Neæra: A Tale of Ancient Rome

by Joel Chandler Harris

  CHAPTER XVI.

  To return to Plautia, whom we left on the way from Tucca's cottage to thevilla Jovis, in the stormy, gray dawn.

  Her litter was set down at a side door of the palace, and Zeno, thesteward, stood by to hand her out. His proffered courtesy was loftilyignored, so he turned on his heel and led the way inside.

  Not a living soul was to be seen; it was, doubtless, before the usual hourfor any one of the Imperial household to be astir about the duties of theday.

  The Greek brought them into a small peristyle close at hand. He threw openthe door of a handsomely appointed room, and the noise brought forward,from within, three or four young female slaves, particularly noticeablefor their good looks.

  'My prison?' ejaculated Plautia grimly.

  The Greek's face grew pitiable with an injured look.

  'Caesar has ordered these apartments for your use; and these slaves willbe under your orders,' said he, bowing her in with a deep obeisance.Plautia gave a haughty nod and passed in with her own attendant. Zenogently closed the door upon them, and his deprecating look gave place to asatisfied grin, as he hurried away to a different portion of the palace,in order to report to his master.

  Plautia found that the room formed one of a suite. After the unwontedexperience of a husbandman's kennel, the space and luxurious arrangementsof these apartments could not fail to draw from her a sigh ofsatisfaction, in spite of her position.

  The state of her mind was indeed unenviable.

  After the horror and misery of the night in her wretched quarters, thebrief moments of slumber, which fell, finally, on her exhausted senses,had not sufficed to relieve her fevered mind. They had seemed, instead, tohave only sunk her faculties into the first leaden state of suspension,--tohave lulled the wakefulness of her tortured brain, and plunged it into thehorrors of a narcotic sleep, amid whose heavy vapours, her strugglingreflections became the distorted phantasms of an oppressive dream.

  Even yet her mind had not recovered sufficient elasticity to entirelythrow off this soporific load. Stupor still seemed to clog her senses andmaintain her in a condition of waking sleep. The scenes of the past nightstill floated through her brain and mingled with what was actuallyoccurring, as if on common ground of unsubstantiality. The pale, softcrescent of the moon hung phantom-like in her distempered mind, just as ithad struck upon her gaze over the Pretorian's shoulder; save that now itsbulk swam magnified, and its paleness shone intensified to ghastliness.Then the play of his warm breath on her forehead, and one or two of hisgestures, which lived, as if fire-impressed in her brain--all the sharper,in relief to the dark, blurred, frenzied moments of sudden agony anddespair which had followed, like a gulf of blackness. After this hermental awakening in the pitchy darkness and crash of the sudden storm, themisery of the night, the phantoms of her short drowsiness, the coming ofCaesar's messenger, the cold gray of sea and sky, the palace--it was alllike the unbroken course of a shadow-play.

  She moved through the rooms, and, in the furthest, found the marble basinof a bath with all appliances. With more animation, she turned instantly,and bade the flock of young slaves prepare it for her immediate use. Tohave been obliged to forego, for a considerable period, this luxury sonecessary to a Roman, had been not the lightest privation she had incurredin her headstrong expedition.

  The crystal water, foaming and flooding out of the brazen dolphin's mouthinto the polished basin, was so welcome a sight as to rouse her not alittle. Whilst preparing to enjoy it, one of the slaves answered a summonsat the outer door, and brought back a message, saying, that Caesar wouldpay her a visit in an hour.

  Infinitely revived and invigorated, Plautia returned from the bath to eatand drink. She had recovered also so much of her ancient humour, as tovisit with a sharp word and a frown, a slight clumsiness on the part ofthe trembling girl who served her on bended knee. The lady's face had lostsome of its customary richness of colour, whilst dark rings showed underher eyes, as evidences of the night's passionate tumult; but to one of herphysical robustness and wanton health, it required an enormous andcontinuous strain to make any material inroads on her outward appearance.The slaves apportioned to her, who had dwelt in secret on the splendidform and beauty of their new mistress, wondering what princess she mightbe, and whence she had come, now marked the imperious flash of her eyeswith inward quaking.

