CHAPTER XVIII.
In front of the gate of the king's palace sat a crowd of petitioners whowere accustomed to stay here from early dawn till late at night, untilthey were called into the palace to receive the answer to the petitionthey had drawn up. When Klea reached the end of her journey she wasso exhausted and bewildered that she felt the imperative necessity ofseeking rest and quiet reflection, so she seated herself among thesepeople, next to a woman from Upper Egypt. But hardly had she taken herplace by her with a silent greeting, when her talkative neighbor beganto relate with particular minuteness why she had come to Memphis, andhow certain unjust judges had conspired with her bad husband to trickher--for men were always ready to join against a woman--and to depriveher of everything which had been secured to her and her children by hermarriage-contract. For two months now, she said, she had been waitingearly and late before the sublime gate, and was consuming her last readycash in the city where living was so dear; but it was all one to her,and at a pinch she would sell even her gold ornaments, for sooner orlater her cause must come before the king, and then the wicked villainand his accomplices would be taught what was just.
Klea heard but little of this harangue; a feeling had come over her likethat of a person who is having water poured again and again on the topof his head. Presently her neighbor observed that the new-comer was notlistening at all to her complainings; she slapped her shoulder with herhand, and said:
"You seem to think of nothing but your own concerns; and I dare say theyare not of such a nature as that you should relate them to any one else;so far as mine are concerned the more they are discussed, the better."
The tone in which these remarks were made was so dry, and at the sametime so sharp, that it hurt Klea, and she rose hastily to go closer tothe gate. Her neighbor threw a cross word after her; but she did notheed it, and drawing her veil closer over her face, she went throughthe gate of the palace into a vast courtyard, brightly lighted up bycressets and torches, and crowded with foot-soldiers and mounted guards.
The sentry at the gate perhaps had not observed her, or perhaps hadlet her pass unchallenged from her dignified and erect gait, and thenumerous armed men through whom she now made her way seemed to be somuch occupied with their own affairs, that no one bestowed any notice onher. In a narrow alley, which led to a second court and was lightedby lanterns, one of the body-guard known as Philobasilistes, a haughtyyoung fellow in yellow riding-boots and a shirt of mail over his redtunic, came riding towards her on his tall horse, and noticing her hetried to squeeze her between his charger and the wall, and put out hishand to raise her veil; but Klea slipped aside, and put up her hands toprotect herself from the horse's head which was almost touching her.
The cavalier, enjoying her alarm, called out: "Only stand still--he isnot vicious."
"Which, you or your horse?" asked Klea, with such a solemn tone inher deep voice that for an instant the young guardsman lost hisself-possession, and this gave her time to go farther from the horse.But the girl's sharp retort had annoyed the conceited young fellow,and not having time to follow her himself, he called out in a tone ofencouragement to a party of mercenaries from Cyprus, whom the frightenedgirl was trying to pass:
"Look under this girl's veil, comrades, and if she is as pretty as sheis well-grown, I wish you joy of your prize." He laughed as he pressedhis knees against the flanks of his bay and trotted slowly away, whilethe Cypriotes gave Klea ample time to reach the second court, whichwas more brightly lighted even than the first, that they might theresurround her with insolent importunity.
The helpless and persecuted girl felt the blood run cold in her veins,and for a few minutes she could see nothing but a bewildering confusionof flashing eyes and weapons, of beards and hands, could hear nothingbut words and sounds, of which she understood and felt only that theywere revolting and horrible, and threatened her with death and ruin.She had crossed her arms over her bosom, but now she raised her handsto hide her face, for she felt a strong hand snatch away the veil thatcovered her head. This insolent proceeding turned her numb horror toindignant rage, and, fixing her sparkling eyes on her bearded opponents,she exclaimed:
"Shame upon you, who in the king's own house fall like wolves on adefenceless woman, and in a peaceful spot snatch the veil from a younggirl's head. Your mothers would blush for you, and your sisters cryshame on you--as I do now!"
