Quintus Claudius: A Romance of Imperial Rome. Volume 1

  CHAPTER XX.

  The little procession slowly made its way through the brushwood;Euterpe, indefatigable, led the way. In her left hand she carried thedark lantern, with which now and again she lighted up some especiallyperilous spot, while with her right hand she held aside the boughs ofthe shrubs. The gale was still blowing through the dripping trees, andsqualls of rain swept over them with a rush and roar. After a shortbut difficult walk they reached the foot-bridge, and turned off tothe east, leaving the brook Almo behind them, and then by degrees theforest grew thinner.

  When at last they reached the open, they saw before them the arches ofthe Claudian aqueduct,[353] stretching black and ponderous across theplains. The wind had parted the clouds here and there over the easternhorizon, and a few stars shone fitfully through the rifts, but thismade the darkness, which brooded over the whole creation, all the moresensible.

  Again they went over a wooden bridge--then under an arch of theaqueduct, and a few minutes after through that of another, the AquaMarcia.[354] So far they had kept to the road. Now, however, theyquitted it, and for a time cut across fields and meadows, over widepools and ditches, and through brushwood. A quarter of an hour, halfan hour, a whole hour of this toil, and they had not yet reached theLabicanian Way,[355] towards which they were marching.

  Diphilus held out bravely, but Blepyrus, who was not of the strongest,and who was accustomed only to the lightest toil, panted so painfully,that Quintus could not bear to see it.

  "Give me hold," he said with rough good nature. "Why, you are groaninglike a mule dragging blocks of stone."

  "My lord!" said Blepyrus out of breath. "You see I can hold out alittle longer."

  "I see just the reverse. Stop a minute, Diphilus--there! now get yourbreath again, Blepyrus, and fill your lungs. In ten minutes we willchange again."

  "But, my lord, what are you thinking of?"

  "Do not talk, but save your wind."

  Euterpe, always thoughtful, offered the exhausted man a draught ofmead. Blepyrus drank it eagerly, and the strange convoy went on its wayagain through the silent night.

  They were indeed a strange party for any one who could have seen them!A youth of senatorial rank serving as litter-bearer to one slave, whileanother walked idle by his side! Quintus thought of his friends andequals, and could not help smiling; but with his next breath he sighed,for he thought of his father. He knew indeed, that Titus Claudius wouldnot have hesitated to lend a hand if needed for the rescue of themeanest of his dependents; Titus Claudius, no less, would have bent hisshoulder to the strap of a slave's litter in case of need. And yet,what bitter grief, what implacable resentment would that generous manfeel, if only he could see--could guess...!

  Quintus gazed vaguely up at the driving clouds, that scudded wildlyalong like a host of uneasy spirits. They packed and tumbled together,hiding the few stars which had peeped forth in the dark sky.

  "I cannot help it," thought Quintus, tightening his lips. "I have nochoice in the matter. If the whole world round me crumbles into eternalnight--I cannot help it!"

  The wounded man, exhausted by his too eager talk with Thrax, laymeanwhile silent and motionless on his couch. Even when Quintus slippedthe straps on to his own shoulders he seemed indifferent to the fact;only a faint cry of surprise betrayed, that he had not swooned orfallen asleep.

  They had gained the Via Labicana at last, and were toiling up theslippery way. Blepyrus was just going to take his master's share of theburden again, when he suddenly became aware of a shade at a few pacesdistance, which at first stole stooping down close to the hedge, andthen suddenly made for the open country, bounding across the road withlong steps.

  "What was that?" asked Quintus, who had also observed the noise andrunning figure.

  "Some wild creature perhaps," said Euterpe.

  "It was a man," said Eurymachus.

  Quintus stopped and gazed out into the darkness; then, turning toEurymachus, he asked with evident anxiety:

  "When did you first see him?"

  "This minute, as we came upon the road."

  "I saw him before," said Blepyrus in a whisper, as though a similarshade might at any moment start forth in the gloom. "Out there, by thatbush in the middle of the field something moved and scudded past. Ithought it was some night-bird."

  "They are sitting snugly in their nests," said Diphilus. Blepyrus didnot answer; he was considering.

  "It seems to me," he said at length, "that I have seen that peculiarskulking walk and sudden disappearance before. He vanished likelightning."

  "And he meant no good," added the flute-player. "In short, it was a spysent out by the slave-catchers, and before we can reach the gate thetown-watch will be upon us."

  "Then we must be doubly careful," said Quintus, forcing his pulses tobeat more calmly. "We must toil across country again as far as the ViaPraenestina.[356] It will be heavy walking, almost up to our knees inthe soil.--But listen! is not that the tramp of horses? Coming from thecity--not a thousand paces away."

