Chapter XII
Pratinas Meets Ill-Fortune
I
Probably of the various personages mentioned in the course of ourstory none was more thoroughly enjoying life about this time thanAgias. Drusus had left him in the city when he started for Ravenna,with general instructions to keep an eye on Lucius Ahenobarbus andPratinas, and also to gather all he could of the political drift amongthe lower classes. Agias was free now. He let his hair grow long intoken of his newly gained liberty; paraded a many-folded toga; andused part of the donatives which Drusus and Fabia had lavished uponhim, in buying one or two slave-boys of his own, whom, so far fromtreating gently on account of his own lately servile position, hecuffed and abused with grim satisfaction at being able to do what hadso often been done to him.
Agias had been given lodgings by Drusus in a tenement house, owned bythe latter, in the Subura.
The rooms were over a bakery, and at the sides were a doctor's andsurgeon's office and a barber's shop--a rendezvous which gave theyoung Greek an admirable chance to pick up the current gossip. Everystreet-pedler, every forum-idler, had his political convictions andpet theories. The partisans who arrogated to themselves the modestepithet of "The Company of All Good Men," clamoured noisily that"Liberty and Ancient Freedom" were in danger, if Caesar set foot inRome save as an impeached traitor. And the Populares--the supportersof the proconsul--raged equally fiercely against the greed of theSenate party that wished to perpetuate itself forever in office. Agiascould only see that neither faction really understood the causes forand against which they fought; and observed in silence, trusting thathis patron knew more of the issues than he.
But the newly manumitted freedman was thoroughly enjoying himself. Thewindy speeches in the Senate, the crowded and excited meetings in theForum, the action and reaction of the tides of popular prejudice andfancy, the eloquence of Antonius, and the threatenings and ravings ofMarcellus the consul--all these were interesting but not disturbing.Agias was catching glimpses of a little Olympus of his own--an Olympusin which he was at once Zeus, Poseidon, and Apollo; Sesostris--so hedeclared--the lame cup-bearer Hephaestus; and in place of Hera, Athena,and Aphrodite, were the smiles and laughter of Artemisia. Agias washead over ears in love with this pretty little cage-bird shut up inPratinas's gloomy suite of rooms. Her "uncle" took her out now andthen to the theatre or to the circus; but she had had little enoughcompanionship save such as Sesostris could give; and to her, Agias wasa wonderful hero, the master of every art, the victor over a hundredmonsters. He had told her of his adventure with Phaon--not callingnames, lest disagreeable consequences ensue--and Artemisia dreamed ofhim as the cleverest creature on the earth, able to outwit Hermes insubtlety. Agias had found out when Pratinas was likely to be away fromhome--and that worthy Hellene, be it said, never declined aninvitation to dine with a friend--and Agias timed his visitsaccordingly. He taught Artemisia to play the cithera and to sing, andshe made such rapid progress under his tutoring that the unconsciousPratinas commended her efforts to acquire the accomplishments hewished. And Agias was never so happy as when those bright eyes werehanging on his lips or that merry tongue was chattering a thousandpointless remarks or jests.
Yes, Agias found himself in a condition when he could well ask to haveno change. The possibility that Pratinas would come home, and put anend to the romance once and for all, was just great enough to give theaffair the zest of a dangerous adventure. Despite Sesostris's warningsthat Artemisia might at any time be sold away by her pseudo-uncle,Agias could not discover that that danger was imminent enough to needfrustration. He was content to live himself and to let Artemisia live,basking in the stolen sunshine of the hour, and to let the thought ofthe approaching shadows fade out of his mind.
Another person who saw the sunshine rather brighter than before wasPisander. That excellent philosopher had received his share of thegratitude Drusus had bestowed on his deliverers. But he was still inthe service of Valeria, for Drusus saw that he had admirableopportunities for catching the stray bits of political gossip thatinevitably intermixed themselves with the conversation of Valeria andher circle. Pisander had continued to read Plato to his mistress, andto groan silently at her frivolity; albeit, he did not groan sohopelessly as before, because he had good money in his pouch and knewwhere to procure more when he needed it.
So Agias enjoyed himself. He was a youth; a Pagan youth; and in hisshort life he had seen many a scene of wickedness and shame. Yet therewas nothing unholy in the affection which he found was daily growingstronger and stronger for Artemisia. She was a pure, innocent flower,that by the very whiteness of her simple sweet presence drove awayanything that "defiled or made a lie." Agias did not worship her; shewas too winning; too cunning and pretty to attract the leastreverence; but in her company the young Greek was insensibly raisedpinnacles above the murky moral atmosphere in which most men andyouths of his station walked.
