annr.pandora-第34节
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〃Hire a litter for your Mistress；〃 said the old bookseller to Flavius。 〃She is overtired； and it's too long a walk up that hill！〃
〃Hill？〃 I perked up。 This man knew where Marius lived！ I quickly went faint again； bowing my head； and with a weary gesture said； 〃Please； old gentleman； tell my steward precisely how to reach the house。〃
〃Of course。 I know two short cuts； one slightly more difficult than another。 We deliver books to
Marius all the time。〃
Flavius was staring aghast。
I tried to suppress my smile。 This was going much better than I had ever hoped。 But I was torn and bruised from the visions of Egypt。 I hated the look of the desert； the mountains； the thought of blood gods。
I rose to go。
〃It's a pink villa on the very edge of the city；〃 said the old man。 〃It's just within the walls； overlooking the river； the last house。 Once it was a country house outside the walls。 It is on a mountain of stones。 But no one will answer Marius's gate by day。 All know how he wants to sleep all day and study all night； as is his custom。 We leave our books with the boys。〃
〃He'll wele me；〃 I said。
〃If you wrote that； most likely he will；〃 said the old man。
Then we were off。 The sun had fully risen。 The square was filled with shoppers。 Women carried baskets on their heads。 The Temples were thriving。 It was a game； darting through the crowd； one way and then another。
〃e on； Flavius；〃 I said。
It was a torture keeping to Flavius's slow pace as we mounted the hill； turn by turn； drawing ever doser。
〃You know this is madness！〃 said Flavius。 〃He can't be awake during the light of day； you've proven this to me and to yourself！ I； the incredulous Athenian； and you the cynical Roman。 What are we doing？〃
Up and up we climbed； passing one sumptuous house after another。 Locked gates。 The bark of guard dogs。
〃Hurry up。 Must I listen to this lecture forever'？ Ah； there； look； my beloved Flavius。 The pink house； the last house。 Marius lives in style； Look at the walls and the gates。〃
At last I had my hands on the iron bars。 Flavius collapsed on the grass across the small road。 He was spent。
I pulled on the bell rope。
Trees laid down heavy limbs over the top of the walls。 Through the mesh of leaf； I could make out a figure that came out on the high porch of the second floor。
〃No admittance！〃 he cried out。
〃I have to see Marius；〃 I said。 〃He's expecting me！〃 I cupped my hands and shouted。 〃He wants me to e。 He told me to e。〃
Flavius said a quick prayer under his breath。 〃Oh； Mistress； I hope you know this man better than you knew your own brother。〃
I laughed。 〃There is no parison；〃 I said。 〃Stop plaining。〃
The figure had disappeared。 I heard running feet。
Finally two darkheaded young boys appeared before me； little more than children； beardless； with long black curls； and beautifully dressed in gold…trimmed tunics。 They looked Chaldean。
〃Open the gate； hurry！〃 I said。
〃Madam； I can't admit you；〃 said the speaker of the two。 〃I cannot admit anyone to this house until Marius himself es。 Those are his orders。〃
〃es from where？〃 I asked。
〃Madam； he appears when he wishes； then he receives who he will。 Madam； please； tell me your name and I will tell him that you have called。〃
〃You either open the gate or I will climb over the wall；〃 I said。
The boys were horrified。 〃No； Madam； you can't do that！〃
〃Well？ Aren't you going to shout for help？〃 I asked。
The two slaves stared amazed。 They were so pretty。 One was slightly taller than the other。 Both wore exquisite bracelets；
〃Just as I thought；〃 I said。 〃There's no one else here but you。〃 I turned and tested the thick snaggle of vine
that rose over the plastered brick。 I leapt up and planted my right foot as high as I could in the thick mesh and rose in one leap to throw my arms over the top of the wall。
Flavius had risen from the grass and rushed to me。
〃Madam； I beg you not to do this；〃 said Flavius。 〃Madam； this is bad； bad； bad！ You can't just limb this man's wall。〃
The servants within were chattering frantically with one another。 I think it was in Chaldean。
〃Madam； I fear for you。〃 cried Flavius。 〃How can I protect you from such a man as this Marius？ Madam； the man will be angry with you！〃
I lay on the top of the wall； on my stomach； catching my breath。 The garden inside was vast and lovely。 Ah； what marble fountains。 The two slaves had backed up and were staring at me as if I were a powerful monster。
〃Please； please！〃 both boys pleaded with me at once。 〃He'll exact a terrible vengeance！ You don't know him。 Please； Madam； wait！〃
〃Hand me the sheets of paper； Flavius； hurry。 I have no time for disobedience！〃
Flavius plied。 〃Oh； this is wrong； wrong； wrong！〃 he said。 〃Nothing can e of this but the most fearful misunderstandings。〃
Then I slid down the inside of the wall； tickled all over by the thick overlay of bristling and brilliant leaves； and I lay my head in the matted tendrils and blossoms。 I didn't fear the bees。 I never have。 I rested。 I held tight to my written pages。 Then moved to the gate so I could see Flavius。
〃You let me handle Marius；〃 I said。 〃Now； you didn't e out without your dagger。〃
〃No； I did not；〃 he said； lifting his cloak to reveal it； 〃and with your permission I would like to plunge it through my heart now so that I will be most assuredly stone…cold dead before the Master of this house arrives home to find you running rampant in his garden！〃
〃Permission denied；〃 I said。 〃Don't you dare。 Haven't you heard all that has been said？ You are on guard not against Marius but against a shriveled limping demon of burnt flesh。 He'll e at dark！ What if he reaches here before Marius？〃
〃Oh； yea gods； help me！〃 His hands flew to his face。
〃Flavius； straighten up。 You are a man！ Do I have to remind you of this perpetually？ You are watching for this dreaded burnt bag of bones； and he is weak Remember what Marius said。 Go for his head。 Stab him in the eyes； just cut him and cut him and shout for me； and I will e。 Now go to sleep until dark。 He can't e till then； if he even knows to e here！ Besides； I think Marius will arrive first。〃
I turned and walked towards the open doors of the villa。 The beautiful long…haired boys were in tears。
For a moment the tranquillity and moist cool air of the garden lulled all fear in me； and I seemed safe； among patterns I understood； far far from dark Temples； safe in Tuscany； in our own family gardens there； which had been so rich like this。
〃Let me beg you one last time to e back out of this man's garden！〃 Flavius shouted。
I ignored him。
All the doors of this lovely plastered villa stood open to the porches above or the outdoors below。 Listen to the trickling of the fountains。 There were lemon trees； and many a marble statue of a lazy； sensuous god or goddess； round which flowers grew in rich purple or blue。 Diana； the huntress； rose from a bed of orange blossoms； the marble old and pitted。
And there； a lazy Ganymede； half…covered in green moss； marked some path that had been overgrown。
Far off； I could see the naked bending Venus at her bath on the edge of a pool。 Water flowed into the pool I glimpsed fountains all around me。
The small mon white lilies had gone wild； and there stood old olive trees with marvelously twisted trunks； so wondrous to climb in childhood。
A pastoral sweetness hung over all； yet nature had been kept at bay。 The stucco of the walls was freshly painted； and so were the wooden shutters； opened wide。
The two boys were crying。 〃Madam； he'll be so angry。 '
〃Well； not with you；〃 I said； as I entered the house。 I had e across the grass and left scarcely any footprint on the marble floor。
〃Boys； do stop sobbing！ You don't even have to plead with him to believe you。 Isn't that true？ He'll read the truth in your thoughts？〃
This startled each in his own way。 They looked at me warily。
I stopped just past the threshold。 Something emanated from the house； not loud enough to be called a sound； but very like the rhythmic precursor of a sound。 I had heard this very soundless rhythm before。 When was it？ In the Temple？ When first I entered the room where Marius had hidden behind the screen？
I walked on marble floors from room to room。 Breezes everywhere played with the hanging lamps。 There were many lamps。 And the candles。 How many candles。 And lamps on stands。 Why； when this place was lighted up； it must have been bright as day！
And gradually I realized the entire lower floor was a library； except for the inevitable sumptuous Roman bath； and an enormous wardrobe of clothes。
Every other room was filled with books。 Nothing but books。 Of course there were couches for lying and reading； and desks for writing； but every wall had its prodigious stack of scrolls or shelves of bound books。
Also there were strange doors。 They appeared to open onto concealed stairwells。 But they had no locks and seemed to be made of polished granite。 I found at least two of these！ And one chamber of the first floor was totally enclosed in stone and locked in the same way； by impenetrable doors。
As the slaves trembled and sobbed I went outside and up the stairs to the second floor。 Empty。 Every room simply emp
