CHAPTER VI
SYPHAX EARNS HIS REWARD
Clearchus led the way through brake and thicket and across tilledfields, bearing off slightly to the southwest so as to avoid the LongWalls that joined the city to the Piraeus, where he knew the robberswould not dare to venture. They crossed the winding Cephissus by theSacred Way, skirting the hills that overlook the harbor. It seemedhours to the young man before they emerged upon the brow of a slopethat fell away to the rocky beach.
Directly below them was a small inlet from which a boat filled with menwas putting out toward a weather-beaten galley that lay a shortdistance offshore.
"There she is!" Chares cried, pointing to a blotch of white in the bowof the boat.
"We are too late!" Clearchus groaned, as he measured with his eye thewidening gap between the boat and the shore. Despair and helpless ragesurged up in his heart as they dashed recklessly down the slope.
"Come back!" he shouted desperately. "Twenty talents of ransom!"
The distance was too great for his words to be distinguished, althoughhis voice evidently reached the boat. Artemisia heard it and stretchedher arms toward him. She struggled to rise, but the sailors held herin her seat. The steersman turned his bearded face toward the shoreand shouted out a rough command. The boat continued on toward thegalley, whose sails were already spread for flight.
"They are not all gone!" Leonidas cried eagerly. "See there!"
A second boat lay in the inlet with its nose in the sand, while itscrew hurriedly stowed away the litter. As Clearchus looked, theycompleted this task and prepared to push off.
The three young men leaped from their horses, but the boat was nowlaunched. One of the mariners waded into the water, pushing at herstern to give her headway, while the others got out their oars.
"You come too late, idlers!" the seamen cried mockingly as theirpursuers leaped down over the rocks to the narrow strip of sand thatfringed the inlet. "You should rise earlier in the morning."
The man who had been pushing at the stern of the boat was up to hiswaist in water. "Pull me in, lads, she has way enough!" he said; butas he gathered himself to spring, Leonidas plunged in after him andclutched him by the ankle. Paying no more attention to his strugglesthan he would have given to those of some fish that he had taken, theSpartan dragged the spluttering wretch back to the beach. The crew ofthe boat hesitated for a moment as though doubtful whether to attempt arescue, but Leonidas settled their doubts by thrusting his sword intothe man's throat.
A cry of rage and a volley of threats came from the boat as the sailorswitnessed the fate of their comrade. In giving vent to theirindignation, they lost valuable seconds of time. So narrow was theinlet that the boat was still within easy javelin cast of the shore.Clearchus ran along the beach abreast of it, promising a fabulousreward to the men who should bring back the captive.
"Seek the girl in the slave markets," was all the reply that he couldget, "and see that you come not too late a second time!"
"I promise that you shall not be punished!" the Athenian cried indespair. "At least lend us your boat, or take us with you to thegalley."
"If you want our boat, come out and get it!" one of the sailors criedin derision.
The words were still on his lips when a great stone fell into the waterclose beside the prow, dashing the spray into the faces of the crew.Clearchus looked up in astonishment and saw Chares standing on thecrest of the ledge of rock that rose behind the strip of sand. TheTheban held another huge and jagged missile poised above his head.With a mighty effort he hurled it at the boat. Uttering cries ofterror the sailors attempted to sheer out of the way, but in theirconfusion, their splashing oars neutralized each other. The greatstone, which a man of ordinary strength could not have moved, turnedponderously in the air and struck the gunwale amidships with a crashthat tore out the planks in splinters. In an instant the boat filledand went down, leaving the crew struggling among the floating fragmentsof the litter.
Several of the men, who seemed unable to swim, disappeared beneath thesurface. Others struck out for the beach, only to meet death on theswords of Chares and Clearchus on one side, and of Leonidas, who hadrun around to the opposite shore of the bay to intercept those whosought to escape in that direction.
One man only, a fellow of powerful frame, seeing the fate that awaitedhim on land, swam boldly for the open sea, preferring to take hischance of being picked up there rather than face death upon the sand.
"Leave him to me!" Chares cried, stripping off his chiton.
Without hesitation, he plunged into the sea, holding his sword in hisleft hand and swimming with his right.
"Take him alive!" Clearchus shouted. "We may learn something from him!"
The chase was short, for although the Theban carried a weapon, thesailor was encumbered by his garments.
"Wait, my friend, I have something to say to thee," Chares said,pricking the man with his sword point.
Like a wild beast, the sailor turned in desperation as though to make astruggle for his life. He looked with bloodshot eyes into the Theban'ssmiling face.
"You have only one chance of seeing to-morrow's sun," Chares saidcoolly. "Swim before me to the shore and make up your mind on the wayto tell all that you know of what has happened."
"Will you spare my life?" the man asked.
"That depends," Chares replied, "but I promise you that I will notspare it unless you obey without question."