  "Lord and Saviour!" groaned Euterpe. "The man must have flown like thewind."

  "He must indeed, if these horsemen have come at his call. No, theswiftest cannot be so swift as that. It is all the same; forewarned isforearmed. What is that to the right of the road?"

  "A fountain, or something of the kind," replied Blepyrus.

  "We will hide behind the wall, till the horsemen have passed."

  In a few seconds they had reached the fountain, of which the basin wasraised about three feet above the ground. By day it would have been aperfectly unavailing shelter, but in the darkness it was a sufficientcover. If the horsemen should have lanterns, to be sure--and this couldnot yet be seen for a rise in the ground--they might easily detect thetrack of the fugitives across the weeds and grass, and then....

  For the first time in his life Quintus was aware of the presence ofa great danger. Although he felt certain, that the unknown runnercould not possibly have fetched the horsemen, who were now close uponthem, there was an infinity of possibilities, of which the merethought seized his heart with a cold grip. Even accident might herehave played an important part. If the riders were really agents of theslave-takers, or even soldiers of the town-watch, the next few minuteswere fateful indeed. The sinister vision that had passed them had madehim anxious and undecided, and gloomy forebodings weighed on his mind.The thought flashed through his brain: How if you were now at home,standing by your own triclinium? Would you now appeal as you did toBlepyrus, or would you not rather seek some excuse for evading the workof rescue? But the question left him clear of all doubt; he did notregret the step he had taken, and let what might await him, he wouldpersist now in the road on which he had started. This short meditationrestored his peace of mind; he still was anxious, but it was not on hisown account; it was for the task he had undertaken, the fugitive wholay in silence on the drenched couch, the faithful and brave souls whocrouched with him for shelter. Suddenly he felt a trembling hand clasphis own, and press it with passionate fervor to quivering lips. It wasEurymachus, whose heart, in spite of every dread, was overflowing withexalted feeling. The slave's grateful kiss fired a sacred glow throughthe young man's veins, and it was with a sense of supreme indifferenceto all the sports of fate, that he heard the trample of hoofs comingnearer and nearer.

  Blepyrus and the stalwart Diphilus held themselves in readiness to meeta possible onslaught. Euterpe sat on a low stone, half paralyzed; herheart beat audibly, her hands trembled convulsively.

  The horses were now close upon them. Quintus leaned forward, and sawfive or six dark forms mounted on small, nimble beasts. They wereriding cautiously, at a short trot. Now they were passing the spotwhere the fugitives had turned aside from the high-road--Quintusfancied he saw them check their pace, and hastily felt for the weaponin his bosom. But it was a mistake. The riders trotted on, and did notdiminish their pace till at some distance to the south-east, where theroad mounted a hill. The hated sound of hoofs graduall
y died away inthe distance.

  "God be praised!" sighed Euterpe.

  Diphilus hastened to reload himself.

  "We might have spared ourselves the fright," he said to Eurymachus. "Inthis darkness...."

  "It was only on account of your fugitive," said Blepyrus. "It may be,that the riders were only merchants or other harmless folk...."

  "It is all the same," interrupted Quintus. "Any man is to be regardedas suspicious. Do not lose another minute! Off! towards the PraenestianWay."

  And once more the little procession set forth across bog and briar.Thus they reached a foot-path, which led them past vineyards and atlength down to the high-road. The Via Praenestina was little frequentedat night, even in fine weather; the main traffic led past the townsof Toleria and Aricia. So they went on, relieved in mind, towards thetown, which was still at about an hour's distance. By degrees thesouth-westerly gale spent itself and lulled, no longer rushing inwild blasts across the plain, but blowing softly and steadily, like along-drawn sigh of respite. The black clouds rolled away to the eastand north, and the waning moon showed a haze-veiled sickle on thehorizon.

  Eurymachus as before lay in total silence; and neither Quintus, whosespirit was tossed by a thousand new and strange feelings, nor Blepyrus,who was straining every nerve to conceal his utter exhaustion, uttereda word as they walked on. Only Diphilus and Euterpe exchanged a fewwords in low tones. The flute-player described her terror; never inher life had she quaked so as on the stone by that fountain. Afterpassing through such perils, she seemed to feel the need of showing allher love and good feeling to her worthy mate, and she even wished torelieve him of the litter straps, as Quintus had relieved Blepyrus, andharness her own shoulders. But Diphilus laughed shortly, and scornedthe idea.

  "Yes," he growled good humoredly, "that is a good notion! You wantto score your white shoulders with the marks of the strap. Think ofbusiness, child! Why, to-morrow you are to play at the house of thecaptain of the body-guard; you need not spoil your beauty to-night. Itwas mad enough, that you would not stay at home such a night as this."

