Nicholas continued to join in the secret assemblies. They prayed for their leaders in prison and they began to teach one another the words of the apostles and prophets, some from memory and some from parchments they had hidden. Since Nicholas had read them since his youth, he knew them better than most, and soon he was among the men who were doing much of the teaching. He enjoyed telling the good news, but felt nowhere near as qualified as his uncle. At times he would slip away to his tomb, not for gold, but to read the books of the apostles.
Despite opposition, the Christiani assemblies grew in numbers. There was always some new believer being introduced. One these was Eudora. At 18, she had just come to the full blossom of womanhood. She was soft spoken, and had a timid smile. Her brown hair she had tied up in a loose crown about her head, but she had not spent enough time to avoid a tress or two hanging down unattended. Nicholas could feel her hazel eyes no matter which direction they pointed in the room. Nicholas kept catching himself looking at her, and he got angry with himself that he would scare her away by his staring. He spoke with her only briefly to be polite. In her conversations with others he heard that her father built temples and public buildings in the city, and she was the first in her family to believe.
As she continued to come, he began to think of her every day. He felt he was getting distracted from his service in the assembly. Their group soon grew too large to meet in a home without drawing suspicion, so they agreed to split into three groups based on the areas of the city in which they lived. Nicholas chose to lead an assembly in a neighborhood furthest from Eudora, thinking it best to avoid her. But soon she started coming to his assembly. He felt both pleased and frustrated. After the meetings, she would ask him questions about the teaching, and he came to look forward to it. Finally, one day after the assembly he approached her and said, “I must confess, I am becoming distracted by you.”
She said, “I’m sorry. I don’t mean to.”
“No,” said Nicholas. “It’s not you. It’s me... I’ve come to think about you quite often. My mind seems to be drifting from my service in the assembly. That’s why I chose this assembly across town.”
Eudora looked down. For the first time, her smile seemed to fade. She said, “If you wish, I can return to the other assembly.”
“No,” said Nicholas. “I mean, if you wish, yes. But I was thinking of another solution. I was wondering, if you too think of me...”
“Oh yes,” she said, looking into his eyes.
“I would like very much to seek permission from your father to marry you.”
Eudora’s smile returned, but as soon as it came, it faded. She said, “Nothing would please me more... But my father does not believe. He would not consent to marry me to a Christianus.”
Despite opposition, the Christiani assemblies grew in numbers. There was always some new believer being introduced. One these was Eudora. At 18, she had just come to the full blossom of womanhood. She was soft spoken, and had a timid smile. Her brown hair she had tied up in a loose crown about her head, but she had not spent enough time to avoid a tress or two hanging down unattended. Nicholas could feel her hazel eyes no matter which direction they pointed in the room. Nicholas kept catching himself looking at her, and he got angry with himself that he would scare her away by his staring. He spoke with her only briefly to be polite. In her conversations with others he heard that her father built temples and public buildings in the city, and she was the first in her family to believe.
As she continued to come, he began to think of her every day. He felt he was getting distracted from his service in the assembly. Their group soon grew too large to meet in a home without drawing suspicion, so they agreed to split into three groups based on the areas of the city in which they lived. Nicholas chose to lead an assembly in a neighborhood furthest from Eudora, thinking it best to avoid her. But soon she started coming to his assembly. He felt both pleased and frustrated. After the meetings, she would ask him questions about the teaching, and he came to look forward to it. Finally, one day after the assembly he approached her and said, “I must confess, I am becoming distracted by you.”
She said, “I’m sorry. I don’t mean to.”
“No,” said Nicholas. “It’s not you. It’s me... I’ve come to think about you quite often. My mind seems to be drifting from my service in the assembly. That’s why I chose this assembly across town.”
Eudora looked down. For the first time, her smile seemed to fade. She said, “If you wish, I can return to the other assembly.”
“No,” said Nicholas. “I mean, if you wish, yes. But I was thinking of another solution. I was wondering, if you too think of me...”
“Oh yes,” she said, looking into his eyes.
“I would like very much to seek permission from your father to marry you.”
Eudora’s smile returned, but as soon as it came, it faded. She said, “Nothing would please me more... But my father does not believe. He would not consent to marry me to a Christianus.”
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