by G. A. Henty
CHAPTER XVII: BETROTHAL
Nero had, within a short time of Beric's establishment in thepalace, spoken to him of his apprehension of the increasing powerof the party who, having reverted to the opinions of the Stoicphilosophers, were ever denouncing the luxury and extravaganceof modern ways, and endeavouring, both by example and precept, toreintroduce the simplicity and severity of former times.
"All this," Nero said angrily, "is of course but a cloak under whichto attack me. Piso and Plautus, Seneca and Lucan, do but assumethis severity of manners. They have plotted and intrigued againstme. I shall never be safe while they live."
"Caesar," Beric said gravely, "I am but a soldier, but born a freeBriton and a chief. I cannot sell my service, but must give itloyally and heartily. You honour me with your favour and confidence;I believe that I am worthy of it. I do not serve you for money.Already I have begged you not to heap presents upon me. Wealthwould be useless to me did I desire it. Not only have you offeredto bestow estates upon me, but I have learned already that there aremany others who, seeing that I am favoured by you, would purchasemy friendship or my advocacy by large sums. I should despise myselfif I cared for money. You would, I know honour me not only withyour trust that I can be relied upon to do my duty as your guard,but by treating me as one in your confidence in other matters. Atthe risk, then, of exciting your displeasure and forfeiting yourfavour, I must again pray you not to burden me with state matters.Of these I know nothing, and wish to know nothing. Save thatof Seneca, I scarce know the names of the others of whom you havespoken. I am wholly ignorant of the intrigues of court life, and Iseek to know nothing of them, and am therefore in no position togive any opinion on these matters; and did I speak from only partialknowledge I should do these men great wrong.
"In the next place, Caesar, I am not one who has a double face, andif you ask my opinion of a matter in which I thought that othershad ill advised you, I should frankly say that I thought youwere wrong; and the truth is never palatable to the great. I try,therefore, to shut my ears to everything that is going on around me,for did I take note of rumours my loyalty to you might be shaken."
"Perhaps you are right," Nero said, after a long pause. "But tellme, once and for all, what you do think on general matters. It isgood to have the opinion of one whom I know to be honest."
"On one subject only are my convictions strong, Caesar. I think thatthe terrible persecution of the Christians is in itself horrible,and contrary to all the traditions of Rome. These are harmlesspeople. They make no disturbances; they do injury to no one; theyare guilty of no act that would justify in any way the torturesinflicted upon them. I am not a Christian, I know nothing oftheir doctrines; but I am unable to understand how one naturallyclement and kind hearted as you are can give way to the clamour ofthe populace against these people. As to those of whom you speak,and others, I have no opinions; but were I Caesar, strong in thesupport of the Praetorian guards, and in the affection of the peopleat large, I would simply despise plotters. The people may vaguelyadmire the doctrines of the Stoics, but they themselves lovepleasure and amusements and spectacles, and live upon your bountyand generosity. There can then be nothing to fear from open force.Should there be conspirators who would attempt to compass theirends by assassination, you have your guards to protect you. Youhave myself and my little band of countrymen ready to watch overyou unceasingly."
"No care and caution will avail against the knife of the assassin,"Nero said gloomily. "It is only by striking down conspirators andassassins that one can guard one's self against their weapons.Julius Caesar was killed when surrounded by men whom he deemed hisfriends."
Beric could not deny the truth of Nero's words. "That is true,Caesar, and therefore I do not presume to criticise or even to havean opinion upon acts of state policy. These are matters utterlybeyond me. I know nothing of the history of the families of Rome.I know not who may, with or without reason, deem that they havecause of complaint against you, or who may be hostile to you eitherfrom private grievances or personal ambitions, and knowing nothingI wish to know nothing. I desire, as I said when you first spoke tome, to be regarded as a watchdog, to be attached to you by personalkindness, and to guard you night and day against conspirators andassassins. I beseech you not to expect more from me, or to deem itpossible that a Briton can be qualified to give any opinion whateveras to a matter so alien to him as the intrigues and conspiraciesof an imperial city. Did I agree with you, you would soon doubt myhonesty; did I differ from you, I should incur your displeasure."
Nero looked up at the frank countenance of the young Briton.
