CHAPTER III.
The following day had been fixed by Tiberius for the formal betrothal ofhis daughter-in-law Livia to the Prefect; and with the intention of diningand passing the night at the villa Neptune, so as to be in readiness forthe ceremony, the Imperial lady set out thitherwards, from her own palace,attended by a numerous retinue. A special command had been received toinclude the unhappy Neaera among the latter.
The past few days had wrought a change in her appearance. Her form hadwasted, and her face was thin and wan with excess of mental affliction.Much as Martialis had suffered, she was even more overwhelmed at theagonising sight of her lover and protector torn away by the soldiers, towhat, she concluded, would be an ignominious punishment, or perhaps death.After a sleepless night of horror, she was transferred to the dwelling ofLivia, where she was well cared for. This important lady was vergingtoward middle age; was of somewhat masculine appearance, and as haughtyand full of ambition as her intended husband. But, being duly acquaintedwith Neaera's story, even her proud nature could not help unbending withpity. The girl's beauty also impressed her, and she placed her inattendance on herself, and caused her to lay aside her poor homelygarments for more suitable apparel.
The Prefect, when he came, was curious to see her and bent admiring eyeson her. 'It is no wonder Martialis should dare so much,' he saidgallantly, not to say grandiloquently, after his fashion before women. 'Heis the best of my Centurions--but have courage; I will put this matterstraight. He is something to me as well as to you. They have penned himup, but I will have him at liberty ere long. He knows you are safe, sotake heart.'
With a mind dazed and only half-conscious through suffering, Neaera wasthankful for the encouraging words of this personage, whom she surmised tobe some one of high position. When she fell back to where the group ofattendants were standing, one of them whispered to her that it was thePrefect who had spoken to her. A great load fell from her thankful heartat the words. She gazed back with something like awe at the most fearedand powerful man at that moment in the empire. From Martialis she hadlearned much, from time to time, concerning him; and the assurance, comingfrom the mighty personage's own lips, changed at once her agony into hope.
Another sorrow haunted her with an intensity of suspense. Her father--wherewas he? Was he sick or dying as she had been told? A mysterious dread ofill weighed upon her. The details of her own rough and forcible abductioncould not fail but impress her mind with a sense of some evil-doing, so,at the first opportunity, she began her efforts to obtain informationrespecting the potter. Those whom she asked either denied all knowledge ofhim or gave evasive answers. In one or two cases, her strong suspicionswere aroused that actual knowledge was not wanting, by the hesitatingmanner in which a negative answer was made. More than ever alarmed by theconfused and embarrassed manner of those who seemed to falter before herearnest gaze, her acute anxiety at length emboldened her to speak to Liviaherself. The lady received the application condescendingly, and promisedthat inquiries should be made at the palace. Later on the same day shesummoned Neaera and made known to her the fact of the potter's death. Hehad been taken ill with a sudden and strange sickness, and had only liveda few hours afterward. Such were the fatal words which fell on thestricken girl's ears, and, after the first gust of wild grief had passedaway, a brooding melancholy possessed her. Her lover was a close prisoner,whose fate hung on the whim of Caesar. The gentle, simple-minded, sweet-natured potter, whom she had filially loved and revered with all thestrength of her nature, being also reft from her, no wonder the burden ofher sorrow sapped the beauty swiftly from her face, leaving hollow eyesand thin cheeks. She knew that Martialis had been removed to the villaNeptune, and, by the last report, was still there, so, when she receivedintimation to accompany Livia thither, her heart bounded and her eyesbrightened. The journey itself, and the melancholy satisfaction that ateach step she was nigher to her lover, did something to restore morecolour to her cheek and vivacity to her manner. But what was herunutterable delight, when no other than Zeno, the steward, appeared beforeher, not long after her arrival, and led her away into a room where shesaw Tibia waiting alone to receive her. With an indescribable cry ofthankfulness and relief she sprang forward, and the two women were lockedin each other's fast embrace. Neaera was shocked to see the ravages whichaffliction had wrought in her mother's appearance, and the heartbrokenwidow, on her part, scanned the pale face of her fosterchild withtenderness and pity. When Neaera had related her experiences, since she hadbeen taken away from her home, she led Tibia on gently, in her turn, tospeak of herself, and of him they had so looked up to, and reverenced. Butas the dame came at length to mention her husband, her voice broke down atthe word, and she got no further. They said no more--all that was in theirhearts was merged in silent weeping. The wonder of Neaera was no less thanher joy at the presence of the dame in the island, but the latter seemedloth to give any explanation thereof, and tried to turn from the subjectas often as it was put.
Neaera, at last, pressed the matter in an unavoidable manner. 'Mother,' shesaid, 'you have not yet told me how you contrived to get here. Did theybring you away as they brought me? Or did you come of your own accord toseek me? It was strange if you were able to enter here alone.'
'No--I came with others,' said Tibia. 'You shall know everything.' Shestopped and turned her eyes to the floor, and her breast began to heavewith emotion.
A dull, chill horror sank into Neaera's heart. Her mind was prone to fear,being overcharged and susceptible through long and dark brooding.
'Speak!' she whispered. 'What new trouble is this? Tell me--I can bear it.'
The old woman glanced up into the girl's face, and, divining the signs ofterror which dwelt there, took her hand caressingly.