It was all like an Idyl of Theocritus; with the tenement of Pratinasfor a shepherd's hut; and Sesostris for a black-backed sheep to whomthe herdsmen and the nymph of his love could play on "oaten reed." Atfirst, Agias had never dreamed of telling a word of his affection toArtemisia. In truth, it was very hard to tell, for she, with anabsolute innocence, took all his advances for far more than they wereworth; told him that next to her "uncle and dear Sesostris" he wasquite the best friend she had; that she loved him, and was glad tohear him say that he loved her.
All this was delightful in the ears of her admirer, but verydisconcerting. Agias thought of the hollow civilities of Valeria'slife, as he had seen it; of the outward decorum of language, of thedelicately veiled compliments, of the interchange of words that summedup, in a few polished commonplaces, a whole network of low intrigueand passion. Was this the same world! Could Valeria and Artemisia bothbe women! The one--a beauty, whose guilty heart was not ignorant of asingle form of fashionable sin; the other--as it were, a blossom, thatwas pure sweetness, in whose opening petals the clear diamond of themorning dew still remained! Agias did not compare Artemisia withCornelia; for Cornelia, in his eyes, was a goddess, and in beauty andpassions was above the hope or regard of mortal men.
But what was one to do in an emergency like the following? Agias hadbeen singing the "Love Song" from the "Cyclops," and trying to throwinto the lines all the depth of tender affection which voice and lookrendered possible.
"One with eyes the fairest Cometh from his dwelling, Some one loves thee, rarest, Bright beyond my telling. In thy grace thou shinest Like some nymph divinest, In her caverns dewy;-- All delights pursue thee, Soon pied flowers, sweet-breathing, Shall thy head be wreathing."[126]
[126] Translated by Shelley.
And at the conclusion of the song Artemisia threw her arms aroundAgias's neck and kissed him; and then with astounding impartialitysprang into Sesostris's lap, and patted the old Ethiop's black cheeks,and bestowed on him all manner of endearing epithets. What was poorAgias to do in such a case? He blankly concluded that it had provedeasier to blast the plot of Pratinas and Ahenobarbus, than to win thelove--as he meant "love"--of this provokingly affectionate girl. Itwas growing late. Pratinas might at any time return. And Agiasconstrained himself to depart.
"By Zeus!" was the exclamation he addressed to himself as he foughthis way through the crowds toward his own quarters; "where will thisall end? How much longer are you going to lie in the toils of thatmost innocent of Circes? Will she never open her eyes? If I could onlymake her cry, 'I hate you!' there would be some hope; for when onehates, as I want her to, love is but a step away. Confound thatSesostris! For me to have to sit there, and see that baboon kissed andfondled!"
And so reflecting, he reached his rooms. One of the lucklessslave-boys who now addressed him as "Dominus," was waiting to tell himthat a very gaunt, strange-looking man, with an enormous beard, hadcalled to see him while he was out, and would return--so the visitorsaid--in the evening, for his business was important. "Pisander,"remarked Agias; and he stayed in that evening to
meet the philosopher,although he had arranged to share a dinner with one or two otherfreedmen, who were his friends.
The man of learning appeared at a very late hour. In fact, thewater-clock showed that it wanted little of midnight before he came.His explanation was that Valeria had called him in to read verses to acompany of friends who were supping with her, and he could not getaway sooner. Besides, the dark streets were full of bandits, and hehad therefore taken a circuitous route to avoid attack. Agias had tolet him ramble through all the details, although he knew very wellthat Pisander would never have taken so much trouble to come if he hadnot had information of the first importance to impart.
"And now, my dear Pisander," ventured the young Greek, at length, "Iwill ask Dromo to set something to drink before us; and I hope youwill tell me why you have come."
Pisander glanced timidly over his shoulder, pulled at his beard withsuppressed excitement, then bent down, and in a very low voice burstout:--
"Pratinas and"--he hesitated--"Valeria!"
"_Ai"_ cried Agias, "I have suspected it for a very long time. You aresure the fox has snapped up his goose?"
"By Hercules, very sure! They are planning to go to Egypt. Pratinashas just had a wonderful stroke of luck. He received six hundredthousand sesterces[127] with which to corrupt a jury for some poorwretch who expected to enlist Pratinas's cunning to get him out of thetoils of the law. Pratinas calmly put the money in his strong-box, andlet the unhappy wight be cast. He is not at all poor--he has amassed alarge fortune while he has been in Rome. Shade of Plato! how thisknave has prospered! And now he is arranging with Valeria to strippoor Calatinus of nearly all his valuables, before they fly thecountry."