  Plautia dismissed them, and awaited the coming of her Imperial visitor.The thoughtful knitting of her brows and lips were beginning to relaxunder the drowsiness which crept over her, when the pale, blotched face,and tall, stooping form of Tiberius glided slowly into her presence.

  He stopped in the middle of the room, and his brilliant eyes fixedthemselves upon her with a scrutiny which she seemed to feel in every partof her frame. Not a sign, however, glimmered in their depths, or stirredthe gravity of his countenance, to show that her appearance in any waymoved him.

  She rose from the couch and gave a slight obeisance of her head, which hereturned. He was familiar enough to her by sight; but now, on closepersonal contact, there was something which struck her uncomfortably.Whether it was the piercing ruthlessness of his gaze she knew not. Shebegan to think uneasily, that she had been wise if she had listened to theadvice she had scouted more than once already. Her keen feminineperceptions flashed out upon him. It was the odour of the tiger of whichshe had been so heedless; and yet, withal, an old, stooping, emaciated,unsightly man. Her thoughts, from some curious fancy, momentarily left herown concerns, and conjured up alongside Caesar the form of his handsome,ambitious, dashing Prefect. The comparison left its mark on her mind.Returning to herself, her indignation and her courage, she awaited to hearhim speak.

  'Plautia, I bid you welcome to my house,' he said, in his slow way. 'Notuntil last night did I know you had favoured the island with yourbeautiful presence. I have hastened, therefore, to give you a more fittingreception than the hovel of a husbandman can afford. It was unkind thus tosteal upon my island home with the intention of leaving it again assilently.'

  'I have no claim upon your hospitality, Caesar,' replied Plautia; 'I camehither on a trifling concern of my own, and sought to disturb no one. Thepoor house in which I lodged was freely chosen, and willingly endured forthe short time of my stay. To-day was to have seen my departure, andindeed will do so. I am grieved that you should have learnt of mypresence, and so caused you kindly trouble on my account. If my intrusioninto Capreae is wrong and impertinent, I crave your gracious pardon andindulgence. Indeed, no disrespect was intended.'

  'Dismiss all that from your mind,' said Tiberius; 'the only fact whichgives me pain is, that you should have sought to deprive us of the delightof your fair presence; I repeat, it was unkind.'

  'It is not for me to thrust myself upon a stranger's hospitality--much lessupon Caesar's.'

  'Hospitality despised is the grievance, Plautia.'

  The old Emperor's manner was highly-bred, perfectly graceful, andpolished, and a smile gently parted his lips. Nevertheless, in spite ofthe delicate, deprecating speech which fell so softly, slowly, butfluently from his honied tongue, every word seemed but the tinkling ofartifice. Had she dared to retort as she felt, she would have said thathospitality enforced was as grievous a burden as hospitality despised.

  With this idea firmly in possession of her mind, she recognised her jailerbefore her, and felt the grim hardness of the captor's hand toying withher through the soft sheathing of ceremony and politeness. Nevertheless itwas not her nature to feel fear, and she never quailed.

  'That is all past,' continued the Emperor; 'youth and loveliness are rightand might in themselves. In their presence it is possible for no ruffle ofthe mind to remain unsmoothed. Now that you have graciously honoured myhouse, all is well, and----'

  'Pardon, Caesar! I was brought hither, favour or no favour,' interruptedPlautia majestically.

  'But now since you have honoured me,' continued he, with the sameunruffled smile, 'my spirit is at rest. Be pleased to use my
house and allit contains, as if it were your own. Your will shall be law within thelimits of Capreae. Small as this island is, it contains some beauties,which we shall be eager to show, and which have been deemed worthy ofnotice. It may be you have never visited them before.'

  'Once as a child, I think,' replied Plautia, with a rigid aspect. 'Yourproffered kindness is beyond words of mine to acknowledge, but I regretthat my engagements will not allow to take advantage of it. I must returnhome without further delay--it is imperative.'