"Enough," he said smiling, "you shall be my watchdog and nothingmore."
As time went on Nero's confidence in his British guard steadilyincreased. He had his spies, and knew how entirely Beric kept himselfaloof from intimate acquaintanceship with any save the family ofNorbanus, and learned, too, that he had refused many large bribesfrom suitors. For a time, although he knew it not, Beric wasconstantly watched. His footsteps were followed when he went abroad,his conversations with others in the baths, which formed the greatcentres of meeting, and stood to the Romans in the place of modernclubs, were listened to and noted. It was observed that he seldomwent to convivial gatherings, and that at any place when theconversation turned on public affairs he speedily withdrew; thathe avoided all display of wealth, dressed as quietly as it waspossible for one in the court circle to do, and bore himself assimply as when he had been training in the ludus of Scopus. Therehe still went very frequently, practising constantly in arms withhis former companions, preferring this to the more formal exercisesof the gymnasium. Thus, after a time, Nero became confirmed in hisopinion of Beric's straightforward honesty, and felt that therewas no fear of his being tampered with by his enemies.
One result of this increased confidence was that Beric's hoursof leisure became much restricted, for Nero came to require hisattendance whenever he appeared in public. With Beric and Boduocamong the group of courtiers that followed him, the emperor feltassured there was no occasion to fear the knife of the assassin;and it was only when he was at the baths, where only his most chosenfriends were admitted, or during the long carousals that followedthe suppers, that Beric was at liberty, and in the latter caseBoduoc was always near at hand in case of need.
Nero's precautions were redoubled after the detection of theconspiracy of Piso. That this plot was a real one, and not a mereinvention of Nero to justify his designs upon those he hated andfeared, is undoubted. The hour for the attempt at assassination hadbeen fixed, the chief actor was prepared and the knife sharpened.But the executions that followed embraced many who had no knowledgewhatever of the plot. Seneca was among the victims against whomthere was no shadow of proof.
After the discovery of this plot Beric found his position moreand more irksome in spite of the favour Nero showed him. Do whathe would he could not close his ears to what was public talk inRome. The fabulous extravagances of Nero, the public and unboundedprofligacy of himself and his court, the open defiance of decency,the stupendous waste of public money on the new and most sumptuouspalace into which he had now removed, were matters that scandalizedeven the population of Rome. Senators, patricians, grave councillors,noble matrons were alike willingly or unwillingly obliged to joinin the saturnalia that prevailed. The provinces were ruined tominister to the luxury of Rome. The wealth of the noblest familieswas sequestrated to the state. All law, order, and decency wereset at defiance.
To the Britons, simple in their tastes and habits, this profusionof luxury, this universal profligacy seemed absolutely monstrous.When they met together and talked of their former life in theirrude huts, it seemed that the vengeance of the gods must surelyfall upon a people who seemed to have lost all sense of virtue,all respect for things human and divine. To Beric the only bearableportions of his existence were the mornings he spent in reading,and in the study of Greek with Chiton, and in the house of Norbanus.Of Lesbia he saw little. She spent her life in a whirl of dissipationand
gaiety, accompanying members of her family to all the fetes indefiance of the wishes of Norbanus, whose authority in this mattershe absolutely set at naught.
"The emperor's invitations override the authority of one who makeshimself absurd by his presumption of philosophy. I live as doother Roman ladies of good family. Divorce me if you like; I havethe fortune I brought you, and should prefer vastly to go my ownway."
This step Norbanus would have taken but for the sake of Aemilia. Byhis orders the latter never went abroad with her mother or attendedany of the public entertainments, but lived in the quiet societyof the personal friends of Norbanus. Lesbia had yielded the point,for she did not care to be accompanied by a daughter of marriageableage, as by dint of cosmetics and paint she posed as still a youngwoman. Aemilia had long since recovered her spirits, and was againthe merry girl Beric had known at Massilia.
One day when Beric called he saw that Norbanus, who was seldom putout by any passing circumstance, was disturbed in mind.
"I am troubled indeed," he said, in answer to Beric's inquiry."Lesbia has been proposing to me the marriage of Rufinus Sulla, aconnection of hers, and, as you know, one of Nero's intimates, withAemilia."
