annr.pandora-第29节

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　were　in　a　plot　to　kill　Tiberius　and　I　was　given　Safe　Conduct　and　passage　out　for　reporting　them；　as　was　my　duty；　to　the　Delatores；　and　to　Sejanus；　with　whom　I　spoke　myself！〃
　The　possibilities　were　making　themselves　known　slowly　to　the　Legate。
　〃Sir；〃　I　said　to　Lucius；　〃have　you　anything　else　on　your　person　that　identifies　you'？〃
　〃I　don't　need　anything　else！〃　said　Lucius。　〃Your　fate　is　death。〃
　〃Same　as　it　was　for　your　Father？〃　asked　the　Legate；　〃and　your　wife？　Had　you　children？〃
　〃Throw　her　into　prison　tonight；　and　write　to　Rome！〃　declared　Lucius。　〃You'll　see　that　I　speak　the　truth！〃
　〃And　where　will　you　be；　whoever　you　are；　while　I　am　in　prison？　Looting　my　house？〃
　〃You　slut！〃　shouted　Lucius。　〃Don't　you　see　this　is　all　feminine　wiles　and　lurid　distraction！〃
　There　was　shock　among　the　soldiers；　revulsion　in　the　face　of　the　Legate。　Flavius　moved　next　to　me。
　〃Officer；〃　asked　Flavius　with　tempered　dignity；　〃what　am　I　allowed　to　do　on　behalf　of　my　Mistress　against　this　madman？〃
　〃You　use　such　words　again；　Sir；〃　I　said　firmly　to　Lucius；　〃and　I'll　lose　my　patience。〃
　The　Legate　took　Lucius's　arm。　Lucius's　right　hand　went　to　his　dagger。
　〃Just　who　are　you？〃　the　Legate　demanded。　〃Are　you　one　of　the　Delatores？　You　tell　me　you　turned　on　your　whole　family'？〃
　〃Tribune；〃　I　said；　laying　the　gentlest　touch　yet　on　his　arm。　〃My　Father's　roots　went　back　to　the　time　of　Romulus　and　Remus。　We　know　no　origins　other　than　those　in　Rome。　It　was　the　same　with　my　Mother；　who　was　herself　the　daughter　of　a　Senator。　This　man　is　saying　rather。。。　horrible　things。〃
　〃So　it　seems；〃　said　the　Legate；　narrowing　his　gaze；　as　he　inspected　Lucius。　〃Where　are　your　friends　here；　your　panions；　where　do　you　live？〃
　〃You　can't　do　anything　to　me！〃　said　Lucius。
　The　Legate　glared　at　Lucius's　hand　on　the　dagger。
　〃You　prepare　to　draw　that　against　me！〃　asked　the　Legate。
　Lucius　dearly　was　at　a　loss。
　〃Why　did　you　e　to　Antioch？〃　I　demanded　of　Lucius。　〃Were　you　the　bearer　of　the　poison　that　killed　Germanicus？〃
　〃Arrest　her！〃　shouted　Lucius。
　〃No；　I　don't　believe　my　own　accusation。　Not　even　Sejanus　would　put　such　treachery　in　the　hands　of　a　petty　scoundrel　like　you！　e　now；　what　else　do　you　have　on　your　person　to　connect　you　with　this　family；　this　Safe　Conduct　which　you　say　came　from　the　pen　of　Sejanus？〃
　Lucius　was　utterly　baffled。
　〃I　certainly　have　nothing　belonging　to　me　to　connect　me　to　your　wild　and　bloody　sagas　and　tales；〃　I　said。
　The　Legate　interrupted　me。　〃Nothing　to　connect　you　to　this　name？〃　He　took　the　Safe　Conduct　from　my　hand。
　〃Absolutely　nothing；〃　I　said；　〃nothing　but　this　madman　here　who　is　spouting　horrors；　and　would　lead　the　world　to　believe　that　our　Emperor　has　lost　his　wits。　Only　he　connects　me　with　his　bloody　plot　without　witness　or　verification；　and　hurls　insults　at　me。〃
　The　Legate　rolled　up　the　Safe　Conduct。　〃And　your　purpose　here；　Madam？〃　he　asked　in　a　whisper。
　〃To　live　in　peace　and　quiet；〃　I　said　softly。　〃To　live　in　safety　and　under　the　true　shelter　of　Roman　rule。〃
　Now　I　knew　the　battle　had　been　won。　But　something　else　was　required　to　seal　the　victory。　I　took　another　gamble。
　Slowly　I　reached　for　my　dagger　and　slowly　I　brought　it　out　of　its　sling。
　Lucius　leapt　back　at　once。　He　drew　his　dagger　and　lunged　at　me。　He　was　immediately　stabbed　by　the　Legate　and　at　least　two　of　the　soldiers。
　He　hung　there　bleeding　on　their　weapons；　staring　from　right　to　left；　and　then　he　spoke；　but　his　mouth　was　too　full　of　blood。　His　eyes　widened；　it　seemed　again　he　would　speak。　Then；　as　the　soldiers　withdrew　their　daggers；　his　body　folded　up　on　the　cobblestones　at　the　foot　of　the　stairs。
　My　brother　Lucius　was　quite　mercifully　dead。
　I　looked　at　him　and　shook　my　head。
　The　Legate　looked　at　me。　This　was　a　significant　moment；　and　I　knew　it。
　〃What　is　it；　Tribune；〃　I　asked；　〃that　separates　us　from　the　long…haired　barbarians　of　the　North？　Is　it　not　law'？　Written　law？　Traditional　law？　Is　it　not　justice？　That　men　and　women　are　called　to　account　for　what　they　do？〃
　〃Yes；　Madam；〃　he　said。
　〃You　know；〃　l　went　on　in　a　reverent　voice；　staring　at　this　heap　of　blood　and　clothes　and　flesh　that　lay　on　the　stones；　〃I　saw　our　great　Emperor　Caesar　Augustus　on　the　day　of　his　death。〃
　〃You　saw　him？　You　did？〃
　I　nodded。　〃When　they　were　certain　he　was　to　die；　we　were　rushed　to　him　with　a　few　other　close　friends。　It　was　his　hope　to　put　down　rumors　in　the　capital　that　might　lead　to　unrest。　He　had　sent　for　a　mirror　and　bed　his　hair。　He　was　primly　propped　up。　And　he　asked　us　as　we　entered　the　room：　Didn't　we　think　he'd　played　his　part　well　in　the　edy　of　life？
　〃I　thought；　what　courage！　And　then　he　made　some　further　joke；　the　old　theatrical　line　they　say　after　plays：
　If　I　have　made　you　happy；　kindly　let　me　know　your　appreciation　with　a　warm　goodbye。
　〃I　could　tell　you　more；　but　…〃
　〃Oh；　please　do；〃　said　the　Legate。
　〃Well；　why　not？〃　I　asked。　〃It　was　told　to　me　that　the　Emperor　said　of　Tiberius；　his　chosen　successor；　'Poor　Rome；　to　be　chewed　slowly　by　those　sluggish　jaws！'　〃
　The　Legate　smiled。　〃But　there　wasn't　anyone　else；〃　he　said　under　his　breath。
　〃Thank　you；　Tribune；　for　all　your　assistance。　Would　you　allow　me　to　take　from　my　purse　sufficient　funds　to　treat　you　and　your　soldiers　to　a　fine　dinner　…〃
　〃No；　Madam；　I　wouldn't　have　it　be　said　I　or　any　man　here　was　bribed。　Now　this　dead　man。　Do　you　know　anything　more　of　him？〃
　〃Only　this；　Officer；　that　his　body　probably　belongs　in　the　river。〃
　The　soldiers　all　laughed　among　themselves。
　〃Good　night；　Gracious　Lady；〃　said　the　soldier。
　And　off　I　went；　striding　across　the　blackness　of　the　Forum；　with　my　beloved　one…legged　Flavius　at　my　side　and　the　torchbearers　round　us。
　Only　now　did　I　shake　all　over。　Only　now　did　the　sweat　cover　my　whole　body。
　When　we　had　plunged　deeply　into　the　unbroken　darkness　of　a　small　alleyway；　I　said；　〃Flavius；　let　these　torchbearers　go。　There　is　no　reason　for　them　to　know　where　we　are　headed。〃
　〃Madam；　I　don't　have　any　lantern。〃
　〃The　night's　full　of　stars　and　has　a　near　full　moon。　Look！　Besides；　there　are　others　from　the　Temple　who　are　following　us。〃
