CHAPTER XII
MYRRHINA
Myrrhina's voice was at all times pitched in a high key; her accents werevery distinct and shrill, admirably adapted for the expression of derisionor the conveyance of sarcastic remarks.
"So I have run you into a corner at last," she said, "and a pretty huntyou have given me. 'Tis to draw water, of course, that you come down tothe Tiber-side, just at sunset; and you met her quite by accident, Idaresay, that slip of a girl in her wisp of black clothes, who flittedaway just now like a ghost going back again to Proserpine. Ah! you gapelike a calf when they put the garland on him for sacrifice, and the poorthing munches the very flower-buds that deck him for destruction. Well,you at least are reserved for a nobler altar, and a worthier fate than togive your last gasp to a sorceress in the suburbs. Jupiter! how you stare,and how handsome you look, you great, strong barbarian, when you arethoroughly surprised!"
She put her face so close up to his, to laugh at him, that the gesturealmost amounted to a caress. Myrrhina had no slight inclination to makelove to the stalwart Briton on her own account, pending the conclusion ofcertain negotiations she felt bound to carry out on her mistress's. Thesewere the result of a conversation held that morning while the maid was asusual combing out her lady's long and beautiful hair.
Valeria's sleep had been broken and restless. She tossed and turned uponher pillow, and put back the hair from her fevered cheeks and throbbingtemples in vain. It was weary work to lie gazing with eyes wide open atthe flickering shadows cast by the night-lamp on the opposite wall. It wasstill less productive of sleep to shut them tight and abandon herself tothe vision thus created, which stood out in life-like colours and refusedto be dispelled. Do what she would to forget him, and conjure up someother object, there was the young barbarian, towering like a demigod overthe mean effeminate throng; there were the waving linen garments, and thereeling symbols, and the tossing hands, and the scowling faces of thepriests of Isis; there was the dark-clad girl with her graceful pliantform; and there, yes, always there, in his maddening beauty, was the tallbrave figure, gathering itself in act to strike. She could not analyse herfeelings; she believed herself bewitched. Valeria had not reached theprime of her womanhood, without having sounded, as she thought, everychord of feeling, tasted of every cup that promised gratification orexcitement. She had been flattered by brave, courted by handsome, andadmired by clever men. Some she fancied, some she liked, some she laughedat, and some she told herself she loved. But this was a new sensationaltogether. This intense and passionate longing she had never felt before.But for its novelty it would have been absolutely painful. A timid girlmight have been frightened at it; but Valeria was no timid girl. She was awoman, on the contrary, who, with all the eagerness and impetuosity of hersex, possessed the tenacity of purpose and the resolution of a man.Obviously, as she could not conquer the sentiment, it was her nature toindulge it.
"I have a message to Licinius," said she, turning at the same time fromthe mirror, and suffering her long brown hair to fall over her face like aveil; "a message that I do not care to write, lest it should be seen byother eyes. Tell me, Myrrhina, how can I best convey it to my kinsman?"
The waiting-maid was far too astute to suggest the obvious arrangement ofa private interview, than which nothing could have been easier, or tooffer her own services, as an emissary who had already proved herselftrustworthy in many a well-conducted intrigue; for Myrrhina knew herbusiness too well to hesitate in playing into the hands of her mistress.So she assumed a look of perplexity and deep reflection while, finger onforehead, as the result of profound thought, she made the following reply--
"It would be safest, madam, would it not, to trust the matter to someconfidential slave?"
Valeria's heart was beating fast, and the fair cheek was pale again now,while she answered, with studied carelessness--
"Perhaps it would, if I could think of one. You know his household,Myrrhina. Can I safely confide in any of them?"
"Those barbarians are generally faithful," observed the maid, with themost unconscious air. "I know Licinius has a British slave in whom heplaces considerable trust. You have seen him yourself, madam."
"Have I?" answered Valeria, moving restlessly into a more comfortableattitude. "Should I know him again? What is he like?"
The blood had once more mounted to her forehead, beneath the long hair.Myrrhina, who was behind her, saw the crimson mantling even on her neck.She was a slave, and a waiting-maid, but she was also a woman, and shecould not resist the temptation; so she answered maliciously--
"He is a big awkward-looking youth, of lofty stature, madam, and withlight curly hair. Stupid doubtless, and as trusty, probably, as he isthick-witted."
