annr.pandora-第33章
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〃Yes； Madam；〃 he said。
〃You know；〃 l went on in a reverent voice； staring at this heap of blood and clothes and flesh that lay on the stones； 〃I saw our great Emperor Caesar Augustus on the day of his death。〃
〃You saw him？ You did？〃
I nodded。 〃When they were certain he was to die； we were rushed to him with a few other close friends。 It was his hope to put down rumors in the capital that might lead to unrest。 He had sent for a mirror and bed his hair。 He was primly propped up。 And he asked us as we entered the room： Didn't we think he'd played his part well in the edy of life？
〃I thought； what courage！ And then he made some further joke； the old theatrical line they say after plays：
If I have made you happy； kindly let me know your appreciation with a warm goodbye。
〃I could tell you more； but …〃
〃Oh； please do；〃 said the Legate。
〃Well； why not？〃 I asked。 〃It was told to me that the Emperor said of Tiberius； his chosen successor； 'Poor Rome； to be chewed slowly by those sluggish jaws！' 〃
The Legate smiled。 〃But there wasn't anyone else；〃 he said under his breath。
〃Thank you； Tribune； for all your assistance。 Would you allow me to take from my purse sufficient funds to treat you and your soldiers to a fine dinner …〃
〃No； Madam； I wouldn't have it be said I or any man here was bribed。 Now this dead man。 Do you know anything more of him？〃
〃Only this； Officer； that his body probably belongs in the river。〃
The soldiers all laughed among themselves。
〃Good night； Gracious Lady；〃 said the soldier。
And off I went； striding across the blackness of the Forum； with my beloved one…legged Flavius at my side and the torchbearers round us。
Only now did I shake all over。 Only now did the sweat cover my whole body。
When we had plunged deeply into the unbroken darkness of a small alleyway； I said； 〃Flavius； let these torchbearers go。 There is no reason for them to know where we are headed。〃
〃Madam； I don't have any lantern。〃
〃The night's full of stars and has a near full moon。 Look！ Besides； there are others from the Temple who are following us。〃
〃There are？〃 he asked。 He paid off the torchbearers and they ran back towards the mouth of the street。
〃Yes。 There is one watching。 And besides； we can see well enough by the lighted windows and Heaven's light； don't you think？ I am tired； so tired。〃
I walked on； reminding myself again and again that Flavius could not keep up。 I began to weep。
〃Tell me something with your great philosophical knowledge；〃 I said as I walked on； determined to make the tears stop。 〃Tell me why evil people are so stupid'？ Why are so many of them just plain stupid？〃
〃Madam； I think there are quite a few evil people who are quite clever；〃 he said。 〃But never have I seen such skilled rhetoric on the part of anyone； either bad or good； as your talents revealed just now。〃
〃I'm delighted that you know that that is all it was；〃 I said。 〃Rhetoric。 And to think he had the same teachers as I； the same library； the same Father …〃 My voice broke。
He put his arm gingerly about my shoulder and this time I didn't tell him to move away。 I let him steady me。 We walked faster as a pair。
〃No；〃 I said； 〃Flavius； the majority of the evil are just plain dumb； I've seen it all my life。 The true crafty evil person is rare。 It's bumbling that causes most of the misery of the world； utter stupid bumbling。 It's underestimation of one's fellow man！ You watch what happens with Tiberius。 Tiberius Caesar and the Guard。 Watch what happens to that damned Sejanus。 You can sow the seeds of distrust everywhere； and lose yourself in an overgrown field。〃
〃We are home； Madam；〃 he said。
〃Oh； thank God； you know it。 I could never have told you this was the house。〃
Within moments； he stopped and turned the key in a lock。 The smell of urine was everywhere overpowering； as it always was in the back streets of ancient cities。 A lantern threw a dim light on our wooden door。 The light danced in the jet of water which fell from the lion's mouth in the fountain。
Flavius gave a series of knocks。 It sounded to me as if the women answering the inner door were crying。
〃Oh； Lord； now what。〃 I said。 〃I am too sleepy。 Whatever it is； tend to it。〃
I went inside。
〃Madam；〃 squealed one of the girls。 I couldn't remember her name。 〃I didn't let him in。 I swear I never unbolted the door。 I have no key to the gate。 We had this house； all this； ready for you！〃 She sobbed。
〃What on Earth are you talking about？〃 I asked。
But I knew。 I'd seen in the corner of my eye。 I knew。 I turned and saw a very tall Roman sitting in my newly refurbished living room。 He sat relaxed with ankle on knee in a gilded wooden chair。
〃It's all right； Flavius；〃 I said。 〃I know him。〃
And I did。 Because it was Marius。 Marius the tall Keltoi。 Marius； who had charmed me in childhood。 Marius； whom I had almost identified in the shadows of the Temple。
He rose at once。
He came towards me； where I stood in the darkness on the edges of the atrium； and he whispered； 〃My beautiful Pandora！〃
7
He stopped just short of touching me。
〃Oh； do； please；〃 I said。 I moved to kiss him； but he moved away。 The room had scattered lamps。 He played the shadows。
〃Marius； of course； Marius！ And you look not one day older than when I saw you in my girlhood。 Your face is radiant； and your eyes； how beautiful are your eyes。 I would sing these praises to the acpaniment of a lyre if I could。〃 Flavius had slowly withdrawn； taking the distressed girls with him。 He made not a sound。
〃Pandora；〃 Marius said； 〃I wish I could take you in my arms； but there are reasons why I cannot； and you mustn't touch me； not because I want it so much； but because I'm not what you think。 You don't see the evidence of youth in me； it is something so far afield of the promises of youth that I've only just begun to understand its agonies。〃
Suddenly he looked off。 He raised his hand for my silence and patience。
〃That thing is abroad；〃 I said。 〃The burnt blood drinker。〃
〃Don't think on your dreams just now；〃 he said to me directly。 〃Think on our youth。 I loved you when you were a girl of ten。 When you were fifteen I begged your Father for your hand。〃
〃You did？ He never told me this。〃
He looked away again。 Then he shook his head。
〃The burnt one；〃 I said。
〃I feared this；〃 he cursed himself。 〃He followed you from the Temple！ Oh； Marius！ You are a fool。 You have played into his hands。 But he is not as clever as he thinks。〃
〃Marius； was it you who sent me the dreams！〃
〃No； never！ I would do anything in my power to protect you from myself。〃
〃And from the old legends？〃
〃Don't be quick of wit； Pandora。 I know your immense cleverness served you well back there with your loathsome brother Lucius and the gentleman Legate。 But don't think too much about。。。 dