CHAPTER XXVIII
THE STRANGE WOMAN
Caesar left Capri and roved along the Italian coast in his splendidbarges, or approached by land close to Rome, even to spend the nightjust without her walls, or in Tusculum, Ostia, Antium or Baiae. Hedragged his court with him, by this time deserted of all upright men,and circling, slinking, making sorties and retiring, he brought up atlast in the villa of Lucullus on Misenum with all his unclean party.
Macro in attendance upon Caesar had left a tribune in Rome as a post ofdespatch from which necessary information could be communicated to theprefect in Misenum. The tribune, a sour old praetorian, with moreintegrity than graciousness, charged to protect Agrippa's interests forMacro's sake, now that Caligula was prince imperial, was empowered withnot a little of the prefect's authority, which he administered with akind of slavish awe of it.
So, when a young Alexandrian Jew, giving the name of Justin Classicus,bearing a letter of introduction from the Proconsul of Egypt, appliedfor a tessera which would give him admission to Misenum, the tribunerefused, declaring that the visitor must be indorsed by a Roman of rankand in good odor with the emperor. Classicus took his departure,assuring the tribune that he would go to Baiae where young Tiberiuslived in his father's villa, and get the indorsement of the lad, towhom Flaccus was notedly a partizan.
As soon as Classicus had departed, the tribune rushed a messenger toMarsyas, with Macro's signet which would command horses at postsbetween Rome and Misenum, and informed the young man what menaced theHerod.
Marsyas did not tarry for preparation. He knew that Classicus would goby the common route, by sea from Ostia, and that the overland route wasonly, by the luckiest of circumstances, the speedier.
Before the messenger had returned to the tribune, Marsyas was on theroad to Misenum.
A day later, he passed the picket thrown out a hundred paces from theactual precincts of the villa of Lucullus, but when he offered histessera to the praetorian posted at its inner walls, the soldier did notlower his short sword. Marsyas, who had come to know many of thepraetorians, looked in surprise at the man.
"Turn back, good sir," the man said. "None enters the lines to-day."
While he knew that it was useless to ask the sentinel why the arbitraryorder was in force, the question leaped to his lips before he couldstop it. His voice was eager.
"What passeth within?"
The soldier shook his head. Marsyas drew away a space and thought. Heknew that the little Tiberius was an exception to every law laid downby Caesar; Classicus could not have armed himself with a more potentname. Caligula's friends, even Macro's friends, might be barred, notthe friends of the little beloved Tiberius.
The obstruction was dangerous.
He knew that he had to deal with Classicus.
The bitterness in his heart rose up and smothered his distress: for themoment he lost sight of Agrippa's peril, his hope against Saul ofTarsus and his fear for Lydia, in the all-overwhelming rancor againstthe man who was setting foot upon all the purposes in the youngEssene's life.
While he stood wrestling with a mighty impulse to kill Classicus, acourier in a well-known livery bowed beside him.
"The Lady Junia sends thee greeting and would see thee in her father'shouse."
Marsyas turned readily and followed the servant.
He had come to look upon the Roman woman as a counselor, of whom he hadsome serviceable ideas out of the many he had not adopted. He knewthat if he crossed her threshold to find distressing tidings within, hewas sure of finding an attempt at alleviation at the same time. Hemight come forth vexed with all his friends, hating more hotly hisenemies, but less amazed at sin in general. He had not learned toapologize for the world, nor even to believe in it; he had simply cometo accept it as a necessary and irremediable evil. The generalcondemnation of his skepticism had not left her untouched, but he felt,nevertheless, that no one was so bad that another much worse could notbe found. Junia, therefore, occupied a position of lesser blame. Shewas charitable and amiable, and whatever she had done that failed tomeasure up to his Jewish standard of virtue had been overshadowed byher usefulness.
He was led toward a little inclosure of lattice-work and vines on thesummit of a knoll, from which the imperial demesnes were visible.
Between the screen and the brink of the eminence was earth enough forthe foothold of an olive, and its dark crown reached over and shadedthe space within. There was a single marble exedra with feet and armsof carven claws, and through the interstices of the vinery and thefarther shade and foliage of the new spring, the insula of Euodus arosewhite and graceful. The sunshine lay in brilliant mosaics over thethick sod, and above, lozenges of blue showed where the light hadentrance. The breeze from the warm bay went soft-footed through thetrees, and for the moment Marsyas felt that all the friendliness whichthe world held for him had been caught and pent in the little garden.
Junia was there, luxuriously bestowed in the cushions of the stoneseat. She made room for him beside her, but he took one of the pillowsand, dropping it on the grass, sat at her feet.
He looked at her with expectancy in his eyes.
"O my Junia," he said, "why dost thou wear that eager, uninformed look,as if thou wouldst say, 'Tell me quickly what news thou hast!' whenthou knowest invariably I bring no cheer!"
"Hear him!" she cried. "Shall I look thus: 'Here comes Marsyas,bearing evil tidings and craving comfort, for he does not care for meexcept when I may do something for him?'"
