Valerius. A Roman Story
Page 27
_CHAPTER V._
I had hurried along the darkening streets, and up the ascent of theCapitoline, scarce listening to the story of the Cretan. On reaching thesummit, we found the courts about the Temple of Jupiter already occupiedby detachments of foot. I hastened to the Mammertine--and before thepostern opened to admit us, the Praetorian squadron had drawn up at thegreat gate. Sabinus beckoned me to him. "Caius," said he, stooping on hishorse, "would to heaven I had been spared this duty! Cotilius comes forththis moment, and then we go back to the Palatine; and I fear--I fear we areto guard thither your Athanasia. If you wish to enter the prison, quickenyour steps."
We had scarcely entered the inner-court, ere Sabinus also, and about ascore of his Praetorians, rode into it. Silo and Boto were standingtogether; and both had already hastened towards me; but the jailer, seeingthe Centurion, was constrained to part from me with one hurriedword:--"Pity me, for I also am most wretched. But you know the way--here,take this key--hasten to my dear lady, and tell her what commands havecome."
Alas! I said I to myself, of what tidings am I doomed ever to be themessenger!--but she was alone; and how could I shrink from any pain thatmight perhaps alleviate hers? I took the key, glided along the corridors,and stood once more at the door of the chamber in which I had parted fromAthanasia. No voice answered to my knock; I repeated it three times, andthen, agitated with indistinct apprehension, hesitated no longer to openit. No lamp was burning within the chamber, but from without there entereda wavering glare of deep saffron-coloured light, which shewed me Athanasiaextended on her couch. Its ominous and troubled hue had no power to marthe image of her sleeping tranquillity. I hung over her for a moment, andwas about to disturb that slumber--perhaps the last slumber of peace andinnocence--when the chamber-walls were visited with a yet deeper glare."Caius," she whispered, as I stepped from beside the couch; "why do youleave me? stay, Valerius." I looked back, but her eye-lids were stillclosed; the same calm smile was upon her dreaming lips. The light streamedredder and more red. All in an instant became as quiet without as within.I approached the window, and saw Cotilius standing in the midst of thecourt; Sabinus and Silo near him; the horsemen drawn up on either side,and a soldier close behind resting upon an unsheathed sword. I saw thekeen blue eye as fierce as ever. I saw that the blood was still fervid inhis cheeks: for the complexion of this man was of the same bold and floridbrightness so uncommon in Italy, which you have seen represented in thepictures of Sylla, and even the blaze of the torches seemed to strive invain to heighten its natural scarlet. The soldier had lifted his sword,and my eye was fixed, as by fascination, when suddenly a deep voice washeard amidst the deadly silence--"Cotilius!--look up, Cotilius!"
Aurelius, the Christian priest, standing at an open window, not fardistant from that at which I was placed, stretched forth his fettered handas he spake:--"Cotilius! I charge thee, look upon the hand from which theblessed water of baptism was cast upon thy head. I charge thee, look uponme, and say, ere yet the blow be given, upon what hope thy thoughts arefixed?--Is this sword bared against the rebel of Caesar, or a martyr ofJesus?--I charge thee, speak; and for thy soul's sake speak truly."
A bitter motion of derision passed over his lips, and he nodded, as ifimpatiently, to the Praetorian. Instinctively I turned me from thespectacle, and my eye rested again upon the couch of Athanasia--but notupon the vision of her tranquillity. The clap with which the corpse fellupon the stones had, perhaps, reached the sleeping ear, and we know withwhat swiftness thoughts chase thoughts in the wilderness of dreams. So itwas that she started at the very moment when the blow was given; and shewhispered--for it was still but a deep whisper--"Spare me, Trajan, Caesar,Prince--have pity on my youth--strengthen, strengthen me good Lord!--Fie!fie! we must not lie to save life. Felix--Valerius--come close to me,Caius--Fie! let us remember we are Romans--'Tis the trumpet----"
The Praetorian trumpet sounded the march in the court below, and Athanasia,starting from her sleep, gazed wildly around the reddened chamber. Theblast of the trumpet was indeed in her ear--and Valerius hung over her--butafter a moment the cloud of the broken dream passed away, and the maidensmiled as she extended her hand to me from the couch, and began to gatherup the ringlets that floated all down upon her shoulder. She blushed andsmiled mournfully, and asked me hastily whence I came, and for whatpurpose I had come; but before I could answer, the glare that was yet inthe chamber seemed anew to be perplexing her: and she gazed from me to thered walls, and from them to me again: and then once more the trumpet wasblown, and Athanasia sprung from her couch. I know not in what terms I wasessaying to tell her what was the truth, but I know that ere I had saidmany words, she discovered my meaning. For a moment she looked deadlypale, in spite of all the glare of the torch-beams; but she recoveredherself, and said in a voice that sounded almost as if it came from alight heart,--"But Caius, I must not go to Caesar, without having at least agarland on my head. Stay here, Valerius, and I shall be ready anon--quiteready."
It seemed to me as if she were less hasty than she had promised, yet manyminutes elapsed not ere she returned. She plucked a blossom from her hairas she drew near to me, and said, "Take it: you must not refuse one tokenmore; this also is a sacred gift. Caius, you must learn never to look uponit without kissing these red streaks--these blessed streaks of theChristian flower."
I took the flower from her hand, and pressed it to my lips; and Iremembered that the very first day I saw Athanasia, she had plucked suchan one, when apart from all the rest, in the gardens of Capito. I told herwhat I remembered; and it seemed as if the little circumstance had calledup all the image of peaceful days; for once more sorrowfulness gatheredupon her countenance. If the tear was ready, however, it was not permittedto drop; and Athanasia returned again to her flower.
"Do you think there are any of them in Britain?" said she; "or do youthink that they would grow there? You must go to my dear uncle, and hewill not deny you, when you tell him that it is for my sake he is to giveyou some of his. They call it the Passion-flower--'tis an emblem of anawful thing. Caius, these purple streaks are like trickling drops; andhere, look ye, they are all round the flower. Is it not very like a bloodycrown upon a pale brow? I will take one of them in my hand, too, Caius;and methinks I shall not disgrace myself when I look upon it, even thoughTrajan should be frowning upon me."
I had not the heart to interrupt her; but heard silently all she said, andI thought she said the words quickly and eagerly, as if she feared to beinterrupted.
The old priest came into the chamber while she was yet speaking so, andsaid very composedly, "Come, my dear child, our friend has sent again forus, and the soldiers have been waiting already some space, who are toconvey us to the Palatine. Come, children, we must part for amoment--perhaps it may be but for a moment--and Valerius may remain heretill we return to him. Here, at least, dear Caius, you shall have theearliest tidings, and the surest."
The good man took Athanasia by the hand, and she, smiling now at lengthmore serenely than ever, said only, "Farewell, then, Caius, for a littlemoment!" And so, drawing her veil over her face, she passed away frombefore me, giving, I think, more support to the ancient Aurelius than, inher turn, she received from him. I began to follow them, but the priestwaved his hand as if to forbid me:--the door closed after them, and I wasalone.