CHAPTER III.
The next day it was old Mesembrius' first care to send for hisdaughter and speak to her of Manlius, whom, of course, he praisedaccording to his deserts.
The young girl's cheeks glowed during the conversation, and, as herface betrayed, she confessed to her father, with sincere joy, that shehad long loved the young soldier.
Mesembrius could not find words to express his pleasure. He embracedSophronia again and again, and with tears of happiness placed her inthe arms of Manlius, who entered at that moment.
"My only blessing," he faltered, in tones trembling with emotion.
"O my father," said Sophronia mournfully, "do not say your onlyblessing. You have another daughter."
"May my curse rest upon her head. Hasten your marriage, and then gofar, far away from here. So far that not even a cloud from this skycan follow you. This soil is already so laden with sins that ittrembles every moment under them as if it could no longer bear theburden. Go hence, that you may not perish with the guilty. I only wishto live for the moment that I know you are happy and beyond the twoseas; then, for aught I care, death or Carinus may come."
That very hour Manlius returned to Rome to set his house in order, andwhen he had made all the preparations for the wedding, he againmounted his horse, and late in the evening rode to old Mesembrius'villa.
It was already past midnight. The sky was covered with clouds. Hecould only move at a walk, when, on reaching a bridge, he saw a darkgroup of people coming from a side path.
It seemed to be a band of prisoners guarded by soldiers. At that timeof wars with the barbarians, robbers and thieves had increased so muchthat they gave the praetorians uninterrupted work. Manlius supposedthat he had met such a company, and quietly returned the salute of thepassing soldiers.
Only one circumstance seemed strange--a woman's tall figure, with along white mantle floating around it, rode at the end of the train.When she saw Manlius stop she stopped too, as if she expectedsomething. They remained thus a short time, looking at each other;then they turned and rode on. It was impossible to distinguish anyone's features in the darkness.
Manlius paused again, glanced back, and considered whether to returnand ask some question; he did not know himself what.
But pleasanter thoughts soon occupied his mind, and as the cloudsparted, allowing a silvery streak to glide over the Tiber, his spiritsalso brightened, and he dashed joyously forward to the beloved home ofSophronia.
He could already see the colossal outlines of the Mesembrius villa,when he perceived in the road a magnificent _lectica_, inlaid withmother-of-pearl and hung with silk curtains, such as in those daysonly the most aristocratic women used in traveling. Two splendidlycaparisoned sumpter mules were harnessed to the four poles, besidewhich marched two slaves.
Therefore the young man's surprise was so much the greater when he sawa man's ugly, pock-marked face thrust out between the curtains, andinstantly recognised Aevius, the base parasite, who was ready for halfa sestertia to compose a panegyric upon the last gladiator, and hadprepared for Carinus Caesar's greyhound a genealogy, according towhich, on the mother's side, it had descended directly from theshe-wolf that suckled the twin brothers Romulus and Remus.
Manlius could not repress a smile at the singular situation of thepanegyrist.
"Oho, Aevius, how long has the Caesar had you carried about in a_lectica_ like an aristocratic courtesan?"
"Be merciful, Manlius, and do not jeer at me. I am the most miserablewriter of verse since Pegasus became the steed of poets. Just thinkwhat a favorable opportunity presented itself to secure immortality.Yesterday afternoon I learned that by the Caesar's command a band ofidol-worshipping Christians would be surprised at their meeting placeon the Tiber; and I instantly hired a horse--a horse that exactlysuited me, for I could not miss the chance of perpetuating so rare aspectacle by the power of my lyre for the benefit of posterity. Therewould be so many things priceless to us poets, such as killing,crucifixion, boiling in pitch, and similar matters. And now how have Ifared! On the way the gods of Egypt threw me into the company of anaccursedly charming woman who was being borne along in this superbtraveling litter. First, this woman lured my secret from me, then shelured me off my horse to sit by her side in the _vehiculum_; and withJunonian perfidy to a heaven-aspiring Ixion, she sprang out on theother side, swung herself upon my horse, which she sat with the easeof an Amazon queen, and laughing merrily gave me the advice, if I wasa poet, to use Pegasus, then dashed along the road I had pointed out,leaving me in this time-killing apparatus, which is more tiresome thanthe hour-glass. She probably reached the scene of the spectacle inseason, while I, with these two mules and two asses, lost my way socompletely that I am obliged to return to Rome."
Manlius held his breath as he listened to the parasite's words.
"Who was this woman?" he asked in a hollow tone.
"Don't you know her _lectica_, Manlius? Ah, you are still a novice inRome if you do not, and doubtless come from very distant lands wheresuch things are not mentioned, _gelidis Scythiae ab oris_. This is the_vehiculum_ of the unaccountable and indescribable Glyceria, and thewoman who outwitted me was no other than the Circe who has turnedgoddess, is worshipped by every one, including myself and Carinus, andwho thus maltreats every one and changes her adorers, including myselfand Carinus, into calves and oxen."
Manlius did not hear the poet's last words. When the name "Glyceria"reached him, he struck his heels into his horse's flanks, and asthough he felt the scourge of the Furies upon him, dashed wildly intothe courtyard of the Villa Mesembrius.
The old man, without noticing the expression of rage, terror, anddespair that darkened the knight's face, met him with a smile.
"Is your daughter at home?" asked Manlius, trembling in every limb,and as the old man did not answer at once, he repeated anxiously:"Where is your daughter, Mesembrius?"
The aged Senator drew the youth, who was impatiently awaiting hisreply, aside, and whispered:
"I will tell you the secret, but act as though you did not know it.She is in the habit of attending the meetings of the Christians. Shehas gone to one now, and has not yet returned."
Manlius, trembling, raised both clenched hands heavenward, andshrieked:
"Cursed be the heaven which permitted this to happen!"
Mesembrius drew back in astonishment, asking in a tone ofbewilderment: "What is the matter?"
Manlius despairingly grasped the old man's hand.
"You have been robbed of your daughter."
Mesembrius' face blanched, and sinking back into his chair he falteredwith fixed eyes, "Glyceria!"
"Yes, you are right; she has robbed you of her. And I, blind fool, metthem, and these eyes did not recognize her in the darkness; thispitiable heart did not feel that, five steps off, she was being borneaway from me. If it could happen that the sister dragged the sister todeath before the lover's eyes, what means your sovereignty, Jupiter,Ormuzd, Zeus, Zebaoth, and the rest of ye chosen kings of destiny?Fiends rule the earth, and fate is an evil omen! But I, too, will beno better. Old man, gather all your curses, begin to pour them forthat dawn, and do not cease till nightfall. Meanwhile I will act. MayDira aid me."
The old man, as though stricken by palsy, repeated: "My daughter; oh,my daughter--"
Manlius compressed his lips; a bloody mist flickered before his eyes.
"Your daughter? I will avenge one and kill the other! May Ate be withus both.[2]"
[Footnote 2: The goddess who avenged evil deeds.]
As he spoke he swung himself upon his horse, and looking neither tothe right nor to the left, galloped back at frantic speed to Rome.