[127] $24,000.
"Ah, luckless Calatinus!" laughed Agias. "That will be the end of hismarrying the handsomest woman in Rome. And so this is what you camehere to tell me? It really was a good secret to keep."
"_St!_" interrupted Pisander, "Pratinas has something else to attendto. Calatinus will get consolation for losing his dear spouse. Isuppose Pratinas wishes to indemnify him, but he himself will make agood bit at the same time."
In a twinkling a thought had flashed through Agias's mind, that made acold sweat break out all over him, and a hot surge of blood mount tohis head.
"Man, man!" he cried, grasping Pisander's wrists with all hisstrength, "speak! Don't look at me this way! Don't say that you meanArtemisia?"
"_Ai!_ You know the girl, then?" said the other, with the mostexcruciating inquisitiveness.
"Know her?" raged Agias, "I love the sunbeam on which her eyes rest.Speak! Tell me all, everything, all about it I Quick! I must know!"
Pisander drew himself together, and with a deliberation that wasnearly maddening to his auditor, began:--
"Well, you see, I had occasion this morning to be in Calatinus'slibrary. Yes, I remember, I was just putting the new copy of Theognisback into the cupboard, when I noticed that the Mimnermus was notneatly rolled, and so I happened to stay in the room, and--"
"By Zeus, speak faster and to the point!" cried Agias.
"Oh, there wasn't very much to it all! Why, how excited you are!Pratinas came into the atrium, and Calatinus was already there. Iheard the latter say, 'So I am to give you forty thousand sestercesfor the little girl you had with you at the circus yesterday?' AndPratinas replied, 'Yes, if she pleases you. I told you her name wasArtemisia, and that I always taught her to believe that she was myniece.'"
"_Hei! Hei!_" groaned Agias, rushing up and down the room, halffrantic. "Don't tell any more, I've heard enough! Fool, fool I havebeen, to sit in the sunshine, and never think of preparing to carryout my promise to Sesostris. No, you must tell me--you must tell me ifyou have learned any more. Did Calatinus fix on any time at which hewas to take possession of the poor girl?"
"No," replied the still amazed Pisander. "I did not hear the wholeconversation. There was something about 'a very few days,' and thenPratinas began to condole with Calatinus over being beaten for thetribunate after having spent so much money for the canvass. But whyare you so stirred up? As Plato very admirably observes in his'Philebus'--"
"The Furies seize upon your 'Philebus'!" thundered Agias. "Keep quiet,if you've nothing good to tell! Oh, Agias, Agias! where are your wits,where is your cunning? What in the world can I do?"
And so he poured out his distress and anger. But, after all, there wasnothing to be done that night. Pisander, who at last began to realizethe dilemma of his friend, ventured on a sort of sympathy which wasworse than no sympathy at all, for philosophical platitudes are everthe worst of consolations. Agias invited the good man to spend thenight with him, and not risk a second time the robbers of the streets.The young Greek himself finally went to bed, with no definite purposein his mind except to rescue Artemisia, at any and every hazard, fromfalling into the clutches of Calatinus, who was perhaps the one man inthe world Agias detested the most heartily.
II
Early in the morning Agias was awake. He had slept very little. Theface of Artemisia was ever before him, and he saw it bathed in tears,and clouded with anguish and terror. But, early as he arose, it wasnone too early. Dromo, one of his slaves, came to announce to hisdread lord that an aged Ethiop was waiting to see him, and Agias didnot need to be told that this was Sesostris.
That faithful servant of an unworthy master was indeed in a pitiablecondition. His ordinarily neat and clean dress was crumpled anddisarranged, as though he had not changed it during the night, but hadrather been tossing and wakeful. His eyes were swollen, and tears weretrickling down his cheeks. His voice had sunk to a husky choking, andwhen he stood before Agias he was unable to get out a word, but, aftera few vain attempts which ended in prolonged sniffles, thrust into hisyoung friend's hand a tablet.
