CHAPTER XXIII
THE SLAVE-RING
Had Miriam chanced to look out of her litter as she passed the Templeof Isis, escorted by Gallus and the guards before dawn broke upon thatgreat day of the Triumph, and had there been light to enable her to see,she might have beheld two figures galloping into Rome as fast as theirweary horses would carry them. Both rode after the fashion of men, butone of them, wrapped in an Eastern garment that hid the face, was infact a woman.
"Fortune favours us, Nehushta," said the man in a strained voice. "Atleast, we are in time for the Triumph, who might so easily have beentoo late. Look, yonder they gather already by Octavian's Walks," andhe pointed to the companies of soldiers who hurried past them to themeeting-place.
"Yes, yes, my lord Marcus, we are in time. There go the eagles andhere comes their prey," and in her turn Nehushta pointed to a guardedlitter--had they but known it, the very one that carried the belovedwoman whom they sought. "But whither now? Would you also march in thetrain of Titus?"
"Nay, woman, it is too late. Also I know not what would be my welcome."
"Your welcome? Why, you were his friend, and Titus is faithful to hisfriends."
"Aye, but perhaps not to those who have been taken prisoner by theenemy. Towards the commencement of the siege that happened to a man Iknew. He was captured with a companion. The companion the Jews slew, butas he was about to be beheaded upon the wall, this man slipped from thehands of the executioner, and leaping from it escaped with little hurt.Titus gave him his life, but dismissed him from his legion. Why should Ifare better?"
"That you were taken was no fault of yours, who were struck senselessand overwhelmed."
"Maybe, but would that avail me? The rule, a good rule, is that no Romansoldier should yield to an enemy. If he is captured while insensible,then on finding his wits he must slay himself, as I should have strivento do, had I awakened to find myself in the hands of the Jews. Butthings fell out otherwise. Still, I tell you, Nehushta, that had it notbeen for Miriam, I should not have turned my face to Rome, at any rateuntil I had received pardon and permission from Titus."
"What then are your plans, lord Marcus?"
"To go to my own house near the Baths of Agrippa. The Triumph must passthere, and if Miriam is among the captives we shall see her. If not,then either she is dead or already sold, or perchance given as a presentto some friend of Caesar's."
Now they ceased talking, for the people were so many that they couldonly force their way through the press riding one after the other. Thus,Nehushta following Marcus, they crossed the Tiber and passed throughmany streets, decorated, most of them, for the coming pageant, till atlength Marcus drew rein in front of a marble mansion in the Via Agrippa.
"A strange home-coming," he muttered. "Follow me," and he rode round thehouse to a side-entrance.
Here he dismounted and knocked at the small door for some time withoutavail. At length it was opened a little way, and a thin, querulousvoice, speaking through the crack, said:
"Begone, whoever you are. No one lives here. This is the house ofMarcus, who is dead in the Jewish war. Who are you that disturb me?"
"The heir of Marcus."
"Marcus has no heir, unless it be Caesar, who doubtless will take hisproperty."
"Open, Stephanus," said Marcus, in a tone of command, at the same timepushing the door wide and entering. "Fool," he added, "what kind of asteward are you that you do not know your master's voice?"
Now he who had kept the door, a withered little man in a scribe's brownrobe, peered at this visitor with his sharp eyes, then threw up hishands and staggered back, saying:
"By the spear of Mars! it is Marcus himself, Marcus returned from thedead! Welcome, my lord, welcome."
Marcus led his horse through the deep archway, and when Nehushta hadfollowed him into the courtyard beyond, returned, closed and locked thedoor.
"Why did you think me dead, friend?" he asked.
"Oh! my lord," answered the steward, "because all who have come homefrom the war declared that you had vanished away during the siege of thecity of the Jews, and that you must either be dead or taken prisoner.Now I knew well that you would never disgrace your ancient house, oryour own noble name, or the Eagles which you serve, by falling aliveinto the hands of the enemy. Therefore, I was sure that you were dead."
Marcus laughed bitterly, then turning to Nehushta, said:
"You hear, woman, you hear. If such is the judgment of my steward andfreedman, what will be that of Caesar and my peers?" Then he added, "Now,Stephanus, that what you thought impossible--what I myself should havethought impossible--has happened. I was taken prisoner by the Jews,though through no fault of mine."
"Oh! if so," said the old steward, "hide it, my lord, hide it. Why, twosuch unhappy men who had surrendered to save their lives and were foundin some Jewish dungeon, have been condemned to walk in the Triumph thisday. Their hands are to be tied behind them; in place of their swordsthey must wear a distaff, and on their breasts a placard with the wordswritten: 'I am a Roman who preferred dishonour to death.' You would notwish their company, my lord."
The face of Marcus went first red, then white.
"Man," he said, "cease your ill-omened talk, lest I should fall uponmy sword here before your eyes. Bid the slaves make ready the bath andfood, for we need both."
"Slaves, my lord? There are none here, save one old woman, who attendsto me and the house."
"Where are they then?" asked Marcus angrily.
"The most part of them I have sent into the country, thinking it betterthat they should work upon your estates rather than live here idle, andothers who were not needed I have sold."
"You were ever careful, Stephanus." Then he added by an afterthought,"Have you any money in the house?"
The old steward looked towards Nehushta suspiciously and seeing thatshe was engaged with the horses out of earshot, answered in a whisper:"Money? I have so much of it that I know not what to do. The strongplace you know if is almost full of gold and still it comes. Thereare the rents and profits of your great estates for three years; theproceeds of the sale of slaves and certain properties, together with thelarge outstanding amount that was due to my late master, the Lord Caius,which I have at length collected. Oh! at least you will not lack formoney."
"There are other things that I could spare less readily," said Marcus,with a sigh; "still, it may be needed. Now tie up those horses by thefountain, and give us food, what you have, for we have ridden thesethirty hours without rest. Afterwards you can talk."