  They were now close to the limits of the suburbs of Rome. The buildingson the Esquiline, dimly lighted by the moon, stood out sharper as theyapproached them against the western sky. Passing by the field, wherePhilippus, the son of Thrax Barbatus, lay buried, they made their waythrough the empty streets to the Caelian Hill, and at last reached theback entrance of the house inhabited by Caius Aurelius. The narrowpath, which led to it across the hill, was entirely deserted; thehouses stood detached, each in the midst of its garden, and shut offfrom the road by high walls.

  Quintus went forward and knocked three times at the postern gate. Thebolt was instantly drawn, and Magus, the Gothic slave, came joyfully tomeet the strangers.

  "Welcome, my lord," he said in a whisper. "Your arrival relieves us ofthe greatest anxiety. I have been listening here at the gate these twohours."

  "Yes, yes--" said Quintus equally softly, "we are very late; but itcould not be helped. Come, good people, make no noise--go in front,Magus."

  They all went into the garden, and the Goth barred the door again.Then they crossed the xystus[357] to the peristyle, and went along acarpeted corridor to the atrium. Here they were met by Herodianus, whowith difficulty suppressed an exclamation of joy.

  "At last!" he said, bustling to and fro with delight, like a busymistress receiving guests. "We had begun to think, that you must havemet with some misfortune. Aurelius, my illustrious friend, is in thegreatest anxiety. But softly, for pity's sake softly! everyone is soundasleep, and foresight is the mother of prudence."

  A light was shining in one of the rooms that surrounded the court-yard;before they could reach it, Aurelius appeared in the doorway andhurried out to embrace Quintus.

  "What a fearful night!" he said with a sigh of relief. "How anxious Ihave been for you, my dear Quintus! A hundred possibilities, each moreterrible than the last, have racked my brain. Be quick, Magus, lift thewounded man from his litter! Come, you must be quite tired out.--Suchtorrents of rain! Your cloak is as heavy as lead And here is our sweetlittle musician, as tender as a baby.--Come, warm yourselves, refreshyourselves!"

  Herodianus had meanwhile hastened to open a cubiculum farther on inthe corridor, while Magus took the place of Blepyrus, who was utterlyexhausted. Eurymachus was laid in bed and soon fell asleep, afterEuterpe and Diphilus had applied a fresh bandage and given him a cup ofrefreshing drink. Blepyrus, incapable of standing even a moment longer,threw off his cloak and sank at full-length on to one of the cushionedbenches in the colonnade; he begged Herodianus, as he passed, to throwa coverlet over him. "I am more dead than alive," he said. "When mymaster goes home, wake me."

  The freedman tried to persuade him to go into one of the rooms and lieon a bed; but Blepyrus heard no more. Deep, blank sleep had overpoweredhim at once. So Herodianus fetched a couple of warm rugs, in whichhe carefully wrapped the weary slave and then he joined Aurelius andQuintus.

  The Gothic slave stayed to watch Eurymachus. Leaning back in a chair,resting his feet on a stuffed footstool, he sat gazing in the sleeper'sface which, faintly lighted by the glimmer of a small bronze lamp, wasthe picture of worn-out nature, but at the same time, of contentmentand peaceful rest. Magus knew all the history of the hapless slave.He knew how Domitia's steward had for years made life a burthen tohim, and had at last condemned him to a martyr's death. The immutablesteadfastness of the sufferer had excited the enthusiastic admirationeven of the simple Goth, and strange thoughts were surging in his soul.

  "How still he lies there with his eyes tight shut," thought theGoth, "quite shut, and yet I could fancy he saw through the lids.Veleda,[358] the prophetess, had just such eyes! When I was carryinghim across the hall he looked up, and it was like a flash of fire, andyet soft and mild like the blue sea when the sun shines. If he werefair, he would be just like the priest in the grove of Nerthus.[359]He indeed was a favorite of the gods; he knew everything on earth andabove the earth. I feel as if this man too must know all secrets, whichmake such men wise above all others. It is written on his forehead.--Ifonly he were not so pale and feeble--if he had limbs as strong as mine,and hale northern blood in his veins! Odin should melt us down to makeone man.--There would be a hero!"

