annr.pandora-第15节
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r。 And my hair； it had all fallen down in waves。
But no one noticed me。 I turned round and round； amazed at the Oriental curtains and tassels that hung over the doorways； the caged birds everywhere singing in their little prisons。 The woven carpets lying all over the floor； one heaped upon another。
Two obvious ladies of the house came towards me。
〃What's the matter！〃 I asked。
They were as fashionable as any rich woman in Rome； drenched in bracelets and wearing goldtrimmed gowns。
〃I implore you；〃 said one of the women； 〃for your own sake； go！ Get back into the litter！〃
They tried to push me inside the curtained cell of the litter。 I wouldn't go。 I became furious。
〃I don't know where I am；〃 I said。 〃And I don't know who you are！ Now； stop pushing me！〃
The Master of the House； or someone who certainly appeared to be such； came dashing towards me； with tears streaming down his cheeks and his short tousled gray hair a mess … torn as if in mourning。 He'd ripped his long tunic。 He'd smeared dirt on his face！ He was old with a bent back and a massive head； loaded with skin and wrinkles。
〃Your Father was my young colleague；〃 he said to me in Latin。 He grabbed me by the arms。 〃I dined in your house when you were a baby。 I saw you when you crawled on all fours。〃
〃Tender；〃 I said quickly。
〃Your Father and I studied in Athens； slept under the same roof。〃
The women stood panic…stricken with their hands over their mouths。
〃Your Father and I fought with Tiberius on his first campaign。 We fought those lurid barbarians。〃
〃Very brave；〃 I said。
My black outer cloak fell down； revealing my unkempt wild long hair and plain dress。 Nobody cared。
〃Germanicus dined in this house because your Father spoke of me！〃
〃Oh dear； I see；〃 I said。
One of the women motioned for me to get in the litter。 Where was Jacob？ The old man wouldn't let me go。
〃I stood with your Father and with Augustus when news came to us of the massacre of our troops in the Teutoburg Forest； that General Varus and all his men were slain。 My sons fought with your brothers in the legions of Germanicus when he punished those Northern tribes！ Oh； God！〃
〃Yes； very marvelous； indeed；〃 I said gravely。
〃Get back in the litter and get out；〃 said one of the women。
The old man clutched me。
〃We fought the madman； King Arminius！〃 said the old man。 〃We could have won！ Your brother Antony wasn't for giving up and ing back； was he？〃
〃I。。。 no。。。〃
〃Get her out of here！〃 screamed a young patrician man； who had also been weeping。 He came forward and shoved me towards the litter。
〃Stand back； you imbecile！〃 I said to him。 I slapped his face。
All this while； Jacob had been talking to the slaves； getting the scoop。
Jacob appeared beside me； as the gray…haired Greek sobbed and kissed my cheeks。
Jacob took over； guiding me into the litter。
；… 〃Germanicus has just been murdered；〃 Jacob said in my ear。 〃Everybody loyal to him is convinced that the Emperor Tiberius put the Roman Governor Piso up to the murder。 It was done with poison。 Word is spreading through the city like fire；〃
〃Tiberius； you idiot！〃 I whispered； rolling my eyes。 〃One cowardly step after another！〃
I sank back into the darkness。 The litter was being lifted。
Jacob went right on： 〃Gnaeus Calpurnius Piso has allies here； naturally。 Everybody's fighting everybody else。 Settling scores。 Mayhem。 This Greek family traveled with Germanicus to Egypt。 There are riots already。 We go！〃
〃Farewell； friend；〃 I cried to the old Greek； as I was carried from the house。 But I don't think he heard me。 He had gone down on his knees。 He cursed Tiberius。 He screamed of suicide and begged for the dagger。
We were outside once more； hurrying through the street。
I lay askew in the litter； thinking dully in the darkness。 Germanicus dead。 Poisoned by Tiberius！
I knew that this recent trip of Germanicus to Egypt had made Tiberius very angry。 Egypt was like no other Roman province。 Rome was so dependent upon it for grain that Senators could not go there。 But Germanicus had gone； 〃just to see the ancient relics；〃 his friends had said in the streets of Rome。
〃A mere excuse！〃 I thought in desperation。 〃Where was the trial？ The sentence？ Poison！〃
My bearers were running。 People were screaming and sobbing around us。 〃Germanicus； Germanicus！ Give us back our beautiful Germanicus！〃
Antioch had gone mad。
At last； we were obviously in a small narrow street that was little more than an alleyway … you know the kind； for a grid of them was uncovered in the ruins of Pompeii in Italy。 You could smell the male urine collected in the jugs on the corner。 You could smell food cooking from high chimneys。 My bearers were running and stumbling over rough cobblestones。