Astonished at Klea's distinguished beauty, startled at the angry glarein her eyes, and the deep chest-tones of her voice which trembled withexcitement, the Cypriotes drew back, while the same audacious rascalthat had pulled away her veil came closer to her, and cried:
"Who would make such a noise about a rubbishy veil! If you will be mysweetheart I will buy you a new one, and many things besides."
At the same time he tried to throw his arm round her; but at his touchKlea felt the blood leave her cheeks and mount to her bloodshot eyes,and at that instant her hand, guided by some uncontrollable inwardimpulse, grasped the handle of the knife which Krates had lent her; sheraised it high in the air though with an unsteady arm, exclaiming:
"Let me go or, by Serapis whom I serve, I will strike you to the heart!"
The soldier to whom this threat was addressed, was not the man to beintimidated by a blade of cold iron in a woman's hand; with a quickmovement he seized her wrist in order to disarm her; but although Kleawas forced to drop the knife she struggled with him to free herself fromhis clutch, and this contest between a man and a woman, who seemed to beof superior rank to that indicated by her very simple dress, seemed tomost of the Cypriotes so undignified, so much out of place within thewalls of a palace, that they pulled their comrade back from Klea, whileothers on the contrary came to the assistance of the bully who defendedhimself stoutly. And in the midst of the fray, which was conducted withno small noise, stood Klea with flying breath. Her antagonist, thoughflung to the ground, still held her wrist with his left hand while hedefended himself against his comrades with the right, and she tried withall her force and cunning to withdraw it; for at the very height of herexcitement and danger she felt as if a sudden gust of wind had swept herspirit clear of all confusion, and she was again able to contemplate herposition calmly and resolutely.
If only her hand were free she might perhaps be able to take advantageof the struggle between her foes, and to force her way out between theirranks.
Twice, thrice, four times, she tried to wrench her hand with a suddenjerk through the fingers that grasped it; but each time in vain.Suddenly, from the man at her feet there broke a loud, long-drawn cry ofpain which re-echoed from the high walls of the court, and at the sametime she felt the fingers of her antagonist gradually and slowly slipfrom her arm like the straps of a sandal carefully lifted by the surgeonfrom a broken ankle.
"It is all over with him!" exclaimed the eldest of the Cypriotes. "A mannever calls out like that but once in his life! True enough--the daggeris sticking here just under the ninth rib! This is mad work! That isyour doing again, Lykos, you savage wolf!"
"He bit deep into my finger in the struggle--"
"And you are for ever tearing each other to pieces for the sake of thewomen," interrupted the elder, not listening to the other's excuses."Well, I was no better than you in my time, and nothing can alter it!You had better be off now, for if the Epistrategist learns we havefallen to stabbing each other again--"
The Cypriote had not ceased speaking, and his countrymen were in thevery act of raising the body of their comrade when a division of thecivic watch rushed into the court in close order and through the passagenear which the fight for the girl had arisen, thus stopping the wayagainst those who were about to escape, since all who wished to get outof the court into the open street must pass through the doorway intowhich Klea had been forced by the horseman. Every other exit from thissecond court of the citadel led into the strictly guarded gardens andbuildings of the palace itself.
The noisy strife round Klea, and the cry of the wounded man hadattracted the watch; the Cypr
iotes and the maiden soon found themselvessurrounded, and they were conducted through a narrow side passage intothe court-yard of the prison. After a short enquiry the men who had beentaken were allowed to return under an escort to their own phalanx, andKlea gladly followed the commander of the watch to a less brilliantlyilluminated part of the prison-yard, for in him she had recognized atonce Serapion's brother Glaucus, and he in her the daughter of the manwho had done and suffered so much for his father's sake; besides theyhad often exchanged greetings and a few words in the temple of Serapis.
