Part 51 (1/2)
”At the least,” went on Saturius, ”you will acknowledge the seals----”
”Which might be borrowed. Well, I will take the risk, for if there is anything wrong about these papers I am sure that the prince Domitian would not like to see them exhibited in a court of law.”
”Good,” answered Saturius, with a relief which he could not altogether conceal. ”And now for the culprit's name.”
”The culprit's name,” said Caleb, leaning forward and speaking slowly, ”is Marcus, who served as one of t.i.tus Caesar's prefects of horse in the campaign of Judaea. He bought the lady Miriam, commonly known as Pearl-Maiden, by the agency of Nehushta, an old Libyan woman, who conveyed her to his house in the Via Agrippa, which is known as the 'Fortunate House,' where doubtless, she now is.”
”Marcus,” said Saturius. ”Why, he was reported dead, and the matter of the succession to his great estates is now being debated, for he was the heir of his uncle, Caius, the pro-consul, who ama.s.sed a vast fortune in Spain. Also after the death of the said Caius, this Marcus was a favourite of the late divine Nero, who const.i.tuted him guardian of some bust of which he was enamoured. In short, he is a great man, if, as you say, he still lives, whom even Domitian will find it hard to meddle with. But how do you know all this?”
”Through my friend Caleb. Caleb followed the black hag, Nehushta, and the beautiful Pearl-Maiden to the very house of Marcus, which he saw them enter. Marcus who was her lover, yonder in Judaea----”
”Oh! never mind the rest of the story, I understand it all. But you have not yet shown that Marcus was in the house, and if he was, bad taste as it may have been to bid against the prince Domitian, well, at a public auction it is lawful.”
”Ye--es, but if Marcus has committed a crime, could he not be punished for that crime?”
”Without doubt. But what crime has Marcus committed?”
”The crime of being taken prisoner by the Jews and escaping from them with his life, for which, by an edict of t.i.tus, whose laws are those of the Medes and Persians, the punishment is death, or at the least, banishment and degradation.”
”Well, and who can prove all this?”
”Caleb can, because he took him prisoner.”
”And where,” asked Saturius in exasperation, ”where is this thrice accursed cur, Caleb?”
”Here,” answered Demetrius. ”I am Caleb, O thrice blessed chamberlain, Saturius.”
”Indeed,” said Saturius. ”Well, that makes things more simple. And now, friend Demetrius--you prefer that name, do you not--what do you propose?”
”I propose that the necessary doc.u.ments should be procured, which, to your master, will not be difficult; that Marcus should be arrested in his house, put upon his trial and condemned under the edict of t.i.tus, and that the girl, Pearl-Maiden, should be handed over to me, who will at once remove her from Rome.”
”Good,” said Saturius. ”t.i.tus having gone, leaving Domitian in charge of military affairs, the thing, as it chances, is easy, though any sentence that may be pa.s.sed must be confirmed by Caesar himself. And now, again farewell. If our man is in Rome, he shall be taken to-night, and to-morrow your evidence may be wanted.”
”Will the girl be handed over to me then?”
”I think so,” replied Saturius, ”but of course I cannot say for certain, as there may be legal difficulties in the way which would hinder her immediate re-sale. However, you may rely upon me to do the best I can for you.”
”It will be to your advantage,” answered Caleb significantly. ”Shall we say--fifty sestertia on receipt of the slave?”
”Oh! if you wish it, if you wish it, for gifts cement the hearts of friends. On account? Well, to a man with many expenses, five sestertia always come in useful. You know what it is in these palaces, so little pay and so much to keep up. Thank you, dear Demetrius, I will give you and the lady a supper out of the money--when you get her,” he added to himself as he left the office.
When early on the following morning Caleb came to his warehouse from the dwelling where he slept, he found waiting for him two men dressed in the livery of Domitian, who demanded that he would accompany them to the palace of the prince.
”What for?”
”To give evidence in a trial,” they said.
Then he knew that he had made no mistake, that his rival was caught, and in the rage of his burning jealousy, such jealousy as only an Eastern can feel, his heart bounded with joy. Still, as he trudged onward through streets glittering in the morning sunlight, Caleb's conscience told him that not thus should this rival be overcome, that he who went to accuse the brave Marcus of cowardice was himself a coward, and that from the lie which he was about to act if not to speak, could spring no fruit of peace or happiness. But he was mad and blind. He could think only of Miriam--the woman whom he loved with all his pa.s.sionate nature and whose life he had preserved at the risk of his own--fallen at last into the arms of his rival. He would wrench her thence, yes, even at the price of his own honour and of her life-long agony, and, if it might be, leave those arms cold in death, as often already he had striven to do.