"Of a truth, dost thou not say that in thy heart?" he insisted.
"No! I say this: 'Yonder young man is much in debt to me, but myrequital when I ask it will be equal to his debt.' Wherefore, I shallserve on till the sum is equal."
"Thou speakest truly when thou sayest I am in debt to thee, but if thouhast in thy heart something which thou wouldst have me do, command menow!"
"Perchance when I see what brought thee to Misenum, to-day," she smiled.
"If thou canst help me, Junia, I shall owe thee a life!"
"Thy life, Marsyas?"
"No; Agrippa's--or the life of Justin Classicus!"
"How now!" she cried, and there was more genuine interest in her softvoice than she had previously shown. "What hath stirred thee againstClassicus?"
At that moment an indistinct shout of great volume, as of many mencheering behind walls, interrupted him. He turned his head quickly inthe direction of the palace.
"What passeth within?" he asked; "why will they not admit me?"
"Nothing, nothing," she said hurriedly, "or at least only an importantceremony which none but Caesar can perform; Macro does not wish him tobe interrupted. Go on with thy story!"
"Flaccus hath sent a messenger to the emperor--a messenger thatcommands the favor of the little Prince Tiberius."
"Who told thee?" she asked.
"Well?" she inquired.
He studied the look on her face and felt that it was strangely composedfor the assumed eagerness in her voice.
"The tribune refused him the tessera which he must have to approach theemperor's abode, and required that he produce the indorsement of somenotable Roman before he return again. The messenger went away boastingthat he would get it of the little Tiberius."
"He will!" she assented, "for little Tiberius is not on the promontoryto-day, and the sentries without dare not refuse the lad's signet!"
Marsyas frowned and looked down: he was perplexed that she did not help.
"Is there no way to shut him out of Misenum?" he asked.
"Caesar's passport is as much a command as Caesar's denial--when thelittle Tiberius delivers it," she repeated.
"But can I not reach Macro?"
"No," she said decisively. "Macro's powers pale before the lad's."
Was she at the end of her ingenuity, or her willingness, he askedhimself.
"He will get to the emperor, then, if he start?" His desperation grewunder the lady's easy irony.
"Unless thou
or some other of Agrippa's friends disable him permanentlywith a bodkin, or a storm deliver him up to the Nereids."
Marsyas' hands clenched: he moved as if to rise, but she slipped herhands through the bend of his elbow and let them retard him, more bytheir presence than by actual strength.
"Is there something thou canst do?" he asked.
She hesitated; something seemed to fill her eyes; her lids quivered anddropped; speech trembled on her lips, but the momentary impulse passed.After a little silence, she lifted her eyes, composed once more.
"I told thee, once upon a time," she said, "of the world. I havecounseled with thee for thine own good, and sometimes thou didst heedme, but on the greater number of occasions thou hast chosen forthyself. What hast thou won from thy long battle for the sternpurposes which have engaged thee? What hast thou achieved incontrolling this Herod, or in working against Saul of Tarsus? What?"
He frowned and looked away.
"Nothing," she answered, "save thou hast gathered perils around thee,forced thyself into sterner deeds, and there--"
She laid a pink finger-tip between his eyes.
"--there is a blight on thy comeliness."
"Dost thou urge me to give over mine efforts? If so, speak, that I maytell thee I can not obey!" he declared.
"No? Not even if thy work maketh another unhappy--whom thou wouldstnot have to be unhappy?"
He looked at her: did she mean Lydia? Or was she concerned forClassicus?
"Art thou defending Classicus?" he asked.
"Nay," she smiled, "but I defend myself!"
This was puzzling, and at best irrelevant. He had come, burdened withtrouble and concern for Agrippa's life, and she was leading away intoless serious things. It was not like her to be capricious. Perhapsthere was more in her meaning than he had grasped.
"I pray thee," she continued, "mingle a little sweet with thy toil!"
He arose and moved away from her.
"O Junia, how can I?" he demanded impatiently.
"Nay, but I am asking payment of the debt thou confessest to me!"
"Help me yet in this danger of Classicus, and I shall be thy slave!"
She arose and approached very close to him. Her face was flushing, herhands were outstretched. He took them because they were offered."Marsyas," she whispered, her brilliant eyes searching his face, "Ishall not cease to be thy confederate, but I would be more!"
With a little wrench she freed her hands from his and drew a packetfrom the folds of silk over her breast.
"See! I have here thy letter, which Herod brought and bitterlyreproached me for mine enchantment of thee. And I kept it, till thishour!"
She put into his hands the scorched and broken letter that he hadwritten to Lydia and had believed that he had destroyed so long before.While he looked at it, stupefied with astonishment, she slipped herarms about his neck.
"I do not ask thee to marry me," she whispered, a little laugh ripplingher breath. "Eros does not summon the law to make his sway effective.For thou art an Essene, by repute, and no man need surrender hisreputation for his character. Wherefore, though ten thousand dreadpenalties bound thee to celibacy, they do not dull thine eyes nor makethy cheeks less crimson! Be an Essene, or a Jew, Caesar or aslave--that can not alter thy charm! And I shall not quibble, so thoulovest me!"
Marsyas stood still while he searched her changing face. It was not anew experience for him who had brought picturesque beauty into Rome,but the source was different, the result more grave. On this occasionthe seductive enumeration of his good looks awakened in him somethingwhich was affronted; whatever thing it was, it possessed anintelligence which comprehended before his brain grew furious, and,flinging itself upon his soul, buffeted it into sensitiveness.
With a rush of rage, he understood all that her act had accomplishedfor him.
The world of helplessly-impelled children that she had pictured to him,the world of innocence and forgivable inclinations, little warfares andartless badness, play or the feeding of primitive hungers, or ofbuilding of roof-trees--all that with which she had partly enchantedhim was suddenly stripped of its atmosphere, and the glare ofrealities, fierce passions, deadly hates, shamelessness and blood stoodbefore him. In short, he had been instantly precipitated into his oldEssenic misanthropy now directly imposed upon the heads of individuals,which before in his solitary days had been heaped without understandingupon the heads of strangers.
He did care because that the creature had simply betrayed her trueself; more dreadful than that, she had wrested from him the charity hisexperience in the world had yielded him--for Lydia!
Blind fury maddened him; her offense called for a fiercer response thana blush; she had robbed his heart wholly and was burning its emptyhouse.
He put forth his strength, undid her arms and flung her from him. Fora moment he felt a bloodthirsty desire to follow her up and break herover the stone exedra, but remnants of reason prevailed.
Springing through the exit, he was gone without uttering a word inanswer to her.
Junia heard the last of his footsteps on the flagging leading out ofher father's grounds, and for a moment wavered between screaming forher own slaves to pursue him, or delivering him up to the praetorianguards.
"For what?" Discretion asked. "To have him tell, under torture, thypart in sheltering Agrippa? At thy peril!"
But he had flung her away; he had rejected her; he had escaped afterall her pains, her pretensions, her plans! For him, she had leftAlexandria and endured Caesar. For him, she had forgone seasons ofconquest in Rome! For him, she had neglected Caligula, and nowCaligula would be emperor. For him she had sacrificed everything andhad lost, at last. He, a Jew, a manumitted slave, a barbarian! She, afavorite of emperors and consuls, a manipulator of affairs, fortunesand families! And he had rejected her!
There were muffled flying footsteps on the sod without, and Caligula,pallid and moist with terrified perspiration, dashed into the inclosureas if seeking a place to hide.
When he saw her, he sprang back, but halted, on recognizing her.
"Ate and the Furies!" he said in a strained whisper. "What hathhappened but that Caesar revived while the guards were hailing me asImperator!"
A hater of pork, a wearer of gowns, a mutterer of prayers, a beardedclown of a rustic! And she, it was, whom he had rejected!
"Stand like a frozen pigeon!" Caligula hissed, "while I tell thee of mydeath! He knew what the shouts meant! He showed his teeth like apanther, transfixed me with his dead eyes and signed for wine! When hehath strength enough to order it, and breath enough to form the words--"
And she had not urged the Herod's death for his sake, and therebyimperiled her own living with Flaccus; she had sent him a passport toCapri and one to Misenum, and rescued him from the admiring eyes ofother women, to make sure of him--and he had flung her away, at last!
"He will starve me to death: drown me in the Mamertine!" Caligula ragedunder his breath. "Starve me, I say! Speak, corpse! What shall I do!"
Her rage by this time had so filled her that it meant to haveexpression or have her life.
"Kill him!" she hissed through her teeth.
It was Marsyas' sentence, but it fell upon Tiberius.
Caligula ceased to tremble and stared at her with a strange look in hisbird-like eyes.
"How?" he asked.
She seized one of the pillows and brought it down over the seat of thedivan, and held it firmly as if to prevent it from being thrown off.
"Thus!" she said venomously.
"But the nurses and Charicles, the physician," Caligula protested,fearing nevertheless that his protest might hold good.
"Put them out! Will they dare resist the coming emperor? Have Macroaid thee, so he dare not tell upon thee."
She was becoming cool. It would be good to vent her murderous impulseson something. Caligula gazed at her with fascination in his face.
"Come, then, thou, and see it done! Neither shalt thou
talk," he saidsuddenly.
She stepped to his side, but before she reached the exit of theinclosure, she stopped and looked squarely into his eyes.
"Herod hath a slave who hath wronged me," she said.
"Which one?" he demanded.
"The Essene!"
"Nay, take vengeance on some other, then, for He is my friend! I havevowed him favor!"
"Why?" she demanded.
"Nay; do not stop--thou art to see this thing done! Why do I promisethe Essene favor? Because, forsooth, he made an emperor of me! Come!"