CHAPTER XI
THE RULES OF THE FAMILY
The Jewess had indeed but escaped one danger to fall into another. Boldand lawless as were these professional swordsmen, they acknowledgedcertain rules of their own, which they were never known to infringe. Whena band of gladiators had been mustered, and told off for a particularservice, it was their custom to bind themselves by oath, as forming onebody, unanimous and indivisible, until that service was completed. Theyswore to stand by each other to the death, to obey their chief implicitly,and to take orders from him alone--to make common cause with their fellows,in defiance of all personal feelings of interest or danger, even to thecheerful sacrifice of life itself; and to consider all booty of arms,gold, jewels, captives, or otherwise, however obtained, as the property ofthe band; subject to its disposal, according to the established code oftheir profession. Therefore it was that Hirpinus felt his heart sink atEuchenor's malicious observation. Therefore it was that though he stroveto put on an appearance of good-humour and confidence, a perceptibletremor shook his voice while he replied--
"I found her first. I dragged her from the chariot. I put that foolishcitizen on his back to make sport for you all. I am the oldest swordsmanin the band. I think you might leave her to me!"
Euchenor's eye was on the frightened girl, and, meeting its glance, sheshrank yet closer to her protector, while the Greek observed, with asneer--
"You had better make a new set of rules for us then, since you seeminclined to break through the old. Comrades, I appeal to you; doth not thebooty belong to us all, share and share alike?"
The others were crowding in now, having reached a narrower street, andleft the populace behind.
"Of course, of course!" was re-echoed on all sides; "who doubts it? whodisputes it?"
"What would you have, man?" exclaimed Hirpinus, waxing wroth. "You cannotcut a captive into twenty pieces and give every man a portion! I tell you,she is mine. Let her alone!"
"You cannot cut a wineskin into twenty pieces, nor need you," replied theGreek; "but you pass it round amongst your comrades, till every man'sthirst be slaked. 'Faith, after that, you may keep the empty skin for yourown share, if you like!"
He spoke in a cold derisive tone, and although Mariamne could notunderstand half he said, garnished as his speech was with the cant termsof his calling, she gathered enough of its import to be terrified at theprospect before her. Old Hirpinus lost patience at last.
"Will you take her from me?" he burst out, knitting his bushy brows, andputting his face close to the Greek's. "Stand up then like a man and try!"
Euchenor turned very pale. It was no part of his scheme to provoke hisrobust old comrade to a personal encounter; and, indeed, the pugilist wasa coward at heart, owing his reputation chiefly to the skill with which hehad always matched himself against those whom he was sure to conquer. Nowhe fell back a step or two from his glaring adversary, and appealed oncemore to their companions. These gathered round, speaking all at once,Hirpinus turning from one to the other, and ever shielding his charge withhis body, as an animal shields its young. He was determined to save thegirl, because he understood dimly that she belonged in some way to Esca,and the loyal old swordsman would not have hesitated one moment inflinging his life down, then and there, to purchase her safety.
"Hold, comrades!" shouted he, in a stentorian voice that made itself heardabove the din. "Will ye bay me altogether like a pack of Molossian wolf-hounds? Hounds, forsooth! nay, the Molossians are true-bred, and there isone cur amongst us here at least, to my knowledge. Rather, like a knot ofjabbering old women in a market-place! Talk of rules! Of course we abideby our rules, ay, and stick to our oath. Rufus, old friend, we have stoodwith our swords at each other's throats for hours together, many a timeduring the last ten years, and never had an angry word or an unkindlythought. Thou wilt not fail me now? Thou wilt not see old Hirpinuswronged?"
The champion thus appealed to by such tender associations, thrust his tallperson forward in the throng. Slow of speech, calm, calculating, andreflective, Rufus was held an oracle of good sense amongst his fellow-swordsmen.
"You are both wrong," said he sententiously. "The girl belongs to neitherof you. If this had happened yesterday, Hirpinus would have had a right tocarry her where he chose. But we have taken the oath since then, oldcomrade, and she is the joint property of the band by all our laws."
"I said so!" exclaimed Euchenor triumphantly. "The prize belongs to usall. Every man his turn. The apple seems fair and ripe enough. Mine shallbe the hand to pare its rind."
