Part 12 (1/2)
”Do not, however, affect to be more virtuous than your race. Persians make their boast of truth-telling and fidelity. You h.e.l.lenes, I hear, have even a G.o.d-Hermes Dolios,-who teaches you lying and thieving. The customs of nations differ. Mazda the Almighty alone knoweth which is best. Follow then the customs of h.e.l.lenes.”
”You speak in riddles.”
”Plainer, then. You know the master I serve. You guess who I am, though you shall not name me. For what sum will you serve Xerxes the Great King?”
The orator's breath came deep. His hands clasped and unclasped, then were pressed behind his head.
”I told Lycon, and I tell you, I am no traitor to h.e.l.las.”
”Which means, of course, you demand a fair price. I am not angry. You will find a Persian pays like the lord he is, and that his darics always ring true metal.”
”I'll hear no more. I was a fool to meet Lycon at Corinth, doubly a fool to meet you to-night. Farewell.”
Democrates seized the latch. The door was locked. He turned furiously on the Barbarian. ”Do you keep me by force? Have a care. I can be terrible if driven to bay. The window is open. One shout-”
The Cyprian had risen, and quietly, but with a grip like iron on Democrates's wrist, led the orator back to the divan.
”You can go free in a twinkling, but hear you shall. Before you boast of your power, you shall know all of mine. I will recite your condition.
Contradict if I say anything amiss. Your father Myscelus was of the n.o.ble house of Codrus, a great name in Athens, but he left you no large estate.
You were ambitious to s.h.i.+ne as an orator and leader of the Athenians. To win popularity you have given great feasts. At the last festival of the Theseia you fed the poor of Athens on sixty oxen washed down with good Rhodian wine. All that made havoc in your patrimony.”
”By Zeus, you speak as if you lived all your life in Athens!”
”I have said 'I have many eyes.' But to continue. You gave the price of the tackling for six of the triremes with which Themistocles pretends to believe he can beat back my master. Worse still, you have squandered many minae on flute girls, dice, c.o.c.k-fights, and other gentle pleasures. In short your patrimony is not merely exhausted but overspent. That, however, is not the most wonderful part of my recital.”
”How dare you pry into my secrets?”
”Be appeased, dear Athenian; it is much more interesting to know you deny nothing of all I say. It is now five months since you were appointed by your sagacious Athenian a.s.sembly as commissioner to administer the silver taken from the mines at Laurium and devoted to your navy. You fulfilled the people's confidence by diverting much of this money to the payment of your own great debts to the banker Pittacus of Argos. At present you are 'watching the moon,' as you say here in Athens,-I mean, that at the end of this month you must account to the people for all the money you have handled, and at this hour are at your wits' ends to know whence the repayment will come.”
”That is all you know of me?”
”All.”
Democrates sighed with relief. ”Then you have yet to complete the story, my dear Barbarian. I have adventured on half the cargo of a large merchantman bringing timber and tin from Ma.s.salia; I look every day for a messenger from Corinth with news of her safe arrival. Upon her coming I can make good all I owe and still be a pa.s.sing rich man.”
If the Cyprian was discomposed at this announcement, he did not betray it.
”The sea is frightfully uncertain, good Democrates. Upon it, as many fortunes are lost as are made.”
”I have offered due prayers to Poseidon, and vowed a gold tripod on the s.h.i.+p's arrival.”
”So even your G.o.ds in h.e.l.las have their price,” was the retort, with an ill-concealed sneer. ”Do not trust them. Take ten talents from me and to-night sleep sweetly.”
”Your price?” the words slipped forth involuntarily.
”Themistocles's private memoranda for the battle-order of your new fleet.”