II.
WORDS.
Three days had passed since the awful news from the shore of LakeTrasimenus had plunged Rome into horror and despair. Every hour hadbrought in stragglers: horse, foot, fugitives from the country-side,each bearing his tale of slaughter. Crowds gathered at the gates,swarming about every newcomer, vociferous for his story, and thencursing and threatening the teller because it was what they knew itmust be.
In the atrium of Titus Manlius Torquatus, on the brow of the Palatine,overlooking the New Way, was gathered a company of three: the agedmaster of the house, a type of the Roman of better days, and a worthydescendant of that Torquatus who had won the name; his son Caius, theyouth who had been with Sergius in the Forum; and Lucius Sergiushimself. All were silent and serious.
The elder Torquatus sat by a square fountain ornamented with bronzedolphins, that lay in the middle of the mosaic paving of the apartment.The walls were painted half yellow, half red, after the manner of MagnaGrascia, while around them were ranged the statues of the Manliannobles. The roof was supported in the Tuscan fashion by four beamscrossing each other at right angles, and including between them theopen space above the fountain.
It was the old man who spoke first.
"Do not think, my Lucius, but that I see the justice of your prayer, orthat I wish otherwise than that Marcia should wind wool about yourdoorposts. Still there is much to be said for delay. Surely thesedays are not auspicious ones for marriages, and surely better willcome. You have my pledge, as had my dead friend Marcus Marcius in thematter of her name. Do you think it was nothing for me to call adaughter other than Manlia--and for a plebeian house at that? Yet sheis Marcia. Doubt not that I will keep this word as well."
"Aye, but, father," persisted Sergius, "is it not something that sheshould be mine to protect in time of peril?"
"And who so able to protect as Lucius," put in Caius, with an admiringglance, for Caius Torquatus was six years younger than his friend, andadmired him with all the devotion of a younger man.
"Has it come that our house cannot protect its women?" cried the elderTorquatus. "What more shameful than that our daughter should becarried thus across a Sergian threshold--going like a slave to hermaster!" He spoke proudly and sternly. Then, turning to Sergius, hewent on more gently: "Were you to remain in the city, my son, theremight be more force in what you claim; but you will go out with one ofthe new legions that they will doubtless raise, and you will believe anold man who says that it is not well for a soldier in the field to havea young wife at home."
Sergius flushed and was silent, lest his answer should savour of prideor disrespect toward an elder.
Suddenly they became conscious of a commotion in the street. Shrillcries were borne to their ears, and, a moment later, blows fell uponthe outer door, followed by the grinding noise as it turned upon itspivots. A freedman burst into the atrium.
Titus Torquatus rose from his seat, and half raised his staff as if topunish the unceremonious intrusion. Then he noted the excitement underwhich the man seemed to be labouring, and stood stern and silent tolearn what news could warrant such a breach of decorum.
"It is Maharbal, they say--" and the speaker's voice came almost ingasps--"Maharbal and the Numidians--"
"Not at the gates!" cried both young men, springing to their feet; butthe other shook his head and went on:--
"No, not that--not _yet_, but he has cut up four thousand cavalry inUmbria with Caius Centenius. The consul had sent them from Gaul--"
"Be silent!" commanded the elder Torquatus. "Surely I hear the publiccrier in the street. Is he not summoning the Senate? Velo," he said,turning to the freedman; "you are pardoned for your intrusion. Go,now, and bear orders from me to arm my household, and that my clientsand freedmen wait upon me in the morning. It is possible that theRepublic may call for every man; and though I fear Titus ManliusTorquatus cannot strike the blows he struck in Sicily, yet even _his_sword might avail to pierce light armour; and he is happy in that hecan give those to the State whose muscles shall suffice to drive thepoint through heavy buckler and breastplate."
"Shall it be permitted that I attend you to the Senate House?" askedCaius.
His father inclined his head, and, donning the togas which slaves hadbrought, they hurried into the street, hardly noting that Sergius hadreseated himself and was gazing absently down into the water, countingthe ripples that spread from where each threadlike stream fell from itsdolphin-mouth source.
He did not know how long he had sat thus, nor was he, perhaps,altogether conscious of his motive in failing to pay the aged senatorthe honour of accompanying him, at least so far as the gates of theTemple of Concord. Sounds came to his ears from the apartments above:the trampling of feet and bustle of preparation that told of Velo'sdelivery of his patron's commands. Then a woman's laugh rang throughthe passage that led back to the garden of the peristyle.
Sergius rose and turned, just as a girl sprang out into the atrium,looking back with a laughing challenge to some one who seemed to pursueher, but who hesitated to issue from the protecting darkness.