"There is no help for it," the man muttered, and he swam sullenly backto the beach, where Leonidas quickly secured his arms behind him.
"There is still a chance of capturing the galley," the Spartan said toClearchus. "Ride quickly to the Piraeus and hire a vessel to put outafter her. We will bring this fellow in."
Clearchus dashed away toward the harbor, but, as it happened, there wasno vessel that could take up the chase with any chance of success. Thegalley was running before a fresh southwest wind, and although stillvisible, she was already distant. Of the ships in port, some werenewly arrived and were heavily laden, while others were dischargingtheir cargoes. Clearchus offered any price to the captain who shouldovertake the fugitive and bring Artemisia back, but the offer was madein vain. The best that he could do was to charter six of the swiftestships that were available to take up the pursuit as soon as they couldbe made ready.
While he was concluding these arrangements, Chares and Leonidas arrivedwith the prisoner. The man said that the galley had just returned froma piratical cruise on the coast of Lucania and was under the command ofSyphax. He had joined the crew at Locri, he said, and knew nothingabout the abduction excepting that they were all to be well paid forit. He was unable to tell what port the galley expected to make afterleaving Attica.
Although he was examined later under torture, the man could reveal nomore. He was thrown into prison to be used as a witness against hiscompanions should they be caught. The last of the vessels thatClearchus sent on the chase was out of the harbor before nightfall, andthe young man, feeling that he had done all that he could do, rode backto the city overwhelmed by his loss. Chares and Leonidas sought invain to comfort him. His self-reproach at having left Artemisiaunguarded after the warning of the dream was too poignant. He shuthimself up to avoid the acquaintances who flocked about him to offertheir sympathy and to learn the details of his sorrow. They questionedthe slaves when they found the doors closed against them and then ranto tell what they had learned in the baths, the barber shops, and thegaming houses, greedy of gossip. Ariston, after making certain thathis part in the plot had not been discovered, came to visit his nephewand was admitted.
"We have no defence against the will of the Gods when it falls heavilyupon us save one," he said.
"What is that?" Clearchus asked.
"Patience," the old man responded.
"Patience!" Clearchus exclaimed, striding back and forth with clenchedfists. "Yes, I will have patience! I will have patience to seekArtemisia to the ends of
the world until I have found her! And I willhave patience until every man who is concerned in this attack upon ushas paid for it with his life. I will be patient!"
Ariston blanched at this outburst, but immediately recovered himself."Alas! What can you do alone?" he asked mournfully.
"He will not be alone, for Chares and I will be with him," Leonidassaid quietly. "We have sworn it."
"I will not advise against it," Ariston said with a sigh. "But it maybe that the galleys you have sent out will bring the robbers back. Youmust not forget that you have duties to the State. The times aretroubled and your fortune is great."
"My own affairs must come first at present," Clearchus said bluntly."As for my fortune, of what use is it to me without Artemisia? I mustask you to take charge of it once more for me. I shall give you fullpower, and if I come not back I desire that it shall be devoted to thepublic good as you may see fit."
"I am an old man," Ariston said, with mock hesitation, "but I cannotrefuse the trust under the circumstances if you require it of me. Yet,why dost thou leave Athens?"
"How can I remain here?" Clearchus exclaimed. "My suffering is toogreat. But I knew you would not refuse me," he added in a calmervoice, clasping his uncle by the hand.
"Doubtless they have carried her to some one of the Eastern cities,"Ariston said reflectively. "That is where this Syphax would mostnaturally go, as it seems his hope is to get money. I will write tosuch friends as I have there to be on the watch."
Clearchus groaned. "It will be too late, I fear, before thy letterscan reach them," he said. "I know not what to do nor where to turn."
"Here is Aristotle; let us consult him," Chares said as the philosopherentered.
Aristotle listened attentively while Clearchus and his friends relatedall the circumstances of Artemisia's abduction. He asked manyquestions regarding the particulars of the dream of warning that hadpreceded the attack.
"Some things we know and others we can guess," he said at last. "Onlythe Gods know all. The world is wide. I pity thee, Clearchus, myfriend, with all my heart, and I wish that I might aid thee. It isclear that the warning came from Artemis. I advise thee to seekcounsel from Ph[oe]bus, her brother. Thou art not an unworthy discipleof his, for thy heart is pure and thy hands are clean. Thou lovest thepoets and music. Go to him with faith and perhaps he will aid thee."
Hope appeared upon the face of the young Athenian. "I will go," hesaid. "The great God himself loved Daphne and lost her. He may takecompassion on me. Chares shall remain here and set all things in orderso that we may act quickly if a sign should be given. Will you comewith me, Leonidas, to Delphi?"
"I will," said the Spartan, "and let us go at once; for I can see thatthy heart is sick."