annr.pandora-第17章

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l　his　men　were　slain。　My　sons　fought　with　your　brothers　in　the　legions　of　Germanicus　when　he　punished　those　Northern　tribes！　Oh；　God！〃
　〃Yes；　very　marvelous；　indeed；〃　I　said　gravely。
　〃Get　back　in　the　litter　and　get　out；〃　said　one　of　the　women。
　The　old　man　clutched　me。
　〃We　fought　the　madman；　King　Arminius！〃　said　the　old　man。　〃We　could　have　won！　Your　brother　Antony　wasn't　for　giving　up　and　ing　back；　was　he？〃
　〃I。。。　no。。。〃
　〃Get　her　out　of　here！〃　screamed　a　young　patrician　man；　who　had　also　been　weeping。　He　came　forward　and　shoved　me　towards　the　litter。
　〃Stand　back；　you　imbecile！〃　I　said　to　him。　I　slapped　his　face。
　All　this　while；　Jacob　had　been　talking　to　the　slaves；　getting　the　scoop。
　Jacob　appeared　beside　me；　as　the　gray…haired　Greek　sobbed　and　kissed　my　cheeks。
　Jacob　took　over；　guiding　me　into　the　litter。
　；…　〃Germanicus　has　just　been　murdered；〃　Jacob　said　in　my　ear。　〃Everybody　loyal　to　him　is　convinced　that　the　Emperor　Tiberius　put　the　Roman　Governor　Piso　up　to　the　murder。　It　was　done　with　poison。　Word　is　spreading　through　the　city　like　fire；〃
　〃Tiberius；　you　idiot！〃　I　whispered；　rolling　my　eyes。　〃One　cowardly　step　after　another！〃
　I　sank　back　into　the　darkness。　The　litter　was　being　lifted。
　Jacob　went　right　on：　〃Gnaeus　Calpurnius　Piso　has　allies　here；　naturally。　Everybody's　fighting　everybody　else。　Settling　scores。　Mayhem。　This　Greek　family　traveled　with　Germanicus　to　Egypt。　There　are　riots　already。　We　go！〃
　〃Farewell；　friend；〃　I　cried　to　the　old　Greek；　as　I　was　carried　from　the　house。　But　I　don't　think　he　heard　me。　He　had　gone　down　on　his　knees。　He　cursed　Tiberius。　He　screamed　of　suicide　and　begged　for　the　dagger。
　We　were　outside　once　more；　hurrying　through　the　street。
　I　lay　askew　in　the　litter；　thinking　dully　in　the　darkness。　Germanicus　dead。　Poisoned　by　Tiberius！
　I　knew　that　this　recent　trip　of　Germanicus　to　Egypt　had　made　Tiberius　very　angry。　Egypt　was　like　no　other　Roman　province。　Rome　was　so　dependent　upon　it　for　grain　that　Senators　could　not　go　there。　But　Germanicus　had　gone；　〃just　to　see　the　ancient　relics；〃　his　friends　had　said　in　the　streets　of　Rome。
　〃A　mere　excuse！〃　I　thought　in　desperation。　〃Where　was　the　trial？　The　sentence？　Poison！〃
　My　bearers　were　running。　People　were　screaming　and　sobbing　around　us。　〃Germanicus；　Germanicus！　Give　us　back　our　beautiful　Germanicus！〃
　Antioch　had　gone　mad。
　At　last；　we　were　obviously　in　a　small　narrow　street　that　was　little　more　than　an　alleyway　…　you　know　the　kind；　for　a　grid　of　them　was　uncovered　in　the　ruins　of　Pompeii　in　Italy。　You　could　smell　the　male　urine　collected　in　the　jugs　on　the　corner。　You　could　smell　food　cooking　from　high　chimneys。　My　bearers　were　running　and　stumbling　over　rough　cobblestones。
　Once　we　were　all　thrown　to　the　side　as　a　chariot　came　crashing　through　the　narrow　place；　its　wheels　no　doubt　finding　the　ruts　in　the　stone　intended　for　it。　My　head　had　hit　the　wall。　I　was　furious　and　frightened。　But　Jacob　said；　〃Lydia；　we　are　with　you。〃
　I　covered　up　all　over　with　the　cloak；　so　that　only　one　eye　allowed　me　to　see　the　seams　of　light　between　the　curtains　on　either　side　of　me。　I　had　my　hand　on　my　dagger。
　The　litter　was　set　down。　It　was　a　cool　indoor　place。　I　heard　Jacob's　father；　David；　arguing。　I　knew　no　Hebrew　And　I　wasn't　even　sure　that　he　was　speaking　in　Hebrew。　Finally；　Jacob　took　over　in　Greek；　and　I　realized　that　they　were　purchasing　outright　a　proper　house　for　me　which　came　with　all　fine　appointments；　including　much　fine　furniture；　left　recently　by　a　rich　widow　who　had　lived　there　alone；　but　alas；　the　slaves　had　been　sold　off；　No　slaves。　This　was　a　quick　cash　deal。
　Finally；　I　heard　Jacob　say　in　Greek：
　〃You　damn　well　better　be　telling　me　the　truth。〃
　As　the　litter　was　lifted　I　beckoned　to　him。　〃I　owe　you　my　life　twice　over　now。　That　Greek　family　who　was　to　shelter　me？　They　are　truly　in　danger？〃
　〃Of　course；〃　he　said。　〃When　a　riot　starts；　who　cares？　They　went　with　Germanicus　to　Egypt！　Piso's　men　know　that！　Anybody　with　the　slightest　excuse　will　attack；　murder　and　plunder　someone　else。　Look；　fire。〃　He　told　the　men　to　hurry。