'It is no new trouble, thank the gods,' she faltered. 'We have had plentyof that. Nay, I must call it rather happiness----'
'Ah, I thought you were about to tell me something terrible of Lucius,'murmured Neaera, drawing a deep breath, as a great load, like the shadow ofdeath, slid from her mind.
'No! It is of yourself. It is time you must know all,' said Tibia. 'Child,you must never call me mother any more.'
It hardly needs to tell the start of surprise which Neaera gave at thesewords. Through her amazement, the strange wistfulness of the dame's glanceand her broken, pathetic tones struck to her heart. She threw her armsaround her aged neck.
'What is it you are saying?' she cried. 'Why do you look like that? Whatis it I am to know? Am I to lose mother as well? Mother you are, andalways must be.'
For some moments Tibia remained in silence within the arms of the younggirl, as if unable to force herself from the warmth of what might be thelast heartfelt, daughterlike caress. Then at length she slowly upliftedthe shapely arms, and, as she did so, pressed one hand of the girl to herlips, whilst the tears trickled down from her eyes.
'Neaera,' she said, 'I have lost my husband, and now the gods will that youshall be taken from me. I have tended you, watched you, and loved you likea mother; but--but, Neaera, we never thought the time would come, nor yetthe need to tell you that--that you are not our child. For I have been abarren stock--I never bore a child into the world.'
They sat looking at each other. Tibia, with a pleading, timid expressionin her meek eyes, which the tender-hearted girl could not withstand,despite her speechless incredulity and wonder. She thought for the momentthat the dame's sufferings had, perhaps, deranged her faculties, and then,as with a sudden and swift ray of light, her mind recalled one or twocircumstances which had puzzled her strangely hitherto. She remembered onthat day just as Cestus first appeared in the workshop at home, whenaddressing the potter as father, he replied in the negative with all theevidences of powerful emotion. Nothing had been ever added in explanation,and the hasty disavowal of relationship had presently sunk out of activespeculation beneath other matters, and had been thought of no more. Again,the frantic words of Martialis, as he was hurried away from the presenceof
Caesar, had been wild and inexplicable to her ears at the moment oftheir utterance, but, in the agony of her thoughts, they had also fallenunheeded. What did it all mean?
'I--not your child, mother,' she said slowly. 'Do you know what you aresaying? You are forgetting--alas, this cruel trouble--it has been too muchfor you to bear!'
'I know what you mean, child, but it is not so,' returned Tibia, in a lowvoice; 'it is true, indeed, I never was a mother. You were brought to us alittle thing--a very little thing--by Cestus, my brother, for safe-keeping.We never saw or heard of him again till this present visit. We thought hemust be dead, and that you, therefore, would never be claimed; so welooked upon you as our own, and never allowed you to know otherwise. Whatelse could we have done? He told us you were an orphan--a poor man'schild--without kith or kin. Now he has come to claim you. Your grandfatheris here now in this great house. He is neither poor nor mean. He is agreat and wealthy nobleman, and you a great lady. Alas, we did notknow--Cestus has done a wicked thing; but idle and evil he ever was from aboy in our father's cottage.'
Neaera sat silent and motionless, listening as in a dream. The blood surgedlike a fiery flood through her veins, and then fled back as suddenly,leaving her cold and pale as death. Her mind was in a whirl, and her ideaswere helplessly tossing in a hurly-burly of confusion. It was pardonable,in the first moments of strange wonder, that her wild but vivid thoughtsflew to the future. Reared amid humble associations, what a new world ofhopes, ideas, and curiosity flooded her dizzying brain with sensationshere indescribable. Masthlion not her father--nor Tibia her mother! Hergrandfather a stranger, awaiting her even now--a noble! She was afraidalready. What did it all mean? and why had she been thus treated? Now shethought she saw the reason of the unhappy restraint and mysterious troublewhich had clouded their home during the sojourn of Cestus. She had beenright in ascribing it in some way to his influence. She turned her eyes onTibia, who was watching her in deep suspense. There, at least, was hermother in heart and deed, and she opened her arms to her.
'Mother, I am bewildered! How came I to be with you my life long, if I am,as you say, the child of another--the child of great and wealthy people?Ah, but that you have told me this strange thing I could scarce believeit.'
Tibia received her with a grateful heart, and held her close while shetold her the whole story.
'It was a wicked deed that Cestus did, but he was tempted by one worsethan himself,' said she, concluding; 'evil he was without doubt, but, tomy mind, your kinsman was more to blame, for it was he who planned it. Youwere nothing to my poor brother till he was tempted with gold. Ah, child,do not be too hard upon him. If he did you and yours bitter wrong,remember that he preserved you when he was paid to take your life.'
'And this kinsman--who is he, and is he alive?' asked Neaera, in a hushedvoice.
'I do not know--he may, or may not be. We are here for your grandsire toclaim you, and you will soon know everything. When you go to Rome to liveamong the great people there, will you remember the poor cottage that wasyour home so long?'
'Go where I may you must still be with me,' replied Neaera; 'how could Iforget? I was happy--oh, my poor father, if he had only lived!'
The tears of both began to flow again, and, for a long time, they remainedsilent and occupied with their own thoughts.
They were roused by the entrance of Zeno, who summoned them to follow him.Neaera drew a sharp breath, and trembled with nervous expectation as shestood up to obey.