It was in Greek, in the childish, awkward hand of Artemisia, and ranas follows:--
"Artemisia to her dear, dear Agias. I never wrote a letter before, andyou must excuse the blunders in this. I don't know how to begin totell you the dreadful thing that may happen to me. I will try and stopcrying, and write it out just as it all happened. The day beforeyesterday Pratinas took me to the circus, where I enjoyed the racingvery much. While we were sitting there, a very fine gentleman--atleast he had purple stripes on his tunic and ever so many rings--cameand sat down beside us. Pratinas told me that this gentleman wasLucius Calatinus, who was a great lord, but a friend of his. I triedto say something polite to Calatinus, but I didn't like him. He seemedcoarse, and looked as though he might be cruel at times. He talked tome something the way you have talked--said I was pretty and my voicesounded very sweet. But I didn't enjoy these things from him, I canhardly tell why--though I'm delighted to hear you say them. Well,after quite a while he went away, and I didn't think anything moreabout him for a time, and yesterday you know how happy I was when youvisited me. Only a little while after you left, Pratinas came back. Icould see that he had something on his mind, although he said nothing.He seemed uneasy, and kept casting sidelong glances at me, which mademe feel uncomfortable. I went up to him, and put my arms around hisneck. 'Dear uncle,' I said, 'what is troubling you to-night?''Nothing,' he answered, and he half tried to take my arms away. Thenhe said, 'I was thinking how soon I was to go back to Alexandria.' 'ToAlexandria!' I cried, and I was just going to clap my hands when Ithought that, although Alexandria was a far nicer place than Rome, youcould not go with us, and so I felt very sorry. Then Pratinas spokeagain in a hard, cold voice he has never used to me before.'Artemisia, I must tell you now the truth about yourself. I have letyou call me uncle, and have tried to be kind to you. But you cannotcome back to Alexandria with me. The day after to-morrow Calatinus,the gentleman you met at the circus yesterday, will come and take youaway. He is a very rich man, and if you please him will give youeverything you desire.' I couldn't understand at all what he meant,and cried out, 'But, uncle, I don't like Calatinus, and you--you don'treally mean to leave me behind?' 'You little donkey,' said Pratinas,laughing, oh! so heartlessly, 'I'm not your
uncle. You've been myslave, and I've sold you to Calatinus; so don't quarrel with him, butlearn to like him quickly.' I don't remember what he said or I saidnext. I was so frightened and grieved that I don't know what I did. Iknow Pratinas finally whipped me, something he never did before. Iwent to bed feeling so sore, that I could not get really to sleep, butdreadful visions of Calatinus kept frightening me. I don't know whichgrieves me most, to know I am a slave, to know that Pratinas is not myuncle and does not love me, or to be about to be sold to Calatinus.Dear Sesostris has done all he can to console me, but that's verylittle; and so, very early this morning, I've written to you, Agias,just as soon as Pratinas left the house, for I am sure that you, whoare so clever and wise, can see some way to get me out of my dreadfultrouble."
It would be hardly necessary to say that, after reading this appeal,Agias hurried away to do all that lay in his power to consoleArtemisia, and deliver her from her danger. When he reached Pratinas'stenement, Artemisia ran to meet him, and kissed him again and again,and cuddled down in his strong, young arms, quite content to believethat she had found a protector on whom she could cast all her burdens.And Agias? He laughed and bade her wipe away her tears, and swore agreat oath that, so long as he breathed, Calatinus should not lay afinger upon her.
Artemisia had practically told all her story in her letter. It wasclear that Calatinus had caught sight of her several times,--thoughshe had remained in blissful ignorance,--and Pratinas had deliberatelyplanned to waylay him as a customer who would pay a good price for thegirl, whom it would be manifestly inconvenient for him to take withValeria on his premeditated flight to Egypt. But this enlightenmentdid not make Agias's task any the easier. He knew perfectly well thathe could never raise a tithe of the forty thousand sesterces thatPratinas was to receive from Calatinus, and so redeem Artemisia. Hehad no right to expect the gift of such a sum from Drusus. If Pratinasreally owned the poor girl as a slave, he could do anything he listedwith her, and no law could be invoked to say him nay. There was onlyone recourse left to Agias, and that was fairly desperate--to carryoff Artemisia and keep her in hiding until Pratinas should give up thequest and depart for Egypt. That there was peril in such a step he waswell aware. Not merely could Artemisia, if recaptured, receive anyform whatsoever of brutal punishment, but he, as the abettor of herflight, would be liable to a heavy penalty. Slave property wasnecessarily very precarious property, and to aid a slave to escape wasan extremely heinous crime. "So many slaves, so many enemies," ran theharsh maxim; and it was almost treason to society for a freedman toaid a servant to run away.
But Agias had no time to count the cost, no time to evolve a plan ofescape that admitted no form of disaster. Artemisia besought him notto leave her for a moment, and accordingly he remained by her,laughing, poking fun, and making reckless gibes at her fears.Sesostris went about his simple household duties with a long face, andnow and then a tear trickled down his cheek. Whatever came of thematter, Artemisia would have to be separated from him. He might neversee her again, and the old Ethiopian loved her more than he did lifeitself.
"You will not wrong the girl when she is with you?" he whispereddolefully to Agias.
"I swear by Zeus she shall be treated as if she were my own dearsister," was his reply.