"All that is in my power," said Glaucus--a man somewhat taller but notso broadly built as his brother--when he had read the recluse's note andwhen Klea had answered a number of questions, "all that is in my powerI will gladly do for you and your sister, for I do not forget all thatI owe to your father; still I cannot but regret that you have incurredsuch risk, for it is always hazardous for a pretty young girl to ventureinto this palace at a late hour, and particularly just now, for thecourts are swarming not only with Philometor's fighting men but withthose of his brother, who have come here for their sovereign's birthdayfestival. The people have been liberally entertained, and the soldierwho has been sacrificing to Dionysus seizes the gifts of Eros andAphrodite wherever he may find them. I will at once take charge of mybrother's letter to the Roman Publius Cornelius Scipio, but when youhave received his answer you will do well to let yourself be escortedto my wife or my sister, who both live in the city, and to remain tillto-morrow morning with one or the other. Here you cannot remain a minuteunmolested while I am away--Where now--Aye! The only safe shelter Ican offer you is the prison down there; the room where they lock upthe subaltern officers when they have committed any offence is quiteunoccupied, and I will conduct you thither. It is always kept clean, andthere is a bench in it too."
Klea followed her friend who, as his hasty demeanor plainly showed, hadbeen interrupted in important business. In a few steps they reached theprison; she begged Glaucus to bring her the Roman's answer as quickly aspossible, declared herself quite ready to remain in the dark--since sheperceived that the light of a lamp might betray her, and she was notafraid of the dark--and suffered herself to be locked in.
As she heard the iron bolt creak in its brass socket a shiver ranthrough her, and although the room in which she found herself wasneither worse nor smaller than that in which she and her sister livedin the temple, still it oppressed her, and she even felt as if anindescribable something hindered her breathing as she said to herselfthat she was locked in and no longer free to come and to go. A dim lightpenetrated into her prison through the single barred window that openedon to the court, and she could see a little bench of palm-branches onwhich she sat down to seek the repose she so sorely needed. All senseof discomfort gradually vanished before the new feeling of rest andrefreshment, and pleasant hopes and anticipations were just beginningto mingle themselves with the remembrance of the horrors she had justexperienced when suddenly there was a stir and a bustle just in frontof the prison--and she could hear, outside, the clatter of harnessand words of command. She rose from her seat and saw that about twentyhorsemen, whose golden helmets and armor reflected the light of thelanterns, cleared the wide court by driving the men before them, as theflames drive the game from a fired hedge, and by forcing them into asecond court from which again they proceeded to expel them. At leastKlea could hear them shouting 'In the king's name' there as they hadbefore done close to her. Presently the horsemen returned and placedthemselves, ten and ten, as guards at each of the passages leading intothe court. It was not without interest that Klea looked on at this scenewhich was perfectly new to her; and when one of the fine horses, dazzledby the light of the lanterns, turned restive and shied, leaping andrearing and threatening his rider with a fall--when the horseman checkedand soothed it, and brought it to a stand-still--the Macedonian warriorwas transfigured in her eyes to Publius, who no doubt could manage ahorse no less well than this man.
No sooner was the court completely cleared of men by the mounted guardthan a new incident claimed Klea's attention. First she heard footstepsin the room adjoining her prison, then bright streaks of light fellthrough the cracks of the slight partition which divided her place ofretreat from the other room, then the two window-openings close to herswere closed with heavy shutters, then seats or benches were draggedabout and various objects were laid upon a table, and finally the doorof the adjoining room was thrown open and slammed to again so violently,that the door which closed hers and the bench near which she wasstanding trembled and jarred.