'Keep near me, mother,' she whispered, as she clutched the dame's handtightly; 'and yet, for the sake of Lucius, ought I not to be glad?'
The apartment into which they were brought was tolerably well filled withcompany. Tiberius sat on a slightly raised seat, and, in a lower chair, atone side, was seated his daughter-in-law Livia. Sejanus was at her side,whilst conversing in knots, at a respectful distance, were others of thecourt. Flaccus, Priscus, Marinus, Atticus, the devoted friends of theEmperor, were there, as well as Afer and two or three other followers ofthe Prefect. Caesar himself was speaking in a low tone with Thrasullus,the astrologer, who stood at his elbow; next to whom was Seleucus, anotherphilosopher, buried in deep reflection. Behind the Imperial chair was, asusual, the gigantic Nubian, and still further in rear, other slaves inwaiting, including the females in attendance on Livia. Neaera and the dame,marshalled by Zeno, entered the presence with hesitating steps, and haltednear the door--Tibia, with the abashed feelings of her humble timid nature,and the maiden, with an agitation which the circumstances of her positionrendered positively painful. She clung tenaciously to the hand of the dameas she ran her eyes hastily over the company. She was even comforted toobserve Livia present, and her heart throbbed violently as she castfugitive glances upon each gray head, in vain wonder as to the identity ofher aged relative.
At Caesar's sign the steward brought them forward in front of his chair.In the hollow of his left hand, Tiberius held the same intaglio whichFabricius had shown to Martialis, in the tavern under the Aventine. Hestudied it, in conjunction with the face of the maiden before him, withclose attention, and then, without a word, handed it to Thrasullus. Thephilosopher, after a rapid comparison, returned it to the Imperial hand,giving a significant nod. Tiberius raised his voice and called to Afer,who immediately broke off his conversation and approached.
'Hither--I want your opinion,' said the Emperor, holding out the intaglio;'cast your eyes on this graven stone, and thence on the face of thismaiden before us, and tell me if you perceive any resemblance.'
The rest of the company edged nearer with curiosity.
Afer took the likeness, and, as he did so, bent his gaze on Neaera'sbeautiful face, with the same supercilious smile, which had proved sooffensive to her in Masthlion's shop. She recognised him readily, andcoloured with displeasure, as she haughtily reared her head, and avertedher eyes.
'Have you met before?' asked Tiberius, closely watching them.
'Yes, Caesar, to the best of my memory,' returned the knight, removing hiseyes from her face and turning them to the miniature for the first time.He gave an almost imperceptible movement of surprise, and his browsknitted closely over his hooked nose, as he gazed at the portrait in hishand.
'Where then was the meeting?' asked Caesar.
'In Surrentum--if I mistake not, in a potter's shop. But she is betterknown, I believe, to the Centurion Martialis,' replied Afer, with theunfailing curl of his lip, half smile and half sneer.
There was a gentle titter; the face of the young girl became crimson, andshe dropped her head. Tibia, despite her timidity, cast an indignantglance at the speaker and those smiling around, as she drew the maidennearer to her.
'It may be so, but I wait your opinion with regard to the resemblancewhich seemed to strike me,' said Tiberius; 'you also appear to be verystrongly impressed with the likeness, Afer.'
'In truth, I confess I am,' returned the knight, as his eyes returnedagain to the cornelian with a puzzled air; 'I admit there is a stronglikeness, especially in the eyes and mouth, though this is taken from awoman somewhat older. I seem to know the face, and yet----'
'Doubtless you do, for it belongs to a relative of your own,' saidTiberius. 'He has honoured us with a visit, and here he is.'
All eyes followed the glance of Caesar, and saw Fabricius, followed byNatta and an elderly fellow-servant, appear through the curtains whichcovered the entrance of an inner room.
The old senator came forward with an erect body and firm step. His facewas very pale and stern, and, as he advanced with a measured step, he kepthis eyes persistently fixed upon the persons of Tiberius and hisgranddaughter, to the determined exclusion of every one else.
Afer was transfixed with amazement, and barely saved himself from utteringan exclamation. Had his house on the Esquiline suddenly planted itselfbefore him, his face could scarcely have shown more unrestrained surprise.
'Welcome, noble Fabricius,' said Tiberius, as the old man made a deepobeisance before him and Livia; 'welcome to Capreae--we ar
e busy in thisaffair of yours. Your worthy nephew looks dumfounded at seeing you.'
'Uncle!' cried the wondering voice of Afer, now released by the words ofCaesar; 'you here! This is strange!'
The knight took a step or two forward, and then hesitated. The old mangave him not the least sign of acknowledgment, but, raising his glance forthe first time, met the lustrous eyes of Neaera fixed upon him, with aworld of anxiety in their depths. The occasional deep heaves of her bosomshowed that she was holding her breath in her agitation, and the burninggaze of Fabricius seemed to pierce her with its intensity. He placed onehand over his heart, and a flush covered his wan face. Another moment helooked, and then stretched forth his arms toward her with a strange cry--
'Aurelia--my Aurelia! My child!'
The poignant accents and the unaccustomed name thrilled through her withindescribable sensations. With no less power, but in a different way, theold man's words startled his nephew as with an electrical shock. Reachinghis uncle's side at a stride, he grasped his arm, and said sternly, andalmost fiercely, 'What is this, uncle? Is this folly still so strongwithin you? How came you here in the name of the gods? and in what doesthis wench concern you? Do you thus accost every girl you see? She isnothing but a potter's girl of Surrentum.'
