Kristuslegender. English

by Selma Lagerlöf

trembling head, and withhands that groped feebly in the air.

  She longed to get away from the place, but she moved her feet slowly.She looked around to find something which she could use as a staff.

  But after a few moments, by a tremendous effort of the will, shesucceeded in conquering the faintness.

  IV

  A week later, old Faustina wandered up the steep inclines on the Islandof Capri. It was a warm day and the dread consciousness of old age andfeebleness came over her as she labored up the winding roads and thehewn-out steps in the mountain, which led to Tiberius' villa.

  This feeling increased when she observed how changed everything hadbecome during the time she had been away. In truth, on and alongsidethese steps there had always before been throngs of people. Here it usedfairly to swarm with senators, borne by giant Libyans; with messengersfrom the provinces attended by long processions of slaves; withoffice-seekers; with noblemen invited to participate in the Emperor'sfeasts.

  But to-day the steps and passages were entirely deserted. Gray-greenishlizards were the only living things which the old woman saw in her path.

  She was amazed to see that already everything appeared to be going toruin. At most, the Emperor's illness could not have progressed more thantwo months, and yet the grass had already taken root in the cracksbetween the marble stones. Rare growths, planted in beautiful vases,were already withered and here and there mischievous spoilers, whom noone had taken the trouble to stop, had broken down the balustrade.

  But to her the most singular thing of all was the entire absence ofpeople. Even if strangers were forbidden to appear on the island,attendants at least should still be found there: the endless crowds ofsoldiers and slaves; of dancers and musicians; of cooks and stewards; ofpalace-sentinels and gardeners, who belonged to the Emperor's household.

  When Faustina reached the upper terrace, she caught sight of two slaves,who sat on the steps in front of the villa. As she approached, they roseand bowed to her.

  "Be greeted, Faustina!" said one of them. "It is a god who sends thee tolighten our sorrows."

  "What does this mean, Milo?" asked Faustina. "Why is it so desertedhere? Yet they have told me that Tiberius still lives at Capri."

  "The Emperor has driven away all his slaves because he suspects that oneof us has given him poisoned wine to drink, and that this has brought onthe illness. He would have driven even Tito and myself away, if we hadnot refused to obey him; yet, as you know, we have all our lives servedthe Emperor and his mother."

  "I do not ask after slaves only," said Faustina. "Where are the senatorsand field marshals? Where are the Emperor's intimate friends, and allthe fawning fortune-hunters?"

  "Tiberius does not wish to show himself before strangers," said theslave. "Senator Lucius and Marco, Commander of the Life Guard, come hereevery day and receive orders. No one else may approach him."

  Faustina had gone up the steps to enter the villa. The slave went beforeher, and on the way she asked: "What say the physicians of Tiberius'illness?"

  "None of them understands how to treat this illness. They do not evenknow if it kills quickly or slowly. But this I can tell you, Faustina,Tiberius must die if he continues to refuse all food for fear it may bepoisoned. And I know that a sick man can not stay awake night and day,as the Emperor does, for fear he may be murdered in his sleep. If hewill trust you as in former days, you might succeed in making him eatand sleep. Thereby you can prolong his life for many days."

  The slave conducted Faustina through several passages and courts to aterrace which Tiberius used to frequent to enjoy the view of thebeautiful bays and proud Vesuvius.

  When Faustina stepped out upon the terrace, she saw a hideous creaturewith a swollen face and animal-like features. His hands and feet wereswathed in white bandages, but through the bandages protrudedhalf-rotted fingers and toes. And this being's clothes were soiled anddusty. It was evident he could not walk erect, but had been obliged tocrawl out upon the terrace. He lay with closed eyes near the balustradeat the farthest end, and did not move when the slave and Faustina came.

  Faustina whispered to the slave, who walked before her: "But, Milo, howcan such a creature be found here on the Emperor's private terrace? Makehaste, and take him away!"