It is not safe to jest with a tigress unless you are outside the bars ofher cage. Valeria made a quick impatient movement that warned the speakershe had gone too far. The latter was not wanting in readiness of resource.
"I could bring him here, madam," she added demurely, "within six hours."
Her lady smiled pleasantly enough.
"This evening, Myrrhina," she said; "I shall scarcely be ready before. Bythe way, I am tired of those plain gold bracelets. Take them away, anddon't let me see them again. This evening, you said. I suppose I hadbetter leave it entirely to you."
Both maid and mistress knew what this meant well. It implied full powersand handsome remuneration on one side, successful manoeuvring and judiciousblindness on the other. Valeria disposed herself for a long day'sdreaming: stretched indeed in bodily repose, but agitating her mind withall the harassing alternations of anticipation, and hope, and doubt, andfear--not without a considerable leavening of triumph, and a slight tingeof shame: while Myrrhina set herself energetically to work on the task shehad undertaken; which, indeed, appeared to possess its difficulties, whenshe had ascertained at the first place she sought, namely, the house ofLicinius, that Esca was abroad, and no one knew in what direction he waslikely to be found.
A woman's wit, however, usually derives fresh stimulus from opposition.Myrrhina was not without a large circle of acquaintances; and amongstothers owned a staunch friend, and occasional admirer, in the person ofHirpinus, the gladiator. That worthy took a sufficient interest in theathletic Briton to observe his movements, and was aware that Esca hadspent some two or three hours by the Tiber-side on the previous evening--afact which he imparted to Myrrhina, on cross-examination by the latter,readily enough, professing at the same time his own inability to accountfor it, inasmuch as there was neither wineshop nor quoit-ground in thevicinity. Not so his intriguing little questioner. "A man does not waittwo or three hours in one spot," thought Myrrhina, "for anything but awoman. Also, the woman, if she comes at all, is never so far behind hertime. The probability then is, that she disappointed him; and theconclusion, that he will be there again about sunset the following day."
Thus arguing, she resolved to attend at the trysting-place, and make athird in the interview, whether welcome or not; killing the interveningtime, which might otherwise have hung heavily on her hands, by a series ofexperiments on the susceptibility of Hirpinus--an amusing pastime, butwanting in excitement from its harmlessness; for the gladiator had arrivedat that period of life when outward charms, at least, are esteemed attheir real value, and a woman must possess something more than a merry eyeand a saucy lip if she would hope to rival the attraction of an easy couchand a flagon of old wine. Nevertheless, she laughed, and jested, andogled, keeping her hand in, as it were, for practice against worthieroccasions, till it was time to depart on her errand, when she made herescape from her sluggish admirer, with an excuse as false and as plausibleas the smile on her lip.
Hirpinus looked after her as she flitted away, laughed, shook his head,and strode heavily off to the wineshop, with an arch expression ofamusement on his brave, good-humoured, and somewhat stupid face. Myrrhina,drawing a veil about her head and shoulders so as effectually to concealher features, procee
ded to thread her way through the labyrinth ofimpoverished streets that led to the riverside, as if familiar with theirintricacies. When she reached her destination at last, she easily hidherself in a convenient lurking-place, from which she took care not toemerge till she had learned all she wished to know about Esca and hiscompanion.
"What do you want with me?" asked the Briton, a little disturbed by thissaucy apparition, and not much pleased with the waiting-maid's familiarand malicious air.
"I am unwelcome, doubtless," answered the girl, with another peal oflaughter; "nevertheless you must come with me whether you will or no. WeRoman maidens take no denial, young man; we are not like your tall, pale,frozen women of the north."
Subscribing readily to this opinion, Esca felt indignant at the same timeto be so completely taken possession of. "I have no leisure," said he, "toattend upon your fancies. I must homeward; it is already nearly suppertime."
"And you are a slave, I know," retorted Myrrhina with a gesture of supremeand provoking contempt. "_A slave!_ You, with your strength, and stature,and courage, cannot call an hour of this fine cool evening your own."
"I know it," said he, bowing his head to conceal the flush of indignationthat had risen to his brow. "I know it. A slave must clean his master'splatter, and fill his cup to drink."