'Stay, Fabricius, you are hasty,' spoke Tiberius; 'let us hear what thesepeople have to say.'
Recalled to himself, Fabricius, with his eyes yet fixed on Neaera, steppedback to a place beside Thrasullus, without deigning his nephew a look or aword. Afer's brows met with an angry scowl, and he abruptly folded hisarms across his breast, whilst muttering some hasty wrathful words. Everyone looked curiously on, and, in the momentary silence which suddenlyensued, the voice of Natta was heard, in an eager undertone, speaking tohis fellow-servant. Urged by their keen interest the pair had pressedforward beyond their proper station, and were peering through the circleof their superiors at Neaera. The old steward's demeanour was excited, butat the impatient sign of his master he and his companion fell back totheir proper station.
'Noble Fabricius here, a Senator of Augustus, well known to us of olddays,' said Tiberius, 'lost a grandchild years ago. Unable to trace her,in spite of every effort, he yet preserves hope. The likeness which youhave seen is that of the mother of the lost child. Fabricius has at last,he thinks, fair grounds for supposing he has recovered the missing girl.Be it our business to inquire into the proofs.'
'To what purpose, uncle?' said Afer, with angry impatience. 'Is it notabsurd to ground a belief upon a mere resemblance to a graven gem? It canonly end in fruitless disgust, as hitherto. Cease to harass yourself anylonger by pursuing an _ignis fatuus_; be guided by me, I pray you. Leavethese impostors to me, as you were wont, and I will unmask them.'
'I pray you, Caesar, proceed,' said Fabricius briefly, without taking anynotice of his nephew.
With an expression of unutterable disgust and anger, the knight fell backa pace or two. 'With your permission, Caesar, I will retire,' he said; 'Icannot listen to this folly.'
'It is my will that you remain; try, therefore, and endure what shallfollow,' replied Tiberius.
'I must obey your wish,' said Afer, biting his lip.
'Woman!' said Tiberius, addressing himself to Tibia, 'tell us your nameand where you dwell. Speak without fear.'
'My name is Tibia, and I dwell in Surrentum,' answered the dame. She beganin low nervous tones, and then gathering courage from the conviction ofher deep injuries, she proceeded more hurriedly in a louder tone, 'My homehas, however, been ruined, and my husband Masthlion----'
'Enough!' interrupted the Emperor, in a harsh, sudden voice; 'answer onlythe questions you are asked. Anything beyond them concerns us nothing. Youare now a widow--let that suffice. How long have you dwelt in Surrentum?'
'About twenty years.'
'And is this girl the child of you and your husband?'
'No; we never had a child.'
'How then did you come by her?'
'My brother brought her to us to foster, when she was a little child,about fifteen years ago.'
'Was she his child?'
'No. He said she was an orphan--the child of a fellow-workman in Rome.'
Afer shrugged his shoulders, and glanced toward Fabricius, who was gazingintently and unmoved upon the females.
'Has she remained with you ever since?'
'Yes.'
'Have you always led her to believe she was really your own child? Did shenever discover that she did not belong to you?'
'She was never told till a few minutes past in this house.'
'Did you never know of this before, maiden?'
'No.'
'Did your brother never visit her, woman?'
'We never saw him again until a few weeks back. We thought he must bedead, never having even heard of him.'
'You then thought of the child as your own?'
'We never thought she would be taken from us again, and we looked upon heras our own.'
'What brought your brother back again after so long a silence?'
'He had had a bad illness in Rome, and he came to Surrentum for change andfresh air to help him to get better.'
'Why did he not come to see the child, or at least send to learn of herwelfare during all those years?'
'I cannot tell. He said he knew she was in good keeping.'
'And did not you or your husband ever think proper to communicate withthis brother of yours respecting the child he had left in your charge,since he himself was so careless of her?'
'Not until a few weeks ago, when my husband went to Rome to seek him, butnever found a trace of him.'
'Why did he go, then, at last?'
'It was when she was asked in marriage,' said Tibia, with hesitation. 'Myhusband thought it was his duty to tell my brother, but he could not finda trace of him.'
'Then after this your brother arrived at Surrentum of his own accord?'
'Yes; he was weak and thin.'
'Did he give you no account of himself for the time he had been silent?'
'No.'
'Did he tell you anything further concerning the girl?'
The dame's head sank gradually.
'Speak, good woman,' said Fabricius; 'no harm shall come of it.'
'He said,' Tibia continued, in a low voice, 'that he told a lie when hecame first with the child. She was not the child of a fellow-workman, butwas nobly born, and had been stolen.'
'Of course,' said Afer ironically.
'From whom, then, did he say she had been taken?'
'From one called Balbus, a wealthy man; but he said this to deceive us--Iknow now there is no such person.'
'You say you have dwelt in Surrentum twenty years, being about five yearsbefore the child was brought to you. Can you produce any people of thetown who can testify that you have been childless, and that she came asyou relate?'
Tibia did not answer, but looked at Fabricius.
'I have seen several such townspeople very privately, Caesar,' saidFabricius, 'and, from the evidence I gathered, I am perfectly satisfiedthat this worthy woman speaks absolute truth.'
'Enough, then, for that,' said Tiberius; and he turned to exchange somewhispered words with Thrasullus.