"It is well. I can trust you; but _mu! mu!_ it is hard, it is hard! Ilove her like my own eyes! Isis preserve her dear life!"
And so at last Artemisia, having cried out all her first burst ofgrief, was beginning to smile once more.
"And now, oh! makaira,"[128] said Agias, "I must go away for just alittle while. I have ever so many things to attend to; and you must bea good, brave girl, and wait until I come back."
[128] Blessed dear.
"_St!"_ broke in Sesostris, "there's a step on the stairs. Pratinas iscoming!"
"Hide me!" cried Agias, as the approaching feet grew nearer. There wasno time to take refuge in one of the farther rooms.
"Here;" and Sesostris threw open the same iron clamped chest in whichsome time ago we saw Pratinas inspecting his treasure. "The money wastaken out yesterday."
Agias bounded into the box, and Sesostris pushed down the cover. Theluckless occupant had only a chance to push out a corner of his tunicthrough the slit to admit a little air, when Pratinas entered theroom. Agias longed to spring forth and throttle him, but such an actwould have been folly.
The young Greek's prison was sufficiently cramped and stuffy; but fora moment Agias tried to persuade himself that he had only to wait withpatience until Pratinas should be gone, and no one would be the worse.An exclamation from the room without dispelled this comfortingillusion.
"By Zeus!" cried Pratinas, "what is this? Whence came this new toga?"
Agias writhed in his confinement. In the plentitude of the glory ofhis newly acquired freedom, he had come abroad in an elegant new toga;but he had laid it on a chair when he entered the room.
There was an awkward pause outside; then Pratinas burst out, "Youworthless Ethiopian, you, where did this toga come from? It hasn'twings or feet! How came it here? Who's been here? Speak, speak, youfool, or I will teach you a lesson!"
Agias gathered himself for a spring; for he expected to hear Sesostriswhimper out a confession, and see Pratinas's wickedly handsome facepeering into the chest. "He shan't cut my throat without a struggle!"was his vow.
But, to his surprise, Sesostris answered with a tone of unlooked-forfirmness, "Master, I cannot tell you where the toga came from."
The tone of Pratinas, in reply, indicated his passion. "Sheep! Dog!Have I had you all these years that you should need a thrashing forimpertinence! What rascal has been here to ogle at this wretchedgirl?" He might have thundered his commands to Artemisia, who wassobbing in evident distress; but his anger was concentrated onSesostris. "Will you not speak?"
"Master," came the same firm reply, "I will not tell you, though youtake my life for refusing."
What followed was, as Agias heard it, a volley of curses, blows,groans, and scuffling; then a heavy fall; an extremely fierceexecration from Pratinas, and a loud shrill scream from Artemisia, "OSesostris; dear Sesostris! He doesn't speak! He doesn't move! You'vekilled him!"
"And I will kill you too if you won't tell the truth!" thunderedPratinas, in an ungovernable passion. Agias heard a blow as of aclinched fist, and a low moan. It was enough. One spring, and theponderous cover flew back. The toga, the innocent cause of thecatastrophe, lay on the chair close at hand. Agias grasped the wholepicture in a twinkling: Sesostris lying beside a heavy wooden bench,with blood flowing from a great wound in his head which had struck infalling on a sharp corner; Artemisia crying in unspeakable dread on adivan; Pratinas, his face black as night, with uplifted hand preparedto strike a second time. Agias saw; and while he saw acted. Down overPratinas's head dashed the broad linen folds of the toga, and twomuscular arms drew it tight around the neck. Then began the struggle.Pratinas was of powerful physique, and resisted like a madman. Thecarpet was torn to shreds, the chairs shivered. But Agias, too,battled for grim life. He kept the hood over his opponent's eyes andnever gave Pratinas a glimpse of the identity of his assailant. And atlast a life of debauches and late dinners and unhealthy excitementbegan to tell against even so powerful a constitution as that ofPratinas. Tighter and tighter grew the pressure around his neck. Andnow Artemisia sprang up, and flew like a tiny tigress to her lover'sassistance, and caught at her tormentor's hands, tearing them with herwhite little teeth, and pulling the enveloping mantle closer andcloser. The contest could only have one end. Ere long, Pratinas waslying on the floor, bound hand and foot with strings of torn clothing,and his head still muffled in the toga. Agias, victorious, but withnot a whole rag on his back, rose from his contest.
"Sesostris! help him!" cried Artemisia, trying in vain to get someresponse from the motionless form by the bench. Agias looked at theEthiop. The hard wood had struck the top of his skull, and death musthave been instantaneous.