  But she had scarcely said this when she saw the slave bow to the groundbefore the miserable creature who lay there.

  "Caesar Tiberius," said he, "at last I have glad tidings to bring thee."

  At the same time the slave turned toward Faustina, but he shrank back,aghast! and could not speak another word.

  He did not behold the proud matron who had looked so strong that onemight have expected that she would live to the age of a sibyl. In thismoment, she had drooped into impotent age, and the slave saw before hima bent old woman with misty eyes and fumbling hands.

  Faustina had certainly heard that the Emperor was terribly changed, yetnever for a moment had she ceased to think of him as the strong man hewas when she last saw him. She had also heard some one say that thisillness progressed slowly, and that it took years to transform a humanbeing. But here it had advanced with such virulence that it had made theEmperor unrecognizable in just two months.

  She tottered up to the Emperor. She could not speak, but stood silentbeside him, and wept.

  "Are you come now, Faustina?" he said, without opening his eyes. "I layand fancied that you stood here and wept over me. I dare not look up forfear I will find that it was only an illusion."

  Then the old woman sat down beside him. She raised his head and placedit on her knee.

  But Tiberius lay still, without looking at her. A sense of sweet reposeenfolded him, and the next moment he sank into a peaceful slumber.

  V

  A few weeks later, one of the Emperor's slaves came to the lonely hut inthe Sabine mountains. It drew on toward evening, and the vine-dresserand his wife stood in the doorway and saw the sun set in the distantwest. The slave turned out of the path, and came up and greeted them.Thereupon he took a heavy purse, which he carried in his girdle, andlaid it in the husband's hand.

  "This, Faustina, the old woman to whom you have shown compassion, sendsyou," said the slave. "She begs that with this money you will purchase avineyard of your own, and build you a house that does not lie as high inthe air as the eagles' nests."

  "Old Faustina still lives, then?" said the husband. "We have searchedfor her in cleft and morass. When she did not come back to us, I thoughtthat she had met her death in these wretched mountains."

  "Don't you remember," the wife interposed, "that I would not believethat she was dead? Did I not say to you that she had gone back to theEmperor?"

  This the husband admitted. "And I am glad," he added, "that you wereright, not only because Faustina has become rich enough to help us outof our poverty, but also on the poor Emperor's account."

  The slave wanted to say farewell at once, in order to reach denselysettled quarters before dark, but this the couple would not permit. "Youmust stop with us until morning," said they. "We can not let you gobefore you have told us all that has happened to Faustina. Why has shereturned to the Emperor? What was their meeting like? Are they glad tobe together again?"

  The slave yielded to these solicitations. He followed them into the hut,and during the evening meal he told them all about the Emperor's illnessand Faustina's return.

  When the slave had finished his narrative, he saw that both the man andthe woman sat motionless--dumb with amazement. Their gaze was fixed onthe ground, as though not to betray the emotion which affected them.

  Finally the man looked up and said to his wife: "Don't you believe Godhas decreed this?"

  "Yes," said the wife, "surely it was for this that our Lord sent usacross the sea to this lonely hut. Surely this was His purpose when Hesent the old woman to our door."

  As soon as the wife had spoken these words, the vine-dresser turnedagain to the slave.

  "Friend!" he said
to him, "you shall carry a message from me toFaustina. Tell her this word for word! Thus your friend the vineyardlaborer from the Sabine mountains greets you. You have seen the youngwoman, my wife. Did she not appear fair to you, and blooming withhealth? And yet this young woman once suffered from the same diseasewhich now has stricken Tiberius."

  The slave made a gesture of surprise, but the vine-dresser continuedwith greater emphasis on his words.

  "If Faustina refuses to believe my word, tell her that my wife and Icame from Palestine, in Asia, a land where this disease is common. Therethe law is such that the lepers are driven from the cities and towns,and must live in tombs and mountain grottoes. Tell Faustina that my wifewas born of diseased parents in a mountain grotto. As long as she was achild she was