Neæra: A Tale of Ancient Rome

by Joel Chandler Harris

  CHAPTER II.

  Fabricius got into his curtained litter, and the youth, who was the bearerof the summons, led the way across the Tiber to a tavern under MountAventine, in the heart of the wharves and warehouses, of the teeminghaunts of sailors, and the thousands whose livelihood depended on theships and commerce which crowded the quays of the busy river.

  Here, in an upper room, the old man was brought into the presence of onewhom he did not recognise; but when the stranger removed a peruke, andreared himself upright, as Martialis, he hastened to embrace him with aglad cry.

  It will be needless to recount what passed between them during the twohours they remained together; or to portray the emotion of Fabricius,already much tried. He perceived that the narrative of the Centurion wassubstantially the same as that he had heard from Cestus, so far asregarded Neaera; and when he had exhausted his fond ingenuity of inquiry,he put his hand into his bosom and solemnly drew out an article, which heplaced in the hand of his companion. It was an intaglio on cornelian, thelikeness of a woman's face, graved with an exquisite art unapproached inmodern times. When Martialis saw it he started in surprise.

  'Is there a resemblance?--you start!' cried Fabricius breathlessly.

  'So great, that I seem to trace Neaera herself in the face,' replied theyoung man; 'and yet it cannot be herself--who, then?'

  Fabricius was so overcome with extreme joy that he could not reply forsome moments. At last, in tremulous tones, he said, 'It is her mother'spicture--done before her marriage--not long before. If she be like this,then I shall know the child, and so get my own again. O boy, what astrange working of the gods is here! That I should lose my little maid,and, after long years, you, the son of my old friend, should love her allunknowingly.'

  'Nay, Fabricius, there is nothing strange in my loving her,' returnedMartialis; 'it was only wonderful that I should have met her, of allwomen--having seen her and spoken to her, the rest followed infallibly.'

  The old man smiled, and rose to go.

  'It grows late--to-morrow I will start for Surrentum. I cannot travel asrapidly as yourself, my Lucius, and, by the time you reach Capreae, Ishall have done no more than to have arrived at my journey's end, thoughwith two days' start.'

  'Farewell! Let not Cestus nor any one know of my presence,' said theCenturion.

  Fabricius went away home, and on the morrow, though later than he hadgiven orders for, he set out on the southern road, with Cestus, Natta, anda retinue of slaves.

  Martialis, at the end of the second tedious day, went to receive theanswer to Caesar's epistle, and, after securing it carefully, set out alsoon his return.

  On the second morning following this, about dawn, Zeno entered his cell inthe villa Neptune, and found him lying fast asleep on his bed. He wentaway at once and reported the same to the Emperor, who himself proceededwith little delay to visit the returned prisoner.

  When he entered, the latter was still asleep, and received a shake on theshoulder from the Imperial hand.

  'So, you have returned,' said Tiberius, as Martialis leapt to his feet andsaluted; 'the letter.'

  Martialis ripped the cloth of his inner garment and took out the despatch.Caesar stepped aside and broke the seal, and ran his eye briefly over thecontents.

  'Good!' he said, with a brightened eye, as he rolled up the paper; 'haveyou succeeded in keeping yourself unrecognised?'

  'Perfectly well, Caesar, for anything I know to the contrary,' repliedMartialis. 'I entered and came away from the city at nightfall, and lodgednear the Porta Navalis, where there was small chance ofrecognition--especially in my disguise.'

  'A savoury part to be lodged in, and, as you say, not often liable to thevisits of your comrades from the opposite side of the city. You havecarried out my commission perfectly well--what of your own business?'

  'So please you, Caesar, there is little doubt as to the identity of mybetrothed. It can be satisfactorily proved that she is the grandchild ofFabricius, stolen from him when she was but a child.'

  'So much the better for you in every way--how do you propose to prove it?'

  'As soon as you wish. Fabricius has left Rome, and should be in Surrentumere now, with those who can give testimony.'

  'And does that testimony still incriminate the worthy nephew?'

  'It does.'

  'Ah!' said Tiberius, with grim irony, 'I am more and more interested. Iwill send for the aged Fabricius and his friends, and administer thismatter myself. Where in the town is the old man to be found?'

  'He is to be found, or to be heard of, at the villa of his friend Asinius,whom he proposed to visit.'

  'I foresee an interesting scene--no time must be lost,' said Tiberius,turning to the door.

  'And my betrothed, Caesar--is she well?' said the lover.

  'For aught I know--they had my orders to tend her well. They would scarcelydisobey.'