Once we were all thrown to the side as a chariot came crashing through the narrow place； its wheels no doubt finding the ruts in the stone intended for it。 My head had hit the wall。 I was furious and frightened。 But Jacob said； 〃Lydia； we are with you。〃
I covered up all over with the cloak； so that only one eye allowed me to see the seams of light between the curtains on either side of me。 I had my hand on my dagger。
The litter was set down。 It was a cool indoor place。 I heard Jacob's father； David； arguing。 I knew no Hebrew And I wasn't even sure that he was speaking in Hebrew。 Finally； Jacob took over in Greek； and I realized that they were purchasing outright a proper house for me which came with all fine appointments； including much fine furniture； left recently by a rich widow who had lived there alone； but alas； the slaves had been sold off； No slaves。 This was a quick cash deal。
Finally； I heard Jacob say in Greek：
〃You damn well better be telling me the truth。〃
As the litter was lifted I beckoned to him。 〃I owe you my life twice over now。 That Greek family who was to shelter me？ They are truly in danger？〃
〃Of course；〃 he said。 〃When a riot starts； who cares？ They went with Germanicus to Egypt！ Piso's men know that！ Anybody with the slightest excuse will attack； murder and plunder someone else。 Look； fire。〃 He told the men to hurry。
〃All right；〃 I said。 〃Never say my real name again。 From now on say this name： My name is Pandora。 I am a Greek from Rome。 I paid you to bring me here。〃
〃You have it； my dear Pandora；〃 he replied。 〃You are some strong woman。 The Deed to your new house is made up in a fake name with less charm。 But the Deed verifies you are widowed； emancipated and a Roman Citizen。 We'll get the Deed when we pay up the gold； which we won't do until we are in the house。 And if the man does not give me that Deed with everything written out in full to protect you； I'll strangle him！〃
〃You're very clever； Jacob；〃 I said wearily。
On and on went this dark bouncing journey in the litter until at last it came to a halt。 I could hear the metal key turning in the lock of the gate； and then we were brought into the large vestibule of the house itself。
I should have waited out of consideration for my guardians； but frantically I limbed out of this miserable little black veiled prison； throwing off the cloak and taking a deep breath。
We were in the broad vestibule of a fine house； with great charm to it and much ingenuity in its decoration。
Even now； my thoughts scattered； I saw the lionhead fountain right near the gate through which we'd just e； and I washed my feet in the cool of the water。
The receiving room； or atrium； was huge； and beyond it I saw the rich couches of the dining room on the far side of a rather large enclosed garden … the peristyle。
It was not my massive ancient opulent old home on the Palatine Hill； which had grown new corridors and rooms over many generations； penetrating its broad gardens。
It was a bit too glossy。 But it was grand。 All the walls were freshly painted with a more Oriental bent； I think … more swirls and serpentine lines。 How could I judge？ I could have fainted from relief。 Would people really leave me alone here？
There sat the desk in the atrium； and near it books！ Along the porticoes flanking the garden； I saw the many doors； I looked up and saw the second…story windows dosed on the porches。 Splendor。 Safety。
The mosaic floors were old； I knew the style； the festive figures of the Saturnalia on parade。 They had to have been brought here from Italy。'
Little real marble； plastered columns； but so many well…executed murals full of the requisite happy nymphs。
I went out into the soft wet grass of the peristyle and looked up at the blue sky。
I wanted only to breathe； but now came the moment of truth regarding my belongings。 I was too dazed to ask about what was mine。 And as it turned out； no such thing was necessary。
Jacob and David first did an entire inventory of the household furnishings they were purchasing for me； as I stood there staring at them in near disbelief at their patience with detail。
And when they'd found every room quite fine； and a bedchamber down the hall to the right； and a small open garden somewhere to the left； beyond the kitchen； they went upstairs； found things proper and then unloaded my possessions。 Trunk followed trunk。
Then to my utter shock； Jacob's father； David； drew out a scroll
