Part 42 (1/2)

At length, however, it did end, an hour or so before sunset. They had pa.s.sed miles of streets; they had trodden the Sacred Way bordered by fanes innumerable and adorned with statues set on columns; and now marched up the steep slope that was crowned by the glorious temple of Jupiter Capitolinus. As they began to climb it guards broke into their lines, and seizing the chain that hung about the neck of Simon, dragged him away.

”Whither do they take you?” asked Miriam as he pa.s.sed her.

”To what I desire--death,” he answered, and was gone.

Now the Caesars, dismounting from their chariots, took up their stations by altars at the head of the steps, while beneath them, rank upon rank, gathered all those who had shared their Triumph, each company in its allotted place. Then followed a long pause, the mult.i.tude waiting for Miriam knew not what. Presently men were seen running from the Forum up a path that had been left open, one of them carrying in his hand some object wrapped in a napkin. Arriving in face of the Caesars he threw aside the cloth and held up before them and in sight of all the people the grizzly head of Simon, the son of Gioras. By this public murder of a brave captain of their foes was consummated the Triumph of the Romans, and at the sight of its red proof trumpets blew, banners waved, and from half a million throats went up a shout of victory that seemed to rend the very skies, for the mult.i.tude was drunk with the glory of its brutal vengeance.

Then silence was called, and there before the Temple of Jove the beasts were slain, and the Caesars offered sacrifice to the G.o.ds that had given them victory.

Thus ended the Triumph of Vespasian and t.i.tus, and with it the record of the struggle of the Jews against the iron beak and claws of the Roman Eagle.

CHAPTER XXIII

THE SLAVE-RING

Had Miriam chanced to look out of her litter as she pa.s.sed the Temple of Isis, escorted by Gallus and the guards before dawn broke upon that great day of the Triumph, and had there been light to enable her to see, she might have beheld two figures galloping into Rome as fast as their weary horses would carry them. Both rode after the fas.h.i.+on of men, but one of them, wrapped in an Eastern garment that hid the face, was in fact a woman.

”Fortune favours us, Nehushta,” said the man in a strained voice. ”At least, we are in time for the Triumph, who might so easily have been too late. Look, yonder they gather already by Octavian's Walks,” and he pointed to the companies of soldiers who hurried past them to the meeting-place.

”Yes, yes, my lord Marcus, we are in time. There go the eagles and here comes their prey,” and in her turn Nehushta pointed to a guarded litter--had they but known it, the very one that carried the beloved woman whom they sought. ”But whither now? Would you also march in the train of t.i.tus?”

”Nay, woman, it is too late. Also I know not what would be my welcome.”

”Your welcome? Why, you were his friend, and t.i.tus is faithful to his friends.”

”Aye, but perhaps not to those who have been taken prisoner by the enemy. Towards the commencement of the siege that happened to a man I knew. He was captured with a companion. The companion the Jews slew, but as he was about to be beheaded upon the wall, this man slipped from the hands of the executioner, and leaping from it escaped with little hurt.

t.i.tus gave him his life, but dismissed him from his legion. Why should I fare better?”

”That you were taken was no fault of yours, who were struck senseless and overwhelmed.”

”Maybe, but would that avail me? The rule, a good rule, is that no Roman soldier should yield to an enemy. If he is captured while insensible, then on finding his wits he must slay himself, as I should have striven to do, had I awakened to find myself in the hands of the Jews. But things fell out otherwise. Still, I tell you, Nehushta, that had it not been for Miriam, I should not have turned my face to Rome, at any rate until I had received pardon and permission from t.i.tus.”

”What then are your plans, lord Marcus?”

”To go to my own house near the Baths of Agrippa. The Triumph must pa.s.s there, and if Miriam is among the captives we shall see her. If not, then either she is dead or already sold, or perchance given as a present to some friend of Caesar's.”

Now they ceased talking, for the people were so many that they could only force their way through the press riding one after the other. Thus, Nehushta following Marcus, they crossed the Tiber and pa.s.sed through many streets, decorated, most of them, for the coming pageant, till at length Marcus drew rein in front of a marble mansion in the Via Agrippa.

”A strange home-coming,” he muttered. ”Follow me,” and he rode round the house to a side-entrance.

Here he dismounted and knocked at the small door for some time without avail. At length it was opened a little way, and a thin, querulous voice, speaking through the crack, said:

”Begone, whoever you are. No one lives here. This is the house of Marcus, who is dead in the Jewish war. Who are you that disturb me?”

”The heir of Marcus.”

”Marcus has no heir, unless it be Caesar, who doubtless will take his property.”