As he spoke, he pulled aside the veil which Mariamne had modestly drawnonce more about her head, and the girl, flushing scarlet at the insult,stamped passionately with her foot, and then, as if acknowledging herhelplessness, burst into tears, and hid her face in her hands. Hirpinuscaught the aggressor by the shoulder, and sent him reeling back amongstthe rest. His beard bristled with anger, and the foam stood on his liplike some old boar at bay.
"Hands off!" roared the veteran. "Rules or no rules, another such jest asthat and I drive a foot of steel through the jester's brisket! What!Rufus, I came not into the Family yesterday. I was eating raw flesh andlentil porridge when most of these were sucking their mothers' milk. Itell thee, man, the old law was this: When gladiators disputed on anysubject whatever--pay, plunder, or precedence--they were to take shortswords, throw away their shields, and fight it out by pairs, till theywere agreed. Stand round, comrades! Put the little Greek up at half-sworddistance; clear a space of seven feet square, not an inch more, and I'llshow you how we used to settle these matters when Nero wore the purple!"
"Nay, nay!" interposed Mariamne, wringing her hands in an agony of terrorand dismay. "Shed not blood on my account. I am a poor, helpless girl. Ihave done no one any harm. Let me go, for pity's sake! Let me go!"
But to this solution of the difficulty objections were offered on allsides. Rufus indeed, and one or two of the older swordsmen, moved by theyouth and tears of the captive, would willingly have permitted her toescape; but Euchenor, Lutorius, and the rest, objected violently to theloss of so beautiful a prize. Rufus, too, when appealed to, though hewould fain have supported his old comrade, was obliged to confess thatjustice, according to gladiator's law, was on Euchenor's side. Even theproposal to fight for her possession by pairs, popular as it was likely tobe in such a company, was rendered inadmissible by the terms of the lateoath. The band, indeed, when purchased as they had been by Hippias for aspecial duty to be performed that night, had become pledged, according tocustom, not only to the usual brotherhood and community of interests, butalso to refrain from baring steel upon any pretence or provocation eitheramongst themselves or against a common foe, until ordered to do so bytheir employer. Hirpinus, though he chafed and swore vehemently, and keptMariamne close under his wing through it all, was obliged to acknowledgethe force of his comrade's arguments; and the puzzled athlete racked hisunaccustomed brains till his head ached to find some means of escape forthe girl he had resolved to save. In the meantime, delay was dangerous.These men were not used to hesitate or refrain, and already the hour wasapproaching at which they were to muster for their night's work, whateverit might be, in the tribune's house. The old swordsman felt he mustdissemble, were it but to gain time; so he smoothed his brows, and, muchagainst the grain, assumed an appearance of good-humour and satisfaction.
"Be it as you will," said he; "old Hirpinus is the last man to turn roundupon his comrades, or to break the laws of the Family, for the sake of acream-coloured face and a wisp of black hair. I will abide by the decisionof Hippias. We shall find him at the tribune's house, and it is time wewere there now. Forward, my lads! Nay, hands off! I tell thee once more,Euchenor, till we have brought her to the master's she belongs to me."
Euchenor grumbled, but was compelled to submit; for the other's influenceamongst the gladiators was far greater than his own. And the little party,with Mariamne in the centre, still clinging fa
st to Hirpinus, moved on inthe direction of the tribune's house.
Esca, crouching in his place of concealment, silent and wary, as he hadofttimes crouched long ago, when watching for the dun deer on thehillside, was aware of the tramp of disciplined men approaching the porchin which he lay in ambush. Every faculty was keenly, painfully on thestretch. Once, at the sound of wheels, he had started from his lair, readyto make one desperate attempt for the rescue of his love; but greatly tohis consternation, the gilded chariot returned empty, save of Automedon,looking much scared and bewildered. The wily Oarses, indeed, having madehis escape from the gladiators, had betaken himself to his lodging, andthere determined to remain, either till his patron's wrath should beexhausted, or till the events which he foresaw the night would bring forthshould have diverted it into another channel. So Automedon went home infear and trembling by himself. As the Briton revolved matters in his mind,he knew not whether to be most alarmed or reassured by this unforeseencontingency. Though the chariot had returned without Mariamne, thefreedmen and armed slaves were still absent. Could they have missed theirprey, and were they still searching for her? or had they carried herelsewhere?--to the freedmen's garret, perhaps, there to remain concealedtill the night was further advanced. Yet the words of Placidus, or of hisghost, which he had overheard, seemed to infer that the Jewess wasexpected every minute. Every minute indeed! and those racking minutesseemed to stretch themselves to hours. With the natural impatience ofinaction, which accompanies uncertainty, he had almost made up his mind toreturn in search of Eleazar, when the steady footfall of the approachingparty arrested his attention.