At the same moment a deep sonorous voice called out with a loud andhearty shout of laughter:
"A mirror--give me a mirror, Eulaeus. By heaven! I do not look much likeprison fare--more like a man in whose strong brain there is no lack ofdeep schemes, who can throttle his antagonist with a grip of his fist,and who is prompt to avail himself of all the spoil that comes in hisway, so that he may compress the pleasures of a whole day into everyhour, and enjoy them to the utmost! As surely as my name is Euergetesmy uncle Antiochus was right in liking to mix among the populace. Thesplendid puppets who surround us kings, and cover every portion of theirown bodies in wrappings and swaddling bands, also stifle the expressionof every genuine sentiment; and it is enough to turn our brain toreflect that, if we would not be deceived, every word that we hear--and,oh dear! how many words we must needs hear-must be pondered in ourminds. Now, the mob on the contrary--who think themselves beautifullydressed in a threadbare cloth hanging round their brown loins--are farbetter off. If one of them says to another of his own class--a nakedwretch who wears about him everything he happens to possess--that he isa dog, he answers with a blow of his fist in the other's face, and whatcan be plainer than that! If on the other hand he tells him he is asplendid fellow, he believes it without reservation, and has a perfectright to believe it.
"Did you see how that stunted little fellow with a snub-nose andbandy-legs, who is as broad as he is long, showed all his teeth in adelighted grin when I praised his steady hand? He laughs just like ahyena, and every respectable father of a family looks on the fellow asa god-forsaken monster; but the immortals must think him worth somethingto have given him such magnificent grinders in his ugly mouth, and tohave preserved him mercifully for fifty years--for that is about therascal's age. If that fellow's dagger breaks he can kill his victim withthose teeth, as a fox does a duck, or smash his bones with his fist."
"But, my lord," replied Eulaeus dryly and with a certain matter-of-factgravity to King Euergetes--for he it was who had come with him into theroom adjoining Klea's retreat, "the dry little Egyptian with the thinstraight hair is even more trustworthy and tougher and nimbler than hiscompanion, and, so far, more estimable. One flings himself on his preywith a rush like a block of stone hurled from a roof, but the other,without being seen, strikes his poisoned fang into his flesh like anadder hidden in the sand. The third, on whom I had set great hopes, wasbeheaded the day before yesterday without my knowledge; but the pairwhom you have condescended to inspect with your own eyes are sufficient.They must use neither dagger nor lance, but they will easily achievetheir end with slings and hooks and poisoned needles, which leave woundsthat resemble the sting of an adder. We may safely depend on thesefellows."
Once more Euergetes laughed loudly, and exclaimed: What criticism!Exactly as if these blood-hounds were tragic actors of which one couldbest produce his effects by fire and pathos, and the other by thesubtlety of his conception. I call that an unprejudiced judgment. Andwhy should not a man be great even as a murderer? From what hangman'snoose did you drag out the neck of one, and from what headsman's blockdid you rescue the other when you found them?
"It is a lucky hour in which we first see something new to us, and,by Heracles! I never before in the whole course of my life saw suchvillains as these. I do not regret having gone to see them and talked tothem as if I were their equal. Now, take this torn coat off me, and helpme to undress. Before I go to the feast I will take a hasty plunge
in mybath, for I twitch in every limb, I feel as if I had got dirty in theircompany.
"There lie my clothes and my sandals; strap them on for me, and tell meas you do it how you lured the Roman into the toils."
Klea could hear every word of this frightful conversation, and claspedher hand over her brow with a shudder, for she found it difficult tobelieve in the reality of the hideous images that it brought before hermind. Was she awake or was she a prey to some horrid dream?
She hardly knew, and, indeed, she scarcely understood half of all sheheard till the Roman's name was mentioned. She felt as if the point of athin, keen knife was being driven obliquely through her brain from rightto left, as it now flashed through her mind that it was against him,against Publius, that the wild beasts, disguised in human form, weredirected by Eulaeus, and face to face with this--the most hideous, themost incredible of horrors--she suddenly recovered the full use of hersenses. She softly slipped close to that rift in the partition throughwhich the broadest beam of light fell into the room, put her ear closeto it, and drank in, with fearful attention, word for word thereport made by the eunuch to his iniquitous superior, who frequentlyinterrupted him with remarks, words of approval or a short laugh-drankthem in, as a man perishing in the desert drinks the loathsome waters ofa salt pool.