'We will now hear your brother's story,' he resumed. 'Zeno, bring him inbefore us.'
Fabricius slowly removed his eyes from the fair face of Neaera and turnedthem on his nephew, who stood with an impatient, scornful expression offace, gazing fixedly on the dame.
The ring of bystanders parted, and Cestus walked into their midst with abold, not to say triumphant air. His face had recovered its normal habit.When matters arrived at a crisis with the sudden departure of Neaera, therewas left no occasion for secrecy. But rather the reverse since hisinterview with Fabricius, so that the dye had been suffered to fade fromhis skin, and the razor had removed his bristly beard and moustache.
He made an awkward obeisance to Caesar, and then turned to his formerpatron. The moment for revenge, so long waited and thir
sted for, had atlast arrived, and his broad, coarse face gleamed with diabolicalexultation and malignance.
His significant gaze directed the eyes of the rest toward the unhappyknight, whose demeanour had suffered a change which was as extraordinaryas it was sudden. He seemed as if an icy, deathlike hand had seized uponhis heart and turned him to stone. His fixed eyes were glassy, and hisface drawn and ghastly white.
'Good morrow, patron,' said Cestus, with a fiendish grin; 'you thought youhad paid me off in full the last time we were together, but here I amagain, and, like a good client, still devoted to your affairs.'
His voice seemed to break a horrible fascination. Afer recovered himself,and drew a long silent breath as he glanced around. Fabricius had seenenough in his heart-stricken nephew's face, and was now again sternlyavoiding his gaze. A dull, sickly dread numbed the heart of the knight andwhispered fatefully in his ear. But extremity of peril nerved him with thecourage and coolness of despair, and, collecting his faculties, he stoodat bay, in readiness for the ominous storm which threatened him.
Withdrawing his attention from Afer, the Emperor devoted a few moments'scrutiny to the Suburan.
'Is this the brother you speak of, woman?' he asked of Tibia.
'Yes.'
'Do you claim the kinship, fellow? Are you her brother?'
'Yes, so please you, I am her brother.'
'Your name?'
'Cestus.'
'And dwelling?'
'In Rome--in the Subura.'
'From the Subura--you have that appearance. From one of the darkest holestherein.'
'There are some powerful and wealthy people in the Subura, Caesar, and wecannot all choose the best spots therein.'
'Bandy no words. Do you know the maiden there by you?'
'Yes--no one better. She is the granddaughter of the noble Fabriciusthere.'
'How, then, came she to be living as the child of the woman your sister?'
'I took her secretly away from the mansion of her grandsire fifteen yearsago, all but three months less a day. I have kept the reckoningcarefully--ask the noble Fabricius if I am not right.'
'He has already told me this--he speaks truly, to the very day,' saidFabricius.
'Are you not afraid to confess this villainy?' said Tiberius sternly.
'It is because I wish to make the noble Fabricius some amends for thewrong, and for another reason, which all will soon understand.'
'Why did you tell the woman, your sister, that you took her from oneBalbus, a wealthy man?'
'Because I did not choose to let out my secret and mention names--the timewas not ripe then to bring the matter forward, and I was afraid it mightbe meddled with, and harm done instead of good. There was no such personas Balbus.'
'What do you mean by the time being not ripe? Had you seen or heard of hersince you first left her in Surrentum?'
'Not once.'
'It may be concluded from that you cared nothing whether she were alive ordead during all that time--is that so?'
'Not so much as to take me to Surrentum to find out, I confess.'
'Then why, after all that long silence, did you resolve to go toSurrentum! Say, what was your reason in stealing the child and hiding itaway for fifteen years in order to restore it again?'
'So please you, Caesar, the child was no more to me than any other, butshe was of great importance to my patron, and he bargained and paid meseventy sestertia to secretly kill it. I was too soft-hearted to make awaywith it altogether, so I took it to Surrentum quietly and unknown to him,and there she has remained till now, as you see.'
'And who is this patron?'
'He stands there before you--Titus Afer.'
'It's a lie--a damnable lie!' shouted the knight. 'Dog! vagabond! whoeverthou art, how darest thou say such a thing?'
His black eyes blazed amid the deathly pallor of his face, and a thrill ofastonishment passed through the bystanders. Even Livia leaned forward inher seat with rapt attention.
'Have a care,' quoth Cestus, shrinking back, 'or he will knife me again,as he did before.'
'Command yourself, Afer,' said Tiberius drily; 'you shall have plenty ofopportunity to reply.'
'Am I to be traduced by such a villain, whom I never saw before? And inthe face of these present? Do you, Fabricius, my uncle, whom I have servedand loved as a son so long--do you countenance it in silence thus? Oh,monstrous! To be so gulled by a cunning knave after all that has beenpractised on you in the same fashion, and thus calmly to listen to such anoutrage on your own flesh and blood--shame!'
'Caesar has said you will have an opportunity, at a proper time, ofdisproving what this man says. Let us proceed and seek for the truth, andwoe upon the evildoer,' said Fabricius in hollow tones.
'Ay, indeed, woe upon him,' said Afer loudly.
'Have you, then, cast me off, patron? Do you disown me after all myservices?' observed Cestus, with a grin.
'No more of that, Suburan,' cried Tiberius. 'It is a grave charge to makeagainst one of the rank and family of Titus Afer. Beware, if it be an idlepiece of mischief.'