Beric uttered an exclamation of anger.
"He is one of the worst of profligates," he exclaimed. "I would slayhim with my own hand rather than that Aemilia should be sacrificedto him."
"And I would slay her first," Norbanus said calmly; "but, as Lesbiathreatened when I indignantly refused the proposal, Rufinus hasbut to ask Nero's approval, and before his orders my authority asa father goes for nothing. I see but one way. It has seemed to mefor a long time, Beric, that you yourself felt more warmly towardsAemilia than a mere friend. Putting aside our obligations to youfor having risked your life in defence of Ennia, there is no oneto whom I would more willingly give her. Have I been mistaken inyour thoughts of her?"
"By no means," Beric said. "I love your daughter Aemilia, but Ihave never spoken of it to you for two reasons. In the first placeI shall not be for some years of the age at which we Britons marry,and in the second I am but a captive. At present I stand high inthe favour of Nero, but that favour may fail me at any day, andmy life at the palace is becoming unbearable; but besides, it isimpossible that this orgy of crime and debauchery can continue. Thevengeance of heaven cannot be much longer delayed. The legions inthe provinces are utterly discontented and well nigh mutinous, andeven if Rome continues to support Nero the time cannot be far offwhen the legions proclaim either Galba, or Vespasian, or some othergeneral, as emperor, and then the downfall of Nero must come. Howthen could I ask you for the hand of Aemilia, a maiden of noblefamily, when the future is all so dark and troubled and my own lotso uncertain?
"I cannot raise my sword against Caesar, for, however foul hiscrimes, he has treated me well. Had it not been for that I wouldhave made for Praeneste, when the gladiators rose there the otherday, and for the same reason I can do nothing to prepare the wayfor a rising here. I know the ludus of Scopus would join to a man.There is great discontent among the other schools, for the peoplehave become so accustomed to bloodshed that they seem steeled toall pity, and invariably give the signal for the despatch of theconquered. As to your offer, Norbanus, I thank you with all myheart; but were it not for this danger that threatens from Rufinus,I would say that at the present time I dare not link her lot tomine. The danger is too great, the future too dark. It seems tome that the city and all in it are seized with madness, and aboveall, at the present time, I would not for worlds take her to thepalace of Nero. But if Aemilia will consent to a betrothal to me,putting off the period of marriage until the times are changed,I will, with delight, accept the offer of her hand, if she too iswilling, for in Briton, as in Gaul, our maidens have a voice intheir own disposal."
Norbanus smiled. "Methinks, Beric, you need not fear on that score.Since the day when you fought the lion in the arena you have beenher hero and the lord of her heart. Even I, although but shortsighted as to matters unconnected with my work, could mark that,and I believe it is because her mother sees and fears it that shehas determined to marry her to Rufinus. I will call her down tofind out whether she is ready to obey my wishes."
In a minute or two Aemilia came down from the women's apartmentsabove.
"My child," Norbanus said, "I have offered you in marriage toBeric. He has accepted, saving only that you must come to him notin obedience to my orders but of your own free will, since it isthe custom of his country that both parties should be equally freeof choice. What do you say, my child?"
Aemilia had flushed with a sudden glow of colour as her fatherbegan, and stood with downcast eyes until he had finished.
"One moment before you decide, Aemilia," Beric said. "You know howI am situated, and that at any moment I may be involved in perilor death; that life with me can scarcely be one of ease or luxury,and that even at the best you may be an exile for ever from Rome."
She looked up now. "I love you, Beric," she said. "I would ratherlive in a cottage with you for my lord and master than in a palacewith any other. I would die with you were there need. Your wishesshall always be my law."
"That is not the way in Britain," Beric said, as he drew her tohim and kissed her. "The husband is not the lord of his wife, theyare friends and equals, and such will we be. There is honour andrespect on both sides."
