclosing the whole through the fear of injuring his master. For
he had followed his master to the market-place. Whom, so soon as
Alypius recognised, he intimated it to the architect; and he,
showing the hatchet to the lad; asked him to whom it belonged. "To
us," quoth he immediately; and on being further interrogated, he
disclosed everything. Thus, the crime being transferred to that
house, and the rabble shamed, which had begun to triumph over
Alypius, he, the future dispenser of Thy word, and an examiner of
numerous causes in Thy Church, went away better experienced and
instructed.
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