'It's nothing but sober truth, Caesar.'
'Lying, cunning knave!' hissed the knight.
'It is easily explained,' continued Cestus, with a rough laugh; 'the nobleFabricius is vastly rich and his nephew wanted it all to himself--the girlwas in the way.'
'Execrable wretch!' cried Afer, beside himself with terror and fury. Hemade a spring towards the Suburan, but those near him clung to hisgarments and arrested the movement. The Suburan, on his part, bounced backprecipitately, and then seeing the knight's advance stayed, broke out intoa jeering, but, at the same time, nervous laugh.
'Peace, I say again, Afer,' said Tiberius more sternly; 'the justness ofyour cause can surely well await until the end. Go on, Suburan, and relatethe whole of your story of this affair. Add nothing, omit nothing, and beas brief as possible.'
Cestus did as he was required, and revealed the full extent of hisrelations with the knight, on whose pallid brow the perspiration gatheredin drops with the violence of his emotions.
Step by step the pitiless tale went on, laying bare, with extrememinuteness, the whole history of the connection between noble and vagabondfrom its commencement. Nothing was omitted down to the last violentmeeting by the Circus Maximus. Thence, in conclusion, the Suburan ran overthe occurrences which we have already described.
'And that is everything, Caesar,' he said, when he had finished. 'Everyword I have said is truth--I swear it, by all the gods. If it were a lie,should I have been fool enough to have made myself out to be the thief?No, it is when thieves fall out that honest men get their own. I don'tseek to hide myself--not I; but for the man's sake, who tempted me andhired me, I have made a clean breast of it and exposed myself. He paid meat last with a dagger thrust, like a false-hearted coward as he is, andnow I'm even with him. See, here is the place--look at it for yourselves,and believe your own eyes!'
He hastily withdrew his tunic sufficiently to disclose the recently-healedscar in his left side, where Afer had struck his desperate blow.
'Lying knave, this is some slash received in a drunken night-brawl in aSuburan stye, if it be there you dwell! The whole story is a fable, acursed lie,' broke in Afer again, whose aspect was ghastly to behold. 'Iknow him not! Is this a return for my love, uncle? Shame that you shouldsuffer it!'
'Patience!' said Tiberius, 'let us finish. Fabricius, you have heard himconfess that he decoyed you from your house, on a certain night, with afalse tale about a comrade who was sick, and wished to see you, concerningyour lost granddaughter--is it true, and do you recognise him?'
'It is true enough,' replied Fabricius, whose horror-stricken feelingswere displayed distressingly in his voice and demeanour; 'I seemed toremember his face again, and a thousand times, from Rome hither, have Itried to bring him more exactly to my mind. But now, as he related theoccurrence, I recognised him--yes, it is the same wretch who came to methat night. His description of what occurred is perfect--
it is too wellgraven on my mind. But for the timely appearance of the troop ofPretorians with Martialis the Centurion, the wretch would have succeededonly too well in his evil intent. This new infamy comes unexpectedly onme, Caesar, and it tries me hard----'
'Wine, and a seat for Fabricius,' said Tiberius; and the attendants flewto obey.
'Am I to bear this? Am I to listen to this'--broke in Afer.
'Peace, I say,' said Tiberius; 'drink and rest, Fabricius.'
The old senator drank the wine the attendants brought for him, and sankwith trembling limbs into the chair they placed for him.
'If what you have told us is true, Suburan,--and it is scarcely credibleyou would invent a tale to incriminate yourself to such a degree,--thenyour actions bring you within the reach of the rods of the lictors, and ofthe cord,' resumed Tiberius, 'but due attention shall be given to this ata proper time. What concerns us now is the identity of the child. Give us,therefore, the proofs that she is what you assert her to be.'
'I have, already, given them to the noble Fabricius, so please you,' saidCestus.
'My slave bears them--bring them hither, Natta!' said Fabricius.
The steward came forward before Caesar with the package of child'sgarments, and displayed them to Tiberius on bended knee, whilst Fabriciusattested them--particularly the amulet.
'Come hither, woman,' said Tiberius to Tibia; 'do you know these things?'
'They are what the child wore when she came to us--we took them off andkept them.'
'They are not the dress of a poor man's child. Did such a thought notstrike you when you saw them at first.'
'Yes; I asked him how she came by them, and he said her father had beenvery poor, so poor that a rich family had befriended him out of charity,and had dressed her in some cast-off clothes.'
'That's true! I told her so,' said Cestus.
'The memory of a liar should always be good,' cried Afer; 'this vagabond'smemory is only equalled by his lies--they are all of a prodigious nature.Yet I doubt if they are as monstrous as the credulity which sucks themin.'
'What more remains to ask these people, Fabricius? Question them if youwill,' said Tiberius.