"It will be but your betrothal at present," Norbanus said. "NeitherBeric nor I would like to see you in the palace of Caesar; but thesponsalia shall take place today, and then he can claim you whenhe will. Come again this evening, Beric. I will have the conditionsdrawn up, and some friends shall be here to witness the form ofbetrothal. This haste, child, is in order to give Beric power toprotect you. Were you free, Rufinus might obtain an order from Nerofor me to give you to him, but once the conditions are signed theycannot be broken save by your mutual consent; and moreover, Bericcan use his influence with the emperor on behalf of his betrothedwife, while so long as you remain under my authority he couldscarcely interfere did Nero give his promise to Rufinus."
"Will my mother be here?"
"She will not, nor do I desire her presence," Norbanus said decidedly."She has defied my authority and has gone her own path, and it isonly for your sake that I have not divorced her. She comes and shegoes as she chooses, but her home is with her family, not here. Shehas no right by law to a voice in your marriage. You are under myauthority and mine alone. It is but right that a good mother shouldhave an influence and a voice as to her daughter's marriage; buta woman who frequents the saturnalia of Nero has forfeited hermother's rights. It will be time enough for her to hear of it whenit is too late for her to cause trouble. Now do you two go intothe garden together, for I have arrangements to make."
At six o'clock Beric returned to the house. In the atrium weregathered a number of guests; some were members of the family ofNorbanus, others were his colleagues in office--all were men ofstanding and family. Beric was already known to most of them, havingmet them at suppers at the house. When all were assembled Norbanusleft the room, and presently returned leading Aemilia by the hand.
"My friends," he said, "you already know why you are assembled here,namely to be witnesses to the betrothal of my daughter to Beric theBriton. Vitrio, the notary, will read the conditions under whichthey are betrothed."
The document was a formal one, and stated that Norbanus gave uphis potestas or authority over his daughter Aemilia to Beric, andthat he bound himself to complete the further ceremony of marriageeither by the religious or civil form as Beric might select wheneverthe latter should demand it, and that further he agreed to giveher on her marriage the sum of three thousand denarii, and to leavethe whole of his property to her at his death; while Beric on hispart bound himself to complete the ceremonies of marriage whenevercalled upon by Norbanus to do so, and to pay him at the presenttime one thousand denarii on the consideration of his signing thepresent agreement, and on his delivering up to him his authorityover his daughter.
"You have h
eard this document read, Norbanus," the notary said,when he had concluded the reading. "Do you assent to it? And areyou ready to affix your signature to the contract?"
"I am ready," Norbanus said.
"And you, Beric?"
"I am also ready," Beric replied.
"Then do you both write your signatures here."
Both signed, and four of the guests affixed their signatures aswitnesses. Norbanus then placed Aemilia's hand in Beric's. "You arenow betrothed man and wife," he said. "I transfer to you, Beric,my authority over my daughter; henceforth she is your property toclaim as you will."
A minute later there was a sudden movement at the door, and Lesbiaentered in haste. "News has just been brought to me of your intention,Norbanus, and I am here to say that I will not permit this betrothal."
"You have no voice or authority in the matter," Norbanus saidcalmly. "Legal right to interfere you never had. Your moral rightyou have forfeited. The conditions have been signed. Aemilia isbetrothed to Beric."
Lesbia broke out into passionate reproaches and threats, but Norbanusadvanced a step or two towards her, and said with quiet dignity,"I have borne with you for her sake, Lesbia. Now that she belongsto Beric and not to me, I need not restrain my just indignationlonger. I return your property to your hands."
Lesbia stepped back as if struck. The words were the well knownformula by which a Roman divorced his wife. She had not dreamedthat Norbanus would summon up resolution to put this disgrace uponher, and to bring upon himself the hostility of her family. Herpride quickly came to her aid.
"Thanks for the release," she said sarcastically; "far too muchof my life has already been wasted on a dotard, and my family willsee that the restitution of my property is full and complete: butbeware, Norbanus, I am not to be outraged with impunity, and youwill learn to your cost that a woman of my family knows how torevenge herself."
Then turning she passed out of the door, entered her lectica andwas carried away.
"I must apologize to you, my friends," Norbanus said calmly, "forhaving brought you to be present at an unpleasant family scene, butI had not expected it, and know not through whom Lesbia obtainedthe news of what was doing here. I suppose one of the slaves carriedit to her. But these things trouble not a philosopher; for myselfI marvel at my long patience, and feel rejoiced that at last Ishall be free to live my own life."