  So thought the worthy Gothic slave, while his eyes remained fixed onthe features of the sleeper; but before long his own eyes also closed,and the ideas that had roused him to unwonted excitement remained inhis mind in the realm of dreams. He saw Odin, with his wolves andraven, rushing down through the woods on the shores of the distantBaltic. He himself, Magus, was standing in the shadow of a sacredbeech-tree, hand-in-hand with the wounded slave, who had draggedhimself painfully through the underwood. As the god rushed past them,he lightly touched them with his sword; and they flowed and melted, asit were, into one, each feeling as though this had been their destinyfrom the beginning of things. And now, as the newly-created two-in-onelooked up, behold! the mighty sword of the god hung to a branch ofthe beech-tree. He put out his hand, took it down, and with a giant'sstrength, whirled it round his head. A flash of light shone throughthe grove, and the newly-formed being felt that he was stronger andmightier than all mortals, from the rising of the sun to the settingthereof.

  "A foolish dream!" Magus whispered to himself, as he suddenly startedwide awake. He gave his charge, who had begun to stir, a draught ofwater, and then fell asleep again.

  Euterpe and Diphilus had meanwhile gone away, though the Batavian hadbegged them to take a change of clothes and rest under a comfortableroof for the rest of the night. After Quintus had changed his dress andrefreshed himself with food and drink, he also wished to return home.But Aurelius detained him.

  "Listen," he said, in a tone of strange timidity: "With regard to ourjourney to-morrow to Ostia, I have a proposal to make to you. It isvery true, that the mere fact that I am sending my ship off on herreturn to Trajectum is a sufficient reason--still--people might....To be plain with you, my intimacy with Nerva and C
inna has attractednotice in certain quarters--I fear I may be watched, and thereforeit would perhaps be better to give the whole affair the aspect of apleasure excursion--if you only could persuade your sister, and perhapsyour betrothed to accompany us. I have such a perfect disguise forEurymachus, that neither of the young ladies can have the faintestsuspicion. Besides--who troubles himself about a slave? It seems to methe plan is as admirable as it is simple."

  "It is masterly!" exclaimed Quintus. "Cornelia is crazy about the sea,and Claudia and Lucilia will have no objections. If only the weatherimproves..."

  "Oh! the day will be splendid," said Aurelius, going into the hall."The wind has quite gone down, and the clouds are parting. I askedMagus just now."

  "The idea is delightful. The more openly and boldly we go to work, thebetter. About what hour should we start?"

  "I thought about three hours after sunrise."

  "Very good. I will let Cornelia and my sisters know; the rest I leaveentirely to you, my dear Caius."

  "You shall not be disappointed," said Aurelius, radiant withsatisfaction.

  "And where shall we meet? Out beyond the tomb of Cestius?"

  "It will perhaps be better that you should come here, and we willproceed all together to the place where vehicles wait; that will lookleast suspicious and most natural."

  "So be it: we will go to the gates in a little party. Now farewell--Iam very tired, and wish I had my litter."

  "Shall I...?" Aurelius began.

  "I should think so indeed! What! risk all that our exertions have sofar accomplished for the sake of my selfish limbs! Nay, nay. I shalllive through it, never fear. Farewell again, my dear Aurelius."

  The friends embraced. Blepyrus, awakened by Herodianus, who lent hima dry cloak, came dizzy with sleep, down the corridor and followedhis master with a faint groan. Quintus, in spite of all he had gonethrough, walked on fresh and eager, and in five minutes they were athome.

  FOOTNOTES:

  [353] THE CLAUDIAN AQUEDUCT (_Aqua Claudia._) Built by the Emperor Claudius 50 A.D. was twelve miles and a half long, and reached to Sublaqueum, (now Subiaco.)

  [354] AQUA MARCIA. Built 146 B.C. by the Praetor Q. Marcius Rex, was twelve miles long, and extended to the Sabine Hills. Its water was considered the best in all Rome. Ruins of it, as well as of the Aqua Claudia, exist at the present day.

  [355] THE LABICANIAN WAY. (_Via Labicana_) led through Toleria, Ferentinum, Frusino and Fregellae to Teanum (north of Capua) where it entered the Via Appia.

  [356] THE VIA PRAENESTINA was a road for local intercourse. Just beyond Praeneste (now Palestrina,) it entered (at Toleria) the Via Labicana.

  [357] XYSTUS ([Greek: Systos]--Hall) the name of the luxuriously-adorned garden back of the peristyle. See Cic. _Acad._ II, 13.

  [358] VELEDA. (V[)e]l[)e]da or V[)e]l[=e]da) a German prophetess belonging to the Bructerian people, took part in the war against Rome under Civilis (A.D. 69) and afterwards roused her countrymen to another insurrection, but was captured and dragged to Rome. See Tac. _Hist._ IV, 61, 65; V, 23, 24, and Tac. _Germ._ 8.

  [359] THE GROVE OF NERTHUS. Nerthus, an ancient German divinity, the personification of mother earth, specially revered in the north of Germany. Her principal grove was at Ruegen.