'I have nothing to add to what your highness has ably said,' repliedFabricius, rising from his seat. 'I have already satisfied myself, byinquiries in Surrentum, that this woman is worthy, honest, and estimablein the opinion of the townspeople, and that her husband was likewiseesteemed for the same qualities. Her word, therefore, is to be trusted,and it bears out the assertions of her misguided brother. I will tell youthat some weeks ago I received a letter, saying that my grandchild wasalive, and enclosing a piece of ribbon, which lies there before you. It isof unusual pattern. I went to the child's room, and there found some moreof the self-same fabric. I had been imposed upon many times, but this wasthe first news I had heard, which seemed to strike to my heart with theweight of conviction. It was like a message from the grave. I was deeplymoved. A few nights ago this man appeared before me in my house, andrelated what you have heard, with the exception of the vile trick by whichmy own life was attempted. He brought these things as proofs of his words.I can find no flaws in his evidence, and I accept it. So please you,Caesar, here are two slaves of my household who served the mother andgrandmother of this child. The memory of the mother should be strongwithin them. Let them say. Look upon this maiden, Natta and Verrus, andanswer truly, as your hearts tell you, if she recall the image of the deadFabricia, my daughter, your mistress.'
'We have already looked upon her, master,' replied Natta for both. 'She istoo near alike not to be the child of the dead Fabricia.'
'We are all agreed as to the marked resemblance to the gem,' observedCaesar.
'I am satisfied; my heart--everything tells me she is my Aurelia,' saidFabricius fervently.
'Then it becomes Afer's turn, for which he burns, to refute the chargewhich has been brought against him,' Tiberius continued.
All eyes turned now upon the white, haggard visage of the knight, as hestood with tightly-folded arms and compressed lips.
'I will be brief. I deny it all--it is an infamous lie, invented to imposeupon a credulous old man,' said he. 'You have taken an unfair advantage;it would have been, at least, manly to have warned me. You have yourwitnesses gathered, and paid to brazen it out. Once concoct a tale, andthe rest is easily arranged. Now, however, I hear of this for the firsttime. I have nothing to defend me but my bare word. Who am I to find inthis island to support me, when even my uncle will not turn an ear to me?Long and bitter experience cannot cure his credulity. He swallows aplausible tale now as eagerly as formerly, when the child was firstmissing--only, with the difference, that in his present delusion he has noscruple in allowing suspicions to be raised of his own flesh and blood.'
'I have not spoken one word to you, much less made a charge against you,though, like yourself, I have listened to one. Your conclusions are hasty,therefore,' said Fabricius sternly; 'you are under no restraint; you willbe at liberty to gather what witnesses you may, and do anything you can todisprove what has been said. No one will be more pleased than myself toknow of your success. I do not condemn on the word of one man; at the sametime, it is incumbent on you to refute him. It is a grave charge.'
'And too true to be upset, is it not, patron?' remarked Cestus coarsely.'Your lips are glib enough as ever, but your false, cowardly heart isshrivelled within you, at this moment, for fear, I know right well.'
'Silence, vagabond!' cried Tiberius; 'Afer, you have been taken unawaresit is true; but, as you declare yourself innocent, you need feel noconcern on the score of this charge.'
'I do not know,' replied Afer scornfully; 'too often the innocentsuffer--especially, when it is in the interest and inclination of some onethat they should be the scapegoat. My worthy uncle lost his grandchild,and now resolves to replace her at all hazards. By a perfectly naturalhallucination, he persuades himself that he sees her in the person of thepotter's girl; whatever consequences follow matters nothing to him.'
'There shall be no suffering of the innocent, or of any one, in this sadmatter, except by the pangs of self-accusing conscience,' said Fabricius;'it remains with yourself to disprove the charge or not. If you do not,you know as well as I what judgment will be meted out to you, though youstill walk at liberty. I am satisfied, for my part, with the recovery ofmy child; deal with the rest, which concerns you, as you will.'
'You are too liberal and slack of dealing, noble Fabricius,' saidTiberius: 'it would be better for all concerned to unravel the mattercompletely.'
'It touches my nephew's honour--I leave it in his hands,' repliedFabricius.
'Be it so. But yet a word or two more, Afer,' observed Tiberius; 'turn tothis ruffian of the Subura once more. He has given a very minutedescription of an alleged acquaintance with you lasting over many years.Is it possible that you do not know him?'
'No--save for a lying scoundrel,' returned Afer; 'but of what avail is myword?'
'He must then be a scoundrel of exceptional ingenuity and imagination.What say you to this, Suburan?'
'Why, it is easy enough for him to say that in this place,' repliedCestus, with a laugh; 'but in the city he would not dare. He is butplunging himself deeper into the mud when he denies me. It is not a simplething to throw off altogether a friendship of eighteen years!'
'Friendship!--execrable villain,' hissed the knight.
'As you please, patron; you were always fertile in pretty names,' retortedthe other, shrugging his shoulders.
'It must be just as easy for you to prove the existence of eighteen years'connection,' said Tiberius.
'Ay, in the city, where plenty of people could be found to help me; buthere--stop! will you send for his slave, a Greek lad named Erotion?'
Afer started. These unlooked-for words shot a thrill of terror to hisheart and roused him to desperation.
'He shall not come,' he cried fiercely. 'You will terrify him into bearingfalse witness against me. You are banded against me. I claim a su
itabledelay, until I can reach Rome, to gather evidence against thisconspiracy.'
'You are unreasonably moved, Afer; we may as well listen to what yourslave has now to say as to wait longer. It cannot make any possibledifference to you, whether he speak the truth now or then,' remarkedCaesar grimly. 'Bring the slave hither, if he be in the palace.'
Zeno knew that he was close at hand and went to fetch him. In the fewmoments' interval the strained attention of the company relaxed into a lowmurmur of conversation. Caesar sat with his cheek on his hand and his eyesfixed on no one in particular. The Prefect stole round to the side of hisfriend Afer and whispered, 'What is all this, Afer?'