"You have done well, Norbanus," one of his colleagues said, "thoughI know not what Nero will say when he hears of it, for severityamong husbands is not popular at present in Rome."
"I can open my veins as Seneca did," Norbanus said calmly; "neitherdeath nor exile have any terrors for me. Rome has gone mad, andlife for a reasoning being is worthless here."
"I shall represent the matter to Nero," Beric said, "and as it isseldom that I ask aught of him, I doubt not he will listen to me.When he is not personally concerned, Nero desires to act justly,and moreover, I think that he can weigh the advantages of thefriendship of a faithful guard against that of his boon companions.I will speak to him the first thing in the morning. He frequentlycomes into the library and reads for an hour. At any rate there isno chance of Lesbia being beforehand with me. It is too late forher to see Rufinus and get him to approach Nero tonight."
"Let us talk of other matters," Norbanus said, "all these thingsare but transitory." He then began to talk on his favourite topic--thereligions of the world, while Beric drew Aemilia, who hadbeen weeping since the scene between her parents, into the tablinum.
"It is unlucky to weep on the day of your betrothal, Aemilia."
"Who could help it, Beric? Besides, as it is not for my own troublesthe omen will have no avail. But it is all so strange and so rapid.This morning I was in trouble, alarmed at what my mother told meof her intentions, fearful that my father, who has so long yieldedto her, would permit her to have her own way in this also. Thencame the great joy when he told me that he would give me to you--thatyou, who of all men I thought most of, was henceforth tobe my lord. Then, just when my happiness was complete, and I wasformally bound to you, came my mother. Ennia and I always loved ourfather most, he was ever thoughtful and kind to us, while even aschildren our mother did not care for us. As we grew up she cared stillless, thinking only of her own pleasures and friends, and leavingus almost wholly in charge of the slaves; but it was not untilEnnia was seized as a Christian that I knew how little she lovedus. Then she raved and stormed, lamented and wept, not because ofthe fate of Ennia, not because of the terrible death that awaitedher, but because of the disgrace it brought upon herself. Even aftershe was brought here she scarce came in to see her, and loudly saidthat it would be best for her to die. Lately, as you know, I haveseen little of her; she spends all her time abroad, has defied myfather's authority; and brought grief and trouble upon him. Still,to a daughter it is terrible that her mother should be divorced."
"Let us not think of it now, Aemilia. Your father has acted, as healways does, rightly and well. I know much more of what is goingon than you do, and I can tell you that Lesbia, who was so jealousof the honour of her name when Ennia was concerned, is bringingfar greater dishonour upon her name by her own actions. And now letus talk of ourselves. The act you have just done, dear, may bringall sorts of sacrifices upon you. At any moment I may be a fugitive,and, as you know, the families of those who incur Nero's wrathshare in their disgrace; and if I am forced to fly, you too may beobliged to become a fugitive."
She looked up brightly. "I shall not mind any hardships I sufferfor your sake, Beric. Rome is hateful to me since Ennia stood inthe arena. I would rather share a hut with you among the savagemountains of the north than a palace here."
"I trust that trouble is still far distant, but I shall, as soon asI can, find a retreat where, in case I fall under Nero's displeasure,you can lie hid until I can send for you."
"I have such a retreat, Beric. Since Ennia's death I have seen agood deal of the Christians. Lycoris, you know, was captured at thesame time as Ennia, and was put to death by fire; but her daughter,married to a freedman who had purchased her liberty from my father,managed to escape with her husband when the place was surrounded.I have met her several times since. She and her husband are livinghidden in the catacombs, where she tells me many of their sect havetaken refuge from the persecutions.
"The last time I saw her she said to me, 'No one's life is safein this terrible city, and none, however high in station, can saythat they may not require refuge. Should you need an asylum, Aemilia,go to the house of a freedman, one Mincius, living in the thirdhouse on the right of a street known as the Narrow one, close behindthe amphitheatre at the foot of the Palatine Hill, and knock thriceat the door. When they open, say, 'In the name of Christ,' thenthey will take you in. Tell them that you desire to see me, andthat you are the sister of Ennia, the daughter of Norbanus, andthey will lead you to us. There is an entrance to the catacombsunder the house. As the sister of Ennia you will be warmly receivedby all there, even although you yourself may not belong to us. Thegalleries and passages are of a vast extent and known only to us.There is no fear of pursuit there.'"