"What do you fear, Minutia," she cried. "My father and Caius havegone, and there is no one--oh!"
Suddenly she became conscious of Sergius' presence, and her olivecheeks flushed to a rich crimson. Then she faced him with an air ofpretty defiance and went on:--
"No one here but Lucius Sergius Fidenas, who should have businesselsewhere."
Sergius said nothing, but continued to stand with eyes fixedthoughtfully upon her face.
Her figure was tall, slender, and very graceful, her hair and eyes weredark, and her features delicate and perfectly moulded. Over all wasnow an expression of hoydenish mirth that bespoke the completeforgetfulness of serious things that only comes to young girls. Hisattentive silence seemed at last to disturb her. An annoyed look drovethe smile from her lips, and, with an almost imperceptible side motionof her small head, she went on:--
"Surely Lucius Sergius Fidenas has not allowed my father to go to theSenate House with only Caius to attend him! Lucius respects my fathertoo much for that--and too disinterestedly. It is an even more seriousomission than his failure to attend the consul at Trasimenus--"
Sergius' eyes blazed at the taunt, and, struggling with the answer thatrose to his lips, he said nothing for fear he might say too much.
The girl watched him closely. Her mirth returned a little at the sightof his confusion, and, with her mirth, came something of mercy.
"Oh, to be sure, his wound. I almost forgot that. Tell me, my braveLucius, did the Gauls bite hard when they caught you in the woods anddrove you and my brave uncle to Tanes? How funny for naked Gauls toambush Roman legionaries and chase them home! Father has not spoken toUncle Cneus since. He says it was his duty to have remained on thefield, and I suppose he thinks it was yours, too, instead of runningaway like a fox to be shut up in his hole."
Sergius had recovered his composure now, but his brow was clouded.
"You are as cruel as ever, Marcia," he said. "And yet I know you haveheard that it was the men of my maniple who carried me away, senselessfrom the blow of a dead man."
"Oh, you _did_ kill him. I remember now," she resumed, with somedisplay of interest. "You had run him through, had you not? and hejust let his big sword drop on your head. I got Caius to show me aboutit, and I was the Gaul. Caius did not stab me, but I let the stickfall pretty hard, and Caius had a sore head for two days. I meant itfor you, because you are trying to make an old woman of me when I amhardly a girl."
"Marcia--" began Lucius; but she raised her hand warningly and wenton:--
"Do you want me to tell you why my father will not let you marry menow? There are two reasons. One because I don't want him to, andanother because he thinks you must do something great to wipe out thestain of a Roman centurion's even being _carried_ away before theGauls."
"That will be an easy task, judging by the news we receive each day. Iwish I felt as certain o
f the safety of the Republic as I am that myhonour shall be satisfactorily vindicated."
He spoke bitterly, but she went on without taking note of his meaning.
"These are auspicious words, my Lucius. You will regain your honour;father will once more receive you into his favour, and, by that time, Ishall doubtless be old enough to marry,--perhaps too old,--but, no, Imust not wait so long as that. Perhaps I shall have married some oneelse by the time you are worthy of my favour."
"More probably I shall have ceased to care for the favour of living menand women."
"Truly? And you think you will have to die? Perhaps you will be aDecius Mus, and stand on the javelin and wear the Cincture Gabinus; andthen I shall mourn for you and hang so many garlands on your tomb thatall the shades of your friends will be mad with jealousy--"
"Marcia, is it possible for you to be serious?"
He was pale with suppressed passion, and, as he spoke, he steppedforward and laid his hand upon her wrist.
She sprang back and half raised a light staff she carried, while herface flushed crimson.
"I will be more serious than will please you," she said, "if you pleaseme as little as you do now. Learn, I am not your wife that you shouldseek to restrain me, and it is quite possible that I never shall be."
"You speak truly," he said; "it is quite possible that no woman shallbe a new mother to the house of Fidenas--that our name shall die in me.So be it; and may the gods only avert the evils that threaten theRepublic, nor look upon one of the race of the Trojan Segestes as anunworthy offering."
Bending his head in respectful salutation, he turned toward theentrance hall.
Marcia stood silent beside the fountain, and her face clouded withthought. The sound of her lover's footsteps grew fainter and fainter.She started forward as if to follow him. Then she stopped andlistened. The noise of the street had drowned their echoes; the doorhad creaked twice on its pivots. He was gone. Then she called,"Lucius!" but there was no answer. Her eyes drooped with a littlefrown of regret, but in a moment she turned away laughing.
"Never mind. He cannot do anything very desperate yet, and I willtreat him better next time--perhaps."