'You have heard, like me, for the first time, Prefect,' replied the other,'the conspiracy of a rogue.'
'A clever rogue, by Hercules,' observed the other, and at that moment Zenore-entered with the young Greek Erotion.
'Come hither into the midst,' said Caesar.
Erotion, with a look of mingled astonishment and alarm, cast an uneasyglance around, whilst bethinking himself of any misdeed which was about tobe visited upon him. He came forward into the middle and betrayedunmistakable surprise at seeing Cestus. His master's eyes were, moreover,fixed on him with a peculiar, meaning expression which he failed tointerpret, and which tended to further embarrass him.
'Are you the slave of Domitius Afer, called Erotion?' demanded Caesar.
'I am.'
'Stand forward a step, Suburan. Now, slave, look at that man and saywhether you know him.'
The young slave's eyes instinctively turned a fleeting sidelong glance atAfer ere he complied, whereupon Tiberius peremptorily bade him turn hisback on his master.
'Look upon no one but him I have pointed out to you; speak truly and fearnot. If you speak false, Caesar has the means of discovering it, and thenwoe upon you. Do you know him?'
'Yes,' was the trembling reply.
'His name?'
'Cestus.'
'Where and when have you seen him?'
'In Rome, in various places.'
'Where did you see him first?'
'In the Subura, I think.'
'What took you there?'
'I bore a message from my master.'
'To this man?'
'Yes.'
'Do you remember that message?'
'It was a command for him to meet my master.'
'Where?'
'I forget.'
'How long ago was this?'
'About three years, I think--I cannot be certain.'
'How long have you been the slave of Afer?'
'Nearly four years.'
'Have you ever seen this man since then?'
'Yes.'
'What business had you with him?'
'Only to tell him where my master was to see him.'
'Have you ever seen him in the house of your master?'
'Yes--once, not long ago.'
'Have you ever had any other business with him?'
'No.'
'Have you ever seen this man in company with your master?--answer!'
'I have.'
'Enough then for the present--you may go.'
When the slave had left the room there fell a momentary deep silence uponall present, ominous and painful.
'Titus Afer, do you now deny all knowledge of this man Cestus?' saidTiberius in sardonic tones.
With his arms folded, and his eyes fixed before him, Afer remained as ifturned to granite, unheedful of everything whilst his slave unconsciouslydashed all hope of escape away.
'Do you deny all knowledge of this man Cestus?' repeated Tiberius.
'I have already done so,' replied Afer stolidly; 'I refuse to say more. Iam prejudged--it is useless to say more.'
Another silence fell on the room and the Prefect frowned and fidgeted. Butthe Emperor seemed in no hurry to relieve the embarrassing stillness.
'There has been no judgment delivered so far,' he said at length. 'Do youimpugn the words of your slave?'
'He is a Greek, and a born liar,' said Afer bitterly.
Thrasullus and Seleucus the philosophers, both of them Greeks, pricked uptheir ears at the insinuation, and reared their heads in indignation.
'Greek or no Greek, do you say that he has now lied?' said Tiberius.
'I say no more--it is useless,' replied Afer abruptly.
'Good! Then the matter shall be transferred to Rome and probed to thebottom forthwith,' said Tiberius sternly, as he sat up; 'I command it, andit is no less due to society. Prefect, I give Domitius Afer and this manCestus into thy care. Let them be conveyed to the city and handed over tothe charge of the Pretors there, who shall examine fully into the truth,with the help of whatever witnesses are forthcoming.'
'Noble Fabricius, remember your pledge to me,' said Cestus, as alarm beganto get the upper hand of the exultation which had hitherto lighted hiscoarse visage.
'Upon his full confession I promised this man that he should come to nohurt,' said Fabricius, immediately rising from his seat. 'I pray you willnot see fit to cause me to break faith.'
'Granted, Fabricius,' returned the Emperor graciously; 'nevertheless Iinsist on a full inquiry. You must attend the court with the woman and themaiden if required.'
'One other request, Caesar.'
'Go on.'
'The headstrong boy--the Centurion Martialis, who offended in his love forthis girl--I beseech you show clemency to him, and pardon his youth and hotblood. He is loyal and brave, and his desperation carried him away.'
'How say you, Prefect,' said Tiberius, turning to Sejanus; 'is yourCenturion to go scot free of his behaviour?'
'I am of the same opinion as Fabricius, and think he has been sufficientlypunished. Caesar may well overlook a boyish rashness,' replied Sejanus.
'Good! Then I yield to you. He shall be released, but I will notaltogether pass over his offence. I will relieve him of his centurionshipfor a while, as a salutary discipline to remind him of his fault. As acitizen of the plain coat he will be able to devote more time to his wife.Fabricius, you dine with me to-night.'
So saying the Emperor rose smiling, and, leaning on his gigantic Nubian,passed into the inner apartment. When he had disappeared the othersdeparted by degrees, full of interest and speculation on what had passed.
Sullen and impenetrable, Afer refused to enter into any intercourse,despite the Prefect's efforts for that purpose; and Sejanus, therefore,shrugging his shoulders, left him in the apartment which was appointed tohim, until the time came to proceed to Rome.
Neæra: A Tale of Ancient Rome Page 39