"That is good news, Aemilia; it is sad that, but an hour betrothed,we are forced to think of refuges, but it will be happiness to meto know that if danger threatens, you have a place of retreat. Yousee this ring; Nero himself gave it me; mark it well, so that youmay know it again. It is a figure of Mercury carved on an amethyst.When you receive it, by night or day, tarry not a moment, but wrapyourself in a sombre mantle like that of a slave, and hie you tothis refuge you speak of; but first see your father, tell him whereyou are going and why, so that he may fly too, if he choose."
"He will not do that," Aemilia said, "and how can I leave him?"
"You must leave him because you belong to me, Aemilia, and becauseyou are acting on my orders. The danger to you is far greater thanto him. You are my wife, he only my father in law, and they wouldstrike at me first through you. Besides, there are other reasons.Your father is a Roman of the old type, and like Sen
eca and Plautus,and others of the same school, will deem it no loss when the timecomes to quit life. However, you will tell him of the danger, andhe must make his own choice. I shall beg him to hand to you at oncethe money which I placed in his care now a year ago. Do you handit over to the woman you speak of, and ask her to hide it away inthe caves till you ask for it again; these Christians are to betrusted. I have much money besides, for Nero is lavishly generous,and it would anger him to refuse his bounty. This money I haveplaced in several hands, some in Rome, some elsewhere, so that ifforced to fly I can at any rate obtain some of my store withouthaving to run into danger."
"One more question, Beric. Should I ever have to take refuge amongthe Christians, and like Ennia come to love their doctrines, wouldyou be angered if I joined their sect? If you would I will notlisten to them, but will tell them that I cannot talk or think ofthese things without my husband's consent."
"You are free to do as you like, Aemilia. Since Ennia died I haveresolved upon the first opportunity to study the doctrines of thesepeople, for truly it must be a wonderful religion that enablesthose who profess it to meet a cruel death not only without fearbut with joy. You know Ennia said we should meet again, and I thinkshe meant that I, too, should become a Christian. Ask the woman ifI also, as a last resource, may take refuge among them."
"I will ask her, Beric; but I am sure they will gladly receive you.Have you not already risked your life to save a Christian?"
The other guests having now left, Norbanus joined them, and Berictold him of the arrangements they had made in case of danger. Hewarmly approved of them.
"It will be a relief to me as to you, Beric, to know that Aemilia'ssafety is provided for. As for myself, fate has no terrors for me;but for you and her it is different. She is yours now, for althoughbut betrothed she is virtually your wife. You have but to take herby the hand and to declare her your wife in the presence of witnesses,and all is done. There is, it is true, a religious ceremony in useonly among the wealthier classes, but this is rather an occasionfor pomp and feasting, and is by no means needful, especially asyou have no faith in the Roman gods. What are the rites among yourown people, Beric?"
"We simply take a woman by the hand and declare her our wife. Thenthere is feasting, and the bride is carried home, and there is thesemblance of a fight, the members of her family making a show ofpreventing us; but this is no part of the actual rite, which ismerely public assent on both sides. And now I must be going. Nerowill be feasting for a long time yet; but Boduoc has been on guardfor many hours and I must relieve him. Farewell, Norbanus; we havebeen preparing for the worst, but I trust we shall escape misfortune.Farewell, my Aemilia!" and kissing her tenderly Beric strode awayto the palace of Nero.
He had not seen Boduoc since early morning, and the latter, standingon guard outside the private entrance to Nero's apartments, greetedhis arrival, "Why, Beric, I began to fear that some harm had befallenyou. I came in this morning after the bath and found you had goneout. I returned again at six and found your chamber again empty,but saw that you had returned during my absence; I went on guard,and here have I been for four hours listening to all that foolishsinging and laughter inside. How Caesar, who has the world at hiscommand, can spend his time with actors and buffoons, is more thanI can understand. But what has kept you?"