And what she heard was indeed well fitted to deprive her of her senses,but the more definite the facts to which the words referred that shecould overhear, the more keenly she listened, and the more resolutelyshe collected her thoughts. Eulaeus had used her own name to inducethe Roman to keep an assignation at midnight in the desert close to theApis-tombs. He repeated the words that he had written to this effecton a tile, and which requested Publius to come quite alone to the spotindicated, since she dare not speak with him in the temple. Finally hewas invited to write his answer on the other side of the square of clay.As Klea heard these words, put into her own mouth by a villain, shecould have sobbed aloud heartily with anguish, shame, and rage; but thepoint now was to keep her ears wide open, for Euergetes asked his odioustool:
"And what was the Roman's answer?" Eulaeus must have handed the tile tothe king, for he laughed loudly again, and cried out:
"So he will walk into the trap--will arrive by half an hour aftermidnight at the latest, and greets Klea from her sister Irene. Hecarries on love-making and abduction wholesale, and buys water-bearersby the pair, like doves in the market or sandals in a shoe maker'sstall. Only see how the simpleton writes Greek; in these few words thereare two mistakes, two regular schoolboys' blunders.
"The fellow must have had a very pleasant day of it, since he must havebeen reckoning on a not unsuccessful evening--but the gods have an uglyhabit of clenching the hand with which they have long caressed theirfavorites, and striking him with their fist.
"Amalthea's horn has been poured out on him today; first he snapped up,under my very nose, my little Hebe, the Irene of Irenes, whom I hopeto-morrow to inherit from him; then he got the gift of my best Cyrenaanhorses, and at the same time the flattering assurance of my valuablefriendship; then he had audience of my fair sister--and it goes more tothe heart of a republican than you would believe when crowned headsare graciously disposed towards him--finally the sister of his prettysweetheart invites him to an assignation, and she, if you and Zoe speakthe truth, is a beauty in the grand style. Now these are really too manygood things for one inhabitant of this most stingily provided world; andin one single day too, which, once begun, is so soon ended; and justicerequires that we should lend a helping hand to destiny, and cut offthe head of this poppy that aspires to rise above its brethren; thethousands who have less good fortune than he would otherwise have greatcause to complain of neglect."
"I am happy to see you in such good humor," said Eulaeus.
"My humor is as may be," interrupted the king. "I believe I am onlywhistling a merry tune to keep up my spirits in the dark. If I were onmore familiar terms with what other men call fear I should have amplereason to be afraid; for in the quail-fight we have gone in for I havewagered a crown-aye, and more than that even. To-morrow only will decidewhether the game is lost or won, but I know already to-day that I wouldrather see my enterprise against Philometor fail, with all my hopes ofthe double crown, than our plot against the life of the Roman; for Iwas a man before I was a king, and a man I should remain, if my throne,which now indeed stands on only two legs, were to crash under my weight.
"My sovereign dignity is but a robe, though the costliest, to be sure,of all garments. If forgiveness were any part of my nature I mighteasily forgive the man who should soil or injure that--but he who comestoo near to Euergetes the man, who dares to touch this body, and thespirit it contains, or to cross it in its desires and purposes--him Iwill crush unhesitatingly to the earth, I will see him torn in pieces.Sentence is passed on the Roman, and if your ruffians do their duty, andif the gods accept the holocaust that I had slain before them at sunsetfor the success of my project, in a couple of hours Publius CorneliusScipio will have bled to death.
"He is in a position to laugh at me--as a man--but I therefore--as aman--have the right, and--as a king--have the power, to make sure thatthat laugh shall be his last. If I could murder Rome as I can him howglad should I be! for Rome alone hinders me from being the greatest ofall the great kings of our time; and yet I shall rejoice to-morrow whenthey tell me Publius Cornelius Scipio has been torn by wild beasts, andhis body is so mutilated that his own mother could not recognize it morethan if a messenger were to bring me the news that Carthage had brokenthe power of Rome."
