174 WITNESS TO THE MIRACULOUS v 



As sacrilegious proceedings of this kind were 

 punishable with death by the Roman law, it 

 seems not unnatural that Deacon Deusdona should 

 have become uneasy, and have urged R-atleig to be 

 satisfied with what he had got and be off with his 

 spoils. But the notary having thus cleverly 

 captured the blessed Marcellirms, thought it a 

 pity he should be parted from the blessed Petrus, 

 side by side with whom he had rested, for five 

 hundred years and more, in the same sepulchre (as 

 Eginhard pathetically observes) ; and the pious 

 man could neither eat, drink, nor sleep, until he 

 had compassed his desire to re-unite the saintly 

 colleagues. This time, apparently in consequence 

 of Deusdona' s opposition to any further resurrec- 

 tionist doings, he took counsel with a Greek monk, 

 one Basil, and, accompanied by Hunus, but saying 

 nothing to Deusdona, they committed another 

 sacrilegious burglary, securing this time, not only 

 the body of the blessed Petrus, but a quantity of 

 dust, which they agreed the priest should take, 

 and tell his employer that it was the remains of the 

 blessed Tiburtius. How Deusdona was " squared/' 

 and what he got for his not very valuable com- 

 plicity in these transactions, does not appear. But 

 at last the relics were sent off in charge of Lunison, 

 the brother of Deusdona, and the priest Hunus, as 

 far as Pavia, while Ratleig stopped behind for a 

 week to see if the robbery was discovered, and, 

 presumably, to act as a blind, if any hue and cry 