She could see that her thrust had pierced home; but with all herpredilections for his handsome person, she cared not how she wounded themanly heart within.
"And being a slave," she resumed, "you may be loaded and goaded like amule! You may be kicked and beaten like a dog! You cannot even resent itwith hoofs and fangs as the dumb animal does when his treatment is harsherthan he deserves! You are a _man_, you know, though a barbarian! You mustcringe, and whine, and bite your lips, and be patient!"
Every syllable from that sharp tongue seemed to sting him like a wasp: hiswhole frame quivered with anger at her taunts; but he scorned to show it,and putting a strong constraint upon his feelings, he only asked quietly--
"What would you with me? It was not to tell me this that you watched andtracked me here."
Myrrhina thought she had now brought the metal to a sufficiently hightemperature for fusion. She proceeded to mould it accordingly.
"I tracked you here," she said, "because I wanted you. I wanted you,because it is in my power to render you a great service. Listen, Esca; youmust come with me. It is not every man in Rome would require so muchpersuasion to follow the steps of a pretty girl."
She looked very arch and tempting while she spoke, but her attractionswere sadly wasted on the preoccupied Briton; and if she expected to winfrom him any overt act of admiration or encouragement, she was wofullydisappointed.
"I cannot follow yours," said he; "my way lies in another direction. Youhave yourself reminded me that I am not my own master."
"That is the very reason," she exclaimed, clapping her hands exultingly."I can show you the way to freedom. No one else can help you but Myrrhina;and if you attend to her directions you can obtain your liberty withoutdelay."
"And why should _you_ be disposed to confer on me such a benefit?" heasked, with instinctive caution, for the impulsive nature that jumps sohastily to conclusions, and walks open-eyed into a trap, is rarely bornnorth of the Alps. "I am a barbarian, a stranger, almost an enemy. Whathave you and I in common?"
"Perhaps I have fallen in love with you myself," she laughed out; "perhapsyou may be able to serve me in return. Come, you are as cold as the icyclimate in which you were bred. You shall take your choice of the tworeasons; only waste no more time, but gird yourself and follow me."
Though it had never been dormant, the desire for liberty had, within thelast two days, acquired a painful intensity in Esca's breast. He had notindeed yet confessed to himself that he cherished an ardent attachment forMariamne; but he was conscious that her society possessed for him anundefinable attraction, and that without her neither liberty nor anythingelse would be worth having. This new sensation made his position moregalling than it had ever been before. He could not ignore the fact, thatit was absurd for one whose existence was not his own, to devote thatexistence to another; and the degradation of slavery, which his lord'skindness had veiled from him as much as possible while in his household,now appeared in all its naked deformity. He felt that no effort would betoo desperate, no sacrifice too costly, to make for liberty; and that hewould readily risk life itself, and lose it, to be free, if only for aweek.
"You have seen my mistress," resumed Myrrhina, as they hurried on throughthe now darkening streets; "the fairest lady and the most powerful inRome; a near kinswoman, too, of your master. It needs but a word from herto make of you what she pleases. But she is wilful, you must know, andimperious, and cannot bear to be contradicted. Few women can."
Esca had yet to learn this peculiarity of the sex; but he heard Myrrhinamention her mistress with vague misgivings, and forebodings of evil fardifferent from the unmixed feelings of interest such a communication wouldhave called forth a while ago.
"Did she send for me expressly?" he asked, with some anxiety of tone. "Andhow did you know where to find me in such a town as this?"
"I know a great many things," replied the laughing damsel; "but I do notchoose everyone to be as wise as myself. I will answer both yourquestions, though, if you will answer one of mine in return. Valeria didnot mention you by name, and yet I think there is no other man in Romewould serve her turn but yourself; and I knew that I should find you byTiber-side, because you cannot keep a goose from the water, nor a foolfrom his fate. Will you answer my question as frankly? Do you love thedark pale girl that fled away so hastily when I discovered you together?"
This was exactly what he had been asking himself the whole evening, withno very conclusive result; it was not likely, therefore, that Myrrhinashould elicit a satisfactory reply. The Briton coloured a little,hesitated, and gave an evasive answer.