  Tiberius shook his head and forefinger at her playfully.

  'I could not allow you to carry out a determination which you would regretto your dying day. The island would grow black with scowls were I tosuffer the fair Plautia to quit it in such haste. Besides which, thefurious wind and sea renders it impossible. Hark, how the storm roars!'

  'I will risk the sea and the wind--I fear them not!'

  'Possibly; but it is otherwise with those whose business it would be totransport you to the opposite shore. Nor would I consent for one moment tothe hazard--and though a feeble old man, I am obeyed somewhat.'

  'No one shall run any hazard for me, if it come to that. I will pay anyfisherman the cost of his boat twice over, and go myself.'

  Tiberius suffered an expression of admiration to gleam on his face as thedeep colour flushed in her cheeks, and the mettle sparkled in her eyes.

  'Permit me, fair Plautia!' said he, stepping forward and raising her handto his lips; 'what have I lost in not knowing you before? What sodelightful to aging eyes as the spectacle of youth and beauty and highspirit? Doubly grateful to me the assurance, that the spirit of my peoplewill hardily live and flourish. 'Tis such women as you who have nourishedthe masters of the world, and with such as you left behind me, I may diein the comforting knowledge that dominion will not leave them. But tocross those miles of stormy water alone! Ah, it is wonderful courage--itconquers me! But it cannot be--it is madness! Were I to allow it I wouldesteem myself your murderer. No, no, you must live, and be the mother ofheroes!'

  'It is imperative that I return home immediately, and I entreat that youwill not seek to detain me,' said Plautia, with fierce rage eating herheart.

  'It remains a marvel to us how you came to land here without the factbeing duly reported,' said Tiberius, as if he were stone deaf; 'it was afeat quite in accordance with your spirit, to be able to cheat thevigilance on which we pride ourselves. Can it be possible that youalighted in our midst as the soft goddess herself would do?'

  'Had it been so, I would have retired in the same manner ere this,' shereplied, with scarcely veiled scorn.

  The Emperor laughed silently.

  'Thank heaven,' he said, 'which leaves you dependent on mortal means oflocomotion like the rest of us, and so preserves your presence to us. I,myself, prefer warm flesh and blood to these airy immortals whom we neverknow, save in the fables of the poets. I leave you, therefore, for thepresent, lady, with the satisfaction that you cannot depart through theair. I am the richer in your acquaintance, which must be extended. Nowthat I have the assurance of my own eyes of your comfort, I will intrudeno longer at present.'

  'For that receive my thanks, Caesar,' she cried, advancing, as he retired;'but circumstances make it impossible for me to remain--at all hazards Imust quit the island.'

  'To-day it is quite impossible,' returned Tiberius, gliding nearer thedoor; 'to-morrow, I am satisfied, your mind will be changed. Till then,farewell, fair Plautia!'

  As the last word left his lips he contrived to retreat, and summarilyclose the conference by shutting the door upon it, yet so dexterously asto leave no impression of unseemly haste. Plautia sprang after him, buther devoted slave seized her skirts and besought her to be prudent.