Euergetes had spoken the last words in a voice that sounded like theroll of thunder as it growls in a rapidly approaching storm, louder,deeper, and more furious each instant. When at last he was silentEulaeus said: "The immortals, my lord, will not deny you this happiness.The brave fellows whom you condescended to see and to talk to strike ascertainly as the bolt of our father Zeus, and as we have learned fromthe Roman's horse-keeper where he has hidden Irene, she will no moreelude your grasp than the crowns of Upper and Lower Egypt.--Now, allowme to put on your mantle, and then to call the body-guard that they mayescort you as you return to your residence."
"One thing more," cried the king, detaining Eulaeus. "There are alwaystroops by the Tombs of Apis placed there to guard the sacred places; maynot they prove a hindrance to your friends?"
"I have withdrawn all the soldiers and armed guards to Memphis down tothe last man," replied Eulaeus, "and quartered them within the WhiteWall. Early tomorrow, before you proceed to business, they willbe replaced by a stronger division, so that they may not prove areinforcement to your brother's troops here if things come to fighting."
"I shall know how to reward your foresight," said Euergetes as Eulaeusquitted the room.
Again Klea heard a door open, and the sound of many hoofs on thepavement of the court-yard, and when she went, all trembling, up to thewindow, she saw Euergetes himself, and the powerfully knit horse thatwas led in for him. The tyrant twisted his hand in the mane of therestless and pawing steed, and Klea thought that the monstrous masscould never mount on to the horse's back without the aid of many men;but she was mistaken, for with a mighty spring the giant flung himselfhigh in the air and on to the horse, and then, guiding his panting steedby the pressure of his knees alone, he bounded out of the prison-yardsurrounded by his splendid train.
For some minutes the court-yard remained empty, then a man hurriedlycrossed it, unlocked the door of the room where Klea was, and informedher that he was a subaltern under Glaucus, and had brought her a messagefrom him.
"My lord," said the veteran soldier to the girl, "bid me greet you, andsays that he found neither the Roman Publius Scipio, nor his friend theCorinthian at home. He is prevented from coming to you himself; he hashis hands full of business, for soldiers in the service of both thekings are quartered within the White Wall, and all sorts of squabblesbreak out between them. Still, you cannot remain in this room, for itwill shortly be occupied by a party of young officers who beg
an thefray. Glaucus proposes for your choice that you should either allowme to conduct you to his wife or return to the temple to which you areattached. In the latter case a chariot shall convey you as far as thesecond tavern in Khakem on the borders of the desert-for the city isfull of drunken soldiery. There you may probably find an escort if youexplain to the host who you are. But the chariot must be back again inless than an hour, for it is one of the king's, and when the banquet isover there may be a scarcity of chariots."
"Yes--I will go back to the place I came from," said Klea eagerly,interrupting the messenger. "Take me at once to the chariot."
"Follow me, then," said the old man.
"But I have no veil," observed Klea, "and have only this thin robe on.Rough soldiers snatched my wrapper from my face, and my cloak from offmy shoulders."
"I will bring you the captain's cloak which is lying here in theorderly's room, and his travelling-hat too; that will hide your facewith its broad flap. You are so tall that you might be taken for a man,and that is well, for a woman leaving the palace at this hour wouldhardly pass unmolested. A slave shall fetch the things from your templeto-morrow. I may inform you that my master ordered me take as much careof you as if you were his own daughter. And he told me too--and I hadnearly forgotten it--to tell you that your sister was carried off bythe Roman, and not by that other dangerous man, you would know whom hemeant. Now wait, pray, till I return; I shall not be long gone."
In a few minutes the guard returned with a large cloak in which hewrapped Klea, and a broad-brimmed travelling-hat which she pressed downon her head, and he then conducted her to that quarter of the palacewhere the king's stables were. She kept close to the officer, and wassoon mounted on a chariot, and then conducted by the driver--who tookher for a young Macedonian noble, who was tempted out at night bysome assignation--as far as the second tavern on the road back to theSerapeum.