"He does not feel any pain," explained the young Greek,
who realizedthat this was no moment to indulge in emotions of any sort. "Now,Artemisia, you must hurry and put on a clean dress yourself; and giveme at least a new tunic, for I cannot show this on the streets. Putinto a basket all the bread you have, and some oil, and some olives,and some slices of salt fish."
Artemisia disappeared in the next room. Agias returned to hisprisoner. Pratinas was coughing and twisting, and trying to ejaculateoaths.
"My good sir," said Agias, "I am not a bloodthirsty man, otherwise Iwould cut your throat, and so let you forget a predicament whichdoubtless embarrasses you not a little. But, since that is not to be,do not blame me if I arrange so that it will be unlikely that two suchcold friends as you and myself will ever meet again. First of all,that purse which is at your side, and which, by its weight, shows thatit contains a fair night's winnings, must go with me to speed me on myway. I have never stolen very much before. But I believe you, sir, arean Epicurean, who teach that pleasure is the highest good, and thatall things are the result of chance. Now," and here he detached thepurse, and counted over a very considerable sum, "you will observethat Fortune has thrown this money in my way, and it is my pleasure totake it. Therefore I am fulfilling the highest good. And you, as aphilosopher, should be quite reconciled."
Artemisia came back into the room, having completed the few simplepreparations.
"Now, my excellent sir," continued Agias, suiting his actions to hiswords, "I will stand you on your feet--so. I will push you, stillbound, into this closet--so. I will pile furniture against the door,so that, when you have worked clear of your bonds, as I imagine youwill in a few hours, even then you will not get out too quickly. Andnow, as your dear Roman friends say, _Vale!_ We are off!"
Artemisia flung herself on the form of Sesostris, and covered theblack, ugly face with kisses.
"He's growing cold," she lamented. "What is the matter? I can't leavehim this way!"
But Agias did not dare to admit the least delaying.
"Dear Artemisia," he said, "we can't do anything for Sesostris. I willexplain to you by and by about him. He is not feeling cold now at all.You must come at once with me. I will take you where Pratinas willnever touch you."
III
If Agias had been a trifle more reckless he would have cut shortPratinas's thread of life then and there, and greatly diminished thechance of unpleasant consequences. But he had not sunk so low as that.Besides, he had already worked out in his versatile head a plan thatseemed practicable, albeit utterly audacious. Cornelia was at Baiae.Cornelia owed him a great debt of gratitude for saving Drusus.Cornelia might harbour Artemisia as a new maid, if he could contriveto get his charge over the hundred long miles that lay between Romeand Baiae.
In the street he made Artemisia draw her mantle over her pretty face,and pressed through the crowds as fast as he could drag her onward.Quickly as he might he left the noisy Subura behind, and led on towardthe Palatine. At length he turned in toward a large house, and by anarrow alley reached a garden gate, and gained admission to the rear.By his confident movements he showed himself familiar with the spot.The dwelling, as a matter of fact, was that of Calatinus.
As Agias pushed open the gate, and led Artemisia into a little gardenenclosed with a high stone wall, he surprised a dapper-appearing youngslave-lad of about his age, who was lying idly on the tiny grass plot,and indulging in a solitary game of backgammon.[129]
[129] _Duodecim scripta_.
"_Hem!_ Iasus," was Agias's salutation, "can you do an old friend afavour?"
Iasus sprang to his feet, with eyes, nose, and mouth wide open. Heturned red, turned white, turned red once more.
"_Phy!_" cried the other; "you aren't so silly as to take me for ashade from Hades? I've as much strength and muscle as you."
"Agias!" blurted out Iasus, "are you alive? Really alive? They didn'tbeat you to death! I am so glad! You know--"
"_St!_" interrupted Agias. "You did, indeed, serve me an awkward tricksome time since; but who can blame you for wanting to save your ownskin. Pisander and Arsinoe and Semiramis have kept the secret that I'malive very well, for in some ways it shouldn't come to Valeria's ears.My story later. Where's her most noble ladyship?"
"The domina," replied Iasus, with a sniff, "has just gone out on avisit to a friend who has a country-house near Fidenae, up the Tiber."
"Praise the gods! Far enough to be abroad for the day, and perhapsover night! This suits my purpose wonderfully. Is Pisander at home,and Arsinoe?"
"I will fetch them," replied Iasus; and in a minute the philosopherand the waiting-maid were in the garden.
A very few words explained to these two sympathetic souls the wholesituation.
Artemisia shrank back at sight of Pisander.
"I am afraid of that man. He wears a great beard like Pratinas, and Idon't love Pratinas any longer."