  'Fool!' cried her mistress in a fury, flashing out at the same time asuperb oath and a blow. Her retainer started back in affright, and Plautiarushed out into the peristyle. Not a sight or a sound of a living beingwere distinguishable. She flew along what seemed to be the Emperor's mostlikely line of retreat, and boldly called upon him in loud tones. Butnothing answered save the short echo of her own voice: the place seemeddeserted. Passage ran out of passage in bewildering intricacy. Again shestopped and called, and again the echoes sank around her into deadsilence, as she stood with her senses strained to their utmost. Was thepalace really inhabited? If so, what part? She pressed on again, keepingto what she assumed was the main corridor. Suddenly her course was stoppedby a door. In the dim light she sought in vain for a handle or latch, oranything which might cause the door to yield. Nothing but a smooth hardsurface met her touch, wherever it strayed: there was not even a keyhole.Wasting no time, therefore, she instantly turned back. On either hand shehad passed the entrances of room after room. She darted in and out,exploring them with wonderful energy. She was fully roused, but more withpassion than sense of danger. Her explorations, however, availed hernothing. Some of the apartments were furnished, and more were just as theworkmen's hands had left them. All alike were uninhabited. Forming anotherresolution, she relinquished this task, in order to make her way back toher own apartments. The time to be consumed in this, however, was a matterdependent on chance, since her movements had become merely at random. Withnothing to guide her she hastened along, doubling on her track now andagain when she considered herself to be wrong, or when her flying stepsled her into a _cul-de-sac_. At last she struck the right path, andfinally ran out into the peristyle of her own rooms, very much relieved inmind and temper, and scant of breath. She found she had made a circuit ofthe maze. Nearly opposite, her slave was standing by the open door, whereshe had been left in the agonies of doubt and fear.

  ''Tis nothing but a maze of empty passages and rooms,' exclaimed hermistress, bursting on her savagely. 'Where the people dwell, I knownot--nor where the old dotard has disappeared to. I had caught him if youhad not held me, fool. Come, let us see if we cannot find the outer doorthrough which we entered, and so let us begone; it was nigh at handsomewhere.'

  Plautia had no recollection of the way, but her companion had been moreattentive. They went almost straight to the narrow outer door which theyrequired. To their joy it opened to their touch, and they passed outside.Before them was a long stretch of ornamental garden of irregular shape,but rectangular in the main. It was picturesquely laid out with artificialmounds, grottoes, and groves, in the miniature semblance of a sylvanwilderness, and the whole was encircled by a wall. In this outside domain,as within-doors, no living being was visible.

  The storm still roared and blustered. The winding irregular parapet of thewall was the horizon, and above it the gray watery masses of clouds droveacross the sky. Even, sheltered as they were, the trees and shrubs of thetiny thickets and groves bent low to the blast.

  It had, of course, been previously necessary to pass through a portion ofthis garden to enable them to reach the door of the palace. They proceededat once to search for the entrance, and found it amid the winding depthsof a grove and ornamental rockery-work. It profited them nothing, however,for the door was as fast and firm as the wall in which it was embedded.They hurried on, looking for an opening, or a weak spot in the ring ofmasonry, for it was too lofty to afford any hope of surmountal. To hide itfrom view had taxed the utmost ingenuity of arrangement; but the effortsof the gardeners had met with considerable success.

  When the two females had swiftly threaded a succession of miniaturealleys, glades, groves, and rocky glens, to the furthest end of thegarden, and were skirting along the opposite side, on their returnjourney, their eyes were suddenly gladdened by observing the forbiddingwall slope abruptly down, and continue at a considerably lower level.Moreover, here and there the earth was heaped up in grassy mounds, withinthree or four feet of the top. Up one of these Plautia sprang with a cryof joy. Reaching the summit, she stood aghast, for, as she peered over theparapet, nothing stood between her and the gray foam-streaked water, morethan a thousand feet below. Leaning over, she looked down the smooth wall,cunningly faced with the verge of the sheer cliff
s, right down into thewaters, roaring and dashing into spouts of foam against the rocks far awayat the bottom. Nothing but a sea-bird could ever set a foot there.

  She shivered and drew back, and the slave gave a cry of dismay. One or twoobservations more, where opportunity offered, gave the same result, andthus they arrived back at the palace. There was a wall of smooth-dressedstone on one hand, high and unscaleable, and on the other was a leap of athousand feet, plumb down into the foaming sea.

  The Roman damsel looked from one to the other with a fierce glance. Shewas entrapped, beyond doubt, and like a trapped animal she stood for a fewmoments, as if at bay, with scowling brows and labouring breast.

  The slave observed, and stood discreetly back.

  'Come!' said Plautia, suddenly wheeling toward the entrance of the villa,'we can do nothing out here but starve ourselves; we must play the fox andnot the lion; let us get in again and wait for a fool's face.'