"Like tends to like," said he. "What is there in common between twostrangers, from the two farthest extremities of the empire?"
Myrrhina clapped her hands in triumph.
"Like tends to like, say you?" she exclaimed exultingly. "You will tellanother tale ere an hour be past. Hush! be silent now, and step softly;but follow close behind me. It is very dark in here, under the trees."
Thus cautioning him, she led Esca through a narrow door out of the by-street, into which they had diverged, and stepped briskly on, with aconfidence born of local knowledge that he imitated with difficulty. Theywere now in a thickly planted shrubbery which effectually excluded therays of a rising moon, and in which it was scarce possible to distinguisheven Myrrhina's white dress. Presently they emerged upon a smooth andlevel lawn, shut in by a black group of cedars, through the lower branchesof which peeped the crescent moon that had not long left the horizon, andturning the corner of a colonnade, under a ghostly-looking statue,traversed another door, which opened softly to Myrrhina's touch, andadmitted them into a long carpeted passage, with a lamp at the fartherend.
"Stay here while I fetch a light," whispered the damsel; and, gliding awayfor that purpose, returned presently to conduct Esca through a large darkhall into another passage; where she stopped abruptly, and lifting somesilken hangings, that served for the door of an apartment, simplyobserved, "You will find food and wine there," and pushed him in.
Floods of soft and mellow light dazzled his eyes at first; but he soonrealised the luxurious beauty of the retreat into which he had beenforced. It was obvious that all the resources of wealth had been appliedto its decoration with a lavish hand, guided by a woman's sensibility anda woman's taste. The walls were painted in frescoes of the richestcolouring, and represented the most alluring scenes. Here the threejealous goddesses flashed upon bewildered Paris, in all the lustre oftheir immortal charms. A living envy sat on Juno's brow; a living scornwas stamped on Minerva's pale, proud face; and the living smile that wonher the golden apple, shone in Aphrodite's winning eyes. There glowedimperial Circe in her magic splendour; and the very victim
s of her spellseemed yet to crave, with fiery glances and with thirsty lips, for onemore draught from the tempting, luscious, and degrading cup. A shapelyEndymion lay stretched in dreams of love. A frightened Leda shrank whileshe caressed. Here fair Adonis bled to death, ripped by the monster in theforest glade; there, where the broad-leaved lilies lay sleeping on theshady pool, bent fond Narcissus, to look and long his life away; an infantBacchus rolled amongst the grapes, in bronze; a little Cupid mourned hisbroken bow, in marble. Around the cornices a circle of nymphs and satyrs,in bas-relief, danced hand-in-hand--wild woodland creatures, exulting inall the luxuriance of beauty, all the redundancy of strength; and yonder,just where the lamp cast its softest light on her attractions, stood thelikeness of Valeria herself, depicted by the cunning painter in a looseflowing robe that enhanced, without concealing, the stately proportions ofher figure, and in an attitude essentially her own--an attitude expressiveof dormant passion, lulled by the languid insolence of power, and tingedwith an imperious coquetry that she had found to be the most alluring ofher charms.
It was bad enough to sit in that voluptuous room, under that mellow light,drinking the daintiest produce of Falernian vineyards, and gazing on suchan image as Valeria's--an image of one who, beyond all women, wascalculated to madden a heated brain, whose beauty could scarcely fail tocaptivate the outward senses, and take the heart by storm. It was badenough to press the very couch of which the cushions still retained theprint of her form--to see the shawl thrown across it, and trailing on thefloor as though but now flung off--to touch the open bracelet hastilyunclasped, yet warm from its contact with her arm. All this was badenough, but worse was still to come.
Esca was in the act of setting down the goblet he had drained, and his eyewas resting with an expression of admiration, not to be mistaken, on thepicture opposite, when the rustling of the hangings caused him to turn hishead. There was no more attraction now in bounding nymph or brilliantenchantress; haughty Juno, wise Minerva, and laughing Venus with hersparkling girdle, had passed into the shade. Valeria's likeness was nolonger the masterpiece of the apartment, for there in the doorway appearedthe figure of Valeria herself. Esca sprang to his feet, and thus theystood, that noble pair, confronting each other in the radiant light. Thehostess and her guest--the lady and the slave--the assailant and theassailed.