"Oh, don't say that, my little swallow," said the worthy man of books,looking very sheepish. "I should be sorry to think that your brighteyes were vexed to see me."
"_Phui!_ Pisander," laughed Arsinoe, "what have Zeno and Diogenes todo with 'bright eyes'?"
But for once Pisander's heart was wiser than his head, and he onlytossed Artemisia an enormous Persian peach, at which, when she sampledthe gift, she made peace at once, and forever after held Pisander inher toils as a devoted servant.
But Agias was soon gone; and Artemisia spent the rest of the morningand the whole of the afternoon in that very satisfactory Elysium ofSyrian pears and honey-apples which Semiramis and Arsinoe supplied infull measure, with Pisander to sit by, and stare, boylike, at herclear, fair profile, and cast jealous glances at Iasus when that youngman ventured to utilize his opportunity for a like advantage. Many ofthe servants had gone with Valeria, and the others readily agreed topreserve secrecy in a matter in which their former fellow-slave andfavourite had so much at stake. So the day passed, and no one came todisturb her; and just as the shadows were falling Agias knocked at thegarden gate.
"_St!_" were his words, "I have hired a gig which will carry us both.Pratinas is loose and has been raising heaven and earth to get at us.There is a crier going the rounds of the Forum offering a thousandsesterces for the return of Artemisia. Pratinas has gone before the_triumviri capitales_[130] and obtained from them an order on the_apparitores_[131] to track down the runaway and her abettor."
[130] One of their functions made these officers practically chiefs of police.
[131] A part of these public officers performed police duty.
"_Eho!_" cried Pisander, "then you'd better leave your treasure hereawhile, for us to take care of."
"Not at all," replied Agias; "I could have taken her out of the cityat once, but in the daytime we should have been certainly noticed andsubsequently tracked. No one will imagine Artemisia is here--at leastfor a while. But this is a large familia; all may be my friends, butall may not have prudent tongues in their heads. The reward is large,and perhaps some will be tempted;" he glanced at Iasus, who, to do himjustice, had never thought of a second deed of baseness. "I cannotrisk that. No, Artemisia goes out of the city to-night, and she mustget ready without the least delay."
Artemisia, who was charmed with her present surroundings andadulation, demurred at leaving her entertainers; but Agias wasimperative, and the others realized well enough that there was notmuch time to be lost. Agias, however, waited until it had becometolerably dark before starting. Meantime, he proceeded to make certainchanges of his own and Artemisia's costume that indicated the ratherserious character of the risk he was preparing to run. For himself heput on a very full and flowing crimson evening dress, as if he wereproceeding to a dinner-party; he piled a dozen odd rings upon hisfingers, and laughingly asked Semiramis to arrange his hair for him inthe most fashionable style, and anoint it heavily with Valeria's mostpungent perfumes. At the same time, Arsinoe was quite transformingArtemisia. Valeria's cosmetic vials were for once put into play for apurpose, and when Artemisia reappeared from the dressing-room afterher treatment, Agias
saw before him no longer a fair-skinned littleGreek, but a small, slender, but certainly very handsome Egyptianserving-lad, with bronzed skin, conspicuous carmine lips, and featuresthat Arsinoe's paint and pencils had coarsened and exaggerated.Fortunately, the classic costume both for men and women was soessentially alike, that Artemisia did not have to undergo thatmortification from a change of clothes which might have befallen oneat the present day in a like predicament. Her not very long black hairwas loose, and shaken over her shoulders. Agias had brought for her ashort, variegated _lacerna_[132] which answered well enough as thehabit of a boy-valet who was on good terms with his master.
[132] A sort of mantle held on the shoulders by a clasp.
"_Eho!_" cried Agias, when he had witnessed the transformation, "wemust hasten or Valeria will be anxious to keep you as her serving-boy!Ah, I forgot she is going with her dear Pratinas to Egypt. Now,Arsinoe, and you, Semiramis, I shall not forget the good turn you havedone me; don't let Valeria miss her unguents and ask questions thatmight prove disagreeable. Farewell, Iasus and Pisander; we shall soonmeet again, the gods willing."
The friends took leave of Artemisia; the slave-women kissed her;Pisander, presuming on his age, kissed her, albeit very sheepishly, asthough he feared the ghosts of all the Stoics would see him. Iasuscast an angry jealous glance at the philosopher; he contented himselfwith a mere shake of the hand.
Agias swung Artemisia into the gig and touched the lash to the swiftmules.
"Good-by, dear friends!" she cried, her merry Greek smile shining outthrough her bronze disguise.
The gig rolled down the street, Agias glancing to right and left tosee that no inquisitive eye followed them.