As there was no fear of his voice being heard through the heavyhangings, Beric, to Boduoc's intense surprise, related the eventsof the day.
"So you have married a Roman girl, Beric! Well, I suspected whatwould come of it when you spent half your time at the house ofNorbanus. I would rather that you had married one of our own maidens;but as I see no chance of our return to Britain for years, if ever,one could hardly expect you to wait for that. At any rate she isthe best of the Roman maidens I have seen. She neither dyes herhair nor paints her face, and although she lacks stature, she iscomely, and is always bright and pleasant when I have accompaniedyou there. I am inclined to feel half jealous that you have anotherto love you besides myself, but I will try and not grudge her ashare of your affection."
"Well, hand me your sword, Boduoc, and betake yourself to yourbed. I will remain on guard for the next four hours, or until thefeasting is over. Nero often opens the hangings the last thing tosee if we are watchful, and he likes to see me at my post. I wishto find him in a good temper in the morning."
The next morning, to Beric's satisfaction, Nero came into thelibrary early. Chiton, as was his custom, retired at once.
"I was inspired last night, Beric," the emperor said. "Listen tothese verses I composed at the table;" and he recited some stanzasin praise of wine.
"I am no great judge of these matters, Caesar," Beric said; "butthey seem to me to be admirable indeed. How could it be otherwise,when even the Greeks awarded you the crown for your recitations attheir contests? Yesterday was a fortunate day for me, also, Caesar,for Norbanus betrothed his daughter to me."
The emperor's face clouded, and Beric hastened to say:
"There is no talk of marriage at present, Caesar, for marriagewould interfere with my duties to you. Therefore it is only whenyou have no longer an occasion for my services that the betrothalwill be converted into marriage. My first duty is to you, and Ishall allow nothing to interfere with that."
Nero's face cleared. "That is right," he said graciously. "You mighthave married better, seeing that you enjoy my favour; but perhapsit is as well as it is. Norbanus is a worthy man and a good official,although his ideas are old fashioned; but it is reported of himthat he thinks of nothing but his work, and mixes himself up in noway in politics, living the life almost of a recluse. It was one ofhis daughters you championed in the arena. She died soon afterwards,I heard. Has he other children?"
"Only the maiden I am betrothed to, Caesar. He is now alone, forhis wife has long been altogether separated from him, being devotedto gaiety and belonging to a family richer and more powerful thanhis, and looking down upon her husband as a mere bookworm. He hasborne with her neglect and disobedience to his wishes for a longtime, and has shown, as it seemed to me, far too great a weaknessin exerting his authority; but his patience has at last failed,and when yesterday, in defiance of him, she would have interferedto prevent my betrothal to his daughter, he divorced her."
"Divorce is the fashion," Nero said carelessly. "I know his wifeLesbia, she has frequently been present with members of her familyat my entertainments. She is a fine woman, and I wonder not thatshe and the recluse her husband did not get on well together. Shewill soon be consoled."
"I have mentioned it to you, Caesar, because she is a revengefulwoman, and might cause rumours unfavourable to her husband to bereported to you. He is the most simple and single minded of men,and his thoughts are entirely occupied, as you say, with the dutiesof his office and with the learned book upon which he has long beenengaged; but although a philosopher in his habits he holds alooffrom all parties, and even in his own family never discussespublic affairs. Had it been otherwise, you may be sure that I, yourmajesty's attendant and guard, should have abstained from visitinghis house."
"I know this to be the case, Beric. Naturally, when I first placedyou near my person, I was interested in knowing who were yourintimates, and caused strict inquiries to be made as to the householdof Norbanus and his associates; all that I heard was favourable tohim, and convinced me that he was in no way a dangerous person."
Nero left the room, and returned shortly bearing a casket. "Givethese jewels to your betrothed, Beric, as a present from Caesar tothe wife of his faithful guard."
Beric thanked the emperor in becoming terms, and in the afternooncarried the jewels, which were of great value, to Aemilia.
"They are a fortune in themselves," he said; "in case of danger,take them from the casket and conceal them in your garments. Noone could have been more cordial than Nero was this morning; buthe is fickle as the wind, and when Rufinus and others of his booncompanions obtain his ear his mood may change altogether."