There was a bright moon shining above, and the open space into which thegladiators advanced was clear as day. With a keen feeling of confidence herecognised the square frame of Hirpinus, and then, as he caught sight ofthe dark-robed figure at the swordsman's side, for one exulting moment,doubt, fear, anxiety, all were merged in the delight of seeing Mariamneonce more. With the bound of a wild deer, he was in the midst of them,clasping her in his arms, and the girl sobbing on his breast felt safe andhappy, because she was with him. Hirpinus gave a shout that startled theslaves laying the tables in the inner hall.
"Safe, my lad!" he exclaimed, "and in a whole skin. Sound and hearty, andfit to join us in to-night's work. Better late than never. Swear him,comrades! swear him on the spot! Send in for a morsel of bread and a pinchof salt. Here, Rufus, cross thy blade with mine! Thou art in the nick oftime, lad, to take thy share with the rest, of peril, and pleasure, andprofit to boot!"
This speech he eked out with many winks and signs to his young friend, forHirpinus, guessing how matters stood between the pair, could think of nobetter plan by which Esca should at least claim a share in the prey theyhad so recently acquired. His artifice was, however, lost upon the Briton,who seemed wholly occupied with Mariamne, and to whom the girl waswhispering her fears and distresses, and entreaties that he would save herfrom the band. The young man drew her to his side.
"Give way," said he haughtily, as Euchenor and Lutorius closed in uponhim. "She has made her choice, she goes with me. I take her home to herfather's house."
The others set up a shout of derision.
"Hear him!" they cried. "It is the praetor who speaks! It is the voice ofCaesar himself! Yes, yes, go in peace, if thou wilt. We have had enough andto spare of your yellow-haired barbarians, but the girl remains with us."
She was not trembling now. She was past all fear in such a crisis as this.Erect and defiant she stood beside her champion--pale indeed as the dead,but with eyes in which flashed the courage of despair. His lips were whitewith the effort of self-command as he strove to keep cool and to use fairwords.
"I am one of yourselves," said he. "You will not turn against me all atonce. Let me but take the maiden home, and I will come back and join you,true as the blade to the haft."
"Ay, let them go!" put in Hirpinus. "He speaks fairly, and thesebarbarians never fail their word!"
"No, no," interposed Euchenor. "He has nothing to do with us. Why, he wasbeaten in the open circus by a mere patrician. Besides, he is not engagedfor to-night. He has no interest in the job. Who is he, this barbarian,that we should give up to him the fairest prize we are like to take in thewhole business?"
"Will you fight for her?" thundered Esca, hitching his swordbelt to thefront.
Euchenor shrank back amongst his comrades. "Our oath forbids me," said he;and the others, though they could not refrain from jeering at theunwilling Greek, confirmed his decision.
Esca's mind was made up.
"Pass your hands under my girdle," he whispered to Mariamne. "Hold fast,and we shall break through!"
His sword was out like lightning, and he dashed amongst the gladiators,but he had to do with men thoroughly skilled in arms and trained to everykind of personal contest. A dozen blades were gleaming in the moonlight asready as his own. A dozen points were threatening him, backed by fearlesshearts, and strong supple practised hands. He was at bay; a desperate manpenned in by a circle of steel. He glanced fiercely round, defiant yetbewildered, then down at the pale face at his breast, and his heart sankwithin him. He was at his wits' end. She looked up--loving, resolute, andcourageous.
"Dear one," she said softly, "let me rather die by your hand. See, I donot fear. Strike! You only have the right, for I am yours!"
Even then a faint blush came into her cheek, while the pale hands busiedthemselves with her dress to bare her bosom for the blow. He turned hispoint upon her, and she smiled up in his face. Old Hirpinus dashed thetears from his shaggy eyelashes.
"Hold! hold!" said he, in a broken voice; "not till I am down and out ofthe game for one! Enough of this!" he added in an altered tone, and with aludicrous assumption of his usual careless manner. "Here comes themaster--no more wrangling, lads! we will refer the matter to him!"
While he spoke, Hippias entered the open space in front of the tribune'shouse, and the gladiators gathered eagerly around him, Euchenor aloneremaining somewhat in the background.