"Oh! Agias," cried the girl, "am I at last going away with you? Goingaway all alone, with only you to take care of me? I feel--I feelqueerly!"
Agias only touched the mules again, and laughed and squeezedArtemisia's hand, then more gravely said:--
"Now, makaira, you must do everything as I say, or we shall never getaway from Pratinas. Remember, if I tell you to do anything you must doit instantly; and, above everything else, no matter what happens,speak not a word; don't scream or cry or utter a sound. If anybodyquestions us I shall say that I am a gentleman driving out to thesuburbs to enjoy a late party at a friend's villa, and you are myvalet, who is a mute, whom it is useless to question because he cannotanswer. Do you understand?"
Artemisia nodded her little head, and bit her pretty lips very hard tokeep from speaking. The fear of Pratinas made her all obedience.
It was after sundown, and driving was permitted in the city, thoughnearly all the teams that blocked Agias's way, as he drove down thecrowded streets to turn on to the Via Appia, were heavy wagons loadedwith timber and builders' stone.
So far, all was safe enough; but Agias knew perfectly well thatPratinas was an awkward man to have for an enemy. The critical moment,however, was close at hand, and Agias called up all his wits to meetit. Under the damp arch of the ancient Porta Capena were pacingseveral men, whose lanterns and clinking sword-scabbards proclaimedthem to be members of the city constabulary. There was no possibilityof evading their scrutiny. No doubt any other gate was equally wellwatched. Agias drove straight ahead, as though he had seen nothing.
"Hold!" and one of the constables was at the heads of the mules, andanother was waving a lantern up into the face of the occupants of thegig.
"Rascals," roared Agias, menacing with his whip, "are you highwaymengrown so impudent!"
"We have an order from the triumviri," began one officer.
"_Eho!_" replied Agias, settling back, as though relieved not to haveto fight for his purse, "I can't see what for; I owe nothing. I haveno suit pending."
"We are to search all carriages and pedestrians," recommenced theconstable, "to find if we may a certain Artemisia, a runawayslave-girl of the most noble Greek gentleman, Pratinas."
"My good sirs," interrupted Agias, "I am already like to be very lateat my dear friend Cimber's dinner party"--he mentioned the name ofthe owner of a very large villa not far down the road; "I have with meonly Midas, my mute valet. If you detain me any longer I shallcomplain--"
And here a denarius slipped into the hands of the officer with thelantern.
"I think it's all right, Macer," was his report to his comrade. Thelatter left the heads of the mules.
"_Mehercle!_ how handsome some of those Egyptians grow!" commented thefirst constable.
But the rest of his remarks were lost on Agias. He was whizzing downthe "Queen of Roads," with a good team before him, Artemisia at hisside, and a happy consciousness that two excellent officials hadmissed a chance to earn one thousand sesterces.
Hardly were they beyond earshot, when Artemisia burst out into anuncontrollable fit of giggling, which lasted a long time, only to berenewed and renewed, as often as a desperate effort seemed to havesuppressed it. Then she drew the robes of the carriage round her, laidher head on Agias's shoulder, and with a confidence in her protectorthat would have inspired him to go through fire and water for hersake, shook out her dark locks and fell fast asleep, despite the factthat the mules were running their fastest. Agias grasped the reinswith one hand, and with the other pressed tight the sleeping girl. Hewould not have exchanged his present position for all the wealth ofSardanapalus.
* * * * *
Five days later Agias was back in Rome. He had succeeded in reachingBaiae, and introducing Artemisia into the familia of the villa of theLentuli, as a new waiting-maid from Rome sent by Claudia to herdaughter. For the present at least there was practically no chance ofPratinas recovering his lost property. And indeed, when Agias reachedRome once more, all fears in that direction were completely set atrest. The fashionable circle in which Claudia and Herennia wereenmeshed was in a flutter and a chatter over no ordinary scandal.Valeria, wife of Calatinus, and Pratinas, the "charming" Epicureanphilosopher, had both fled Rome two days before, and rumour had itthat they had embarked together at Ostia on a ship leaving direct forEgypt. Of course Calatinus was receiving all the sympathy, and was amuch abused man; and so the tongues ran on.
To Agias this great event brought a considerable gain in peace ofmind, and some little loss. Valeria had taken with her her two maids,Agias's good friends, and also Iasus. Pisander ignominiously had beenleft behind. Calatinus had no use for the man of learning, and Agiaswas fain to take him before Drusus, who had returned from Ravenna, andinduce his patron to give Pisander sufficient capital to start afresha public school of philosophy, although the chances of acquiringopulence in that profession were sufficiently meagre.