　〃There　are？〃　he　asked。　He　paid　off　the　torchbearers　and　they　ran　back　towards　the　mouth　of　the　street。
　〃Yes。　There　is　one　watching。　And　besides；　we　can　see　well　enough　by　the　lighted　windows　and　Heaven's　light；　don't　you　think？　I　am　tired；　so　tired。〃
　I　walked　on；　reminding　myself　again　and　again　that　Flavius　could　not　keep　up。　I　began　to　weep。
　〃Tell　me　something　with　your　great　philosophical　knowledge；〃　I　said　as　I　walked　on；　determined　to　make　the　tears　stop。　〃Tell　me　why　evil　people　are　so　stupid'？　Why　are　so　many　of　them　just　plain　stupid？〃
　〃Madam；　I　think　there　are　quite　a　few　evil　people　who　are　quite　clever；〃　he　said。　〃But　never　have　I　seen　such　skilled　rhetoric　on　the　part　of　anyone；　either　bad　or　good；　as　your　talents　revealed　just　now。〃
　〃I'm　delighted　that　you　know　that　that　is　all　it　was；〃　I　said。　〃Rhetoric。　And　to　think　he　had　the　same　teachers　as　I；　the　same　library；　the　same　Father　…〃　My　voice　broke。
　He　put　his　arm　gingerly　about　my　shoulder　and　this　time　I　didn't　tell　him　to　move　away。　I　let　him　steady　me。　We　walked　faster　as　a　pair。
　〃No；〃　I　said；　〃Flavius；　the　majority　of　the　evil　are　just　plain　dumb；　I've　seen　it　all　my　life。　The　true　crafty　evil　person　is　rare。　It's　bumbling　that　causes　most　of　the　misery　of　the　world；　utter　stupid　bumbling。　It's　underestimation　of　one's　fellow　man！　You　watch　what　happens　with　Tiberius。　Tiberius　Caesar　and　the　Guard。　Watch　what　happens　to　that　damned　Sejanus。　You　can　sow　the　seeds　of　distrust　everywhere；　and　lose　yourself　in　an　overgrown　field。〃
　〃We　are　home；　Madam；〃　he　said。
　〃Oh；　thank　God；　you　know　it。　I　could　never　have　told　you　this　was　the　house。〃
　Within　moments；　he　stopped　and　turned　the　key　in　a　lock。　The　smell　of　urine　was　everywhere　overpowering；　as　it　always　was　in　the　back　streets　of　ancient　cities。　A　lantern　threw　a　dim　light　on　our　wooden　door。　The　light　danced　in　the　jet　of　water　which　fell　from　the　lion's　mouth　in　the　fountain。
　Flavius　gave　a　series　of　knocks。　It　sounded　to　me　as　if　the　women　answering　the　inner　door　were　crying。
　〃Oh；　Lord；　now　what。〃　I　said。　〃I　am　too　sleepy。　Whatever　it　is；　tend　to　it。〃
　I　went　inside。
　〃Madam；〃　squealed　one　of　the　girls。　I　couldn't　remember　her　name。　〃I　didn't　let　him　in。　I　swear　I　never　unbolted　the　door。　I　have　no　key　to　the　gate。　We　had　this　house；　all　this；　ready　for　you！〃　She　sobbed。
　〃What　on　Earth　are　you　talking　about？〃　I　asked。
　But　I　knew。　I'd　seen　in　the　corner　of　my　eye。　I　knew。　I　turned　and　saw　a　very　tall　Roman　sitting　in　my　newly　refurbished　living　room。　He　sat　relaxed　with　ankle　on　knee　in　a　gilded　wooden　chair。
　〃It's　all　right；　Flavius；〃　I　said。　〃I　know　him。〃
　And　I　did。　Because　it　was　Marius。　Marius　the　tall　Keltoi。　Marius；　who　had　charmed　me　in　childhood。　Marius；　whom　I　had　almost　identified　in　the　shadows　of　the　Temple。
　He　rose　at　once。
　He　came　towards　me；　where　I　stood　in　the　darkness　on　the　edges　of　the　atrium；　and　he　whispered；　〃My　beautiful　Pandora！〃
　
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　He　stopped　just　short　of　touching　me。
　〃Oh；　do；　please；〃　I　said。　I　moved　to　kiss　him；　but　he　moved　away。　The　room　had　scattere