　〃All　right；〃　I　said。　〃Never　say　my　real　name　again。　From　now　on　say　this　name：　My　name　is　Pandora。　I　am　a　Greek　from　Rome。　I　paid　you　to　bring　me　here。〃
　〃You　have　it；　my　dear　Pandora；〃　he　replied。　〃You　are　some　strong　woman。　The　Deed　to　your　new　house　is　made　up　in　a　fake　name　with　less　charm。　But　the　Deed　verifies　you　are　widowed；　emancipated　and　a　Roman　Citizen。　We'll　get　the　Deed　when　we　pay　up　the　gold；　which　we　won't　do　until　we　are　in　the　house。　And　if　the　man　does　not　give　me　that　Deed　with　everything　written　out　in　full　to　protect　you；　I'll　strangle　him！〃
　〃You're　very　clever；　Jacob；〃　I　said　wearily。
　On　and　on　went　this　dark　bouncing　journey　in　the　litter　until　at　last　it　came　to　a　halt。　I　could　hear　the　metal　key　turning　in　the　lock　of　the　gate；　and　then　we　were　brought　into　the　large　vestibule　of　the　house　itself。
　I　should　have　waited　out　of　consideration　for　my　guardians；　but　frantically　I　limbed　out　of　this　miserable　little　black　veiled　prison；　throwing　off　the　cloak　and　taking　a　deep　breath。
　We　were　in　the　broad　vestibule　of　a　fine　house；　with　great　charm　to　it　and　much　ingenuity　in　its　decoration。
　Even　now；　my　thoughts　scattered；　I　saw　the　lionhead　fountain　right　near　the　gate　through　which　we'd　just　e；　and　I　washed　my　feet　in　the　cool　of　the　water。
　The　receiving　room；　or　atrium；　was　huge；　and　beyond　it　I　saw　the　rich　couches　of　the　dining　room　on　the　far　side　of　a　rather　large　enclosed　garden　…　the　peristyle。
　It　was　not　my　massive　ancient　opulent　old　home　on　the　Palatine　Hill；　which　had　grown　new　corridors　and　rooms　over　many　generations；　penetrating　its　broad　gardens。
　It　was　a　bit　too　glossy。　But　it　was　grand。　All　the　walls　were　freshly　painted　with　a　more　Oriental　bent；　I　think　…　more　swirls　and　serpentine　lines。　How　could　I　judge？　I　could　have　fainted　from　relief。　Would　people　really　leave　me　alone　here？
　There　sat　the　desk　in　the　atrium；　and　near　it　books！　Along　the　porticoes　flanking　the　garden；　I　saw　the　many　doors；　I　looked　up　and　saw　the　second…story　windows　dosed　on　the　porches。　Splendor。　Safety。
　The　mosaic　floors　were　old；　I　knew　the　style；　the　festive　figures　of　the　Saturnalia　on　parade。　They　had　to　have　been　brought　here　from　Italy。'
　Little　real　marble；　plastered　columns；　but　so　many　well…executed　murals　full　of　the　requisite　happy　nymphs。
　I　went　out　into　the　soft　wet　grass　of　the　peristyle　and　looked　up　at　the　blue　sky。
　I　wanted　only　to　breathe；　but　now　came　the　moment　of　truth　regarding　my　belongings。　I　was　too　dazed　to　ask　about　what　was　mine。　And　as　it　turned　out；　no　such　thing　was　necessary。
　Jacob　and　David　first　did　an　entire　inventory　of　the　household　furnishings　they　were　purchasing　for　me；　as　I　stood　there　staring　at　them　in　near　disbelief　at　their　patience　with　detail。
　And　when　they'd　found　every　room　quite　fine；　and　a　bedchamber　down　the　hall　to　the　right；　and　a　small　open　garden　somewhere　to　the　left；　beyond　the　kitchen；　they　went　upstairs；　found　things　proper　and　then　unloaded　my　possessions。　Trunk　followed　trunk。
　Then　to　my　utter　shock；　Jacob's　father；　David；　drew　out　a　scroll　and　actually　started　taking　a　full　inventory　of　everything　that　belonged　to　me；　from　hairpins　to　ink　and　gold。
　Jacob　was　meantime　sent　on　an　errand！
　I　could　see　the　hasty　writing　of　my　Father　on　this　inventory　that　David　read　under　his　breath。
　〃Personal　toilet　articles；〃　David　said　in　final　summation　of　one　portion　of　this　examination。　〃Clothes；　one；　two；　three　trunks　…　to　the　largest　bedroom；　go！　Household　plate　to　the　kitchen。　Books　here？〃
　〃Yes；　please。〃　I　was　too　shocked　at　his　honesty　and　meticulousness　to　speak
　〃Ah；　so　many　books！〃
　〃Fine；　don't　count　them。〃　I　said。
　〃I　cannot；　you　see；　these　Fragile。。。〃
　〃Yes；　I　know。　Carry　on。〃
　〃You　want　your　ivory　and　ebony　shelves　assembled　here　in　the　front　room？〃
　〃Magnificent。〃
　I　slumped　down　on　the　floor；　only　to　be　lifted　at　once　by　two　helpful　Asian　slaves　and　settled　in　an　amazingly　soft　cross…legged　Roman　chair。　I　was　given　a　cup　of　fresh　dean…smelling　water。　I　drank　it　down；　thought　of　blood。　Closed　my　eyes。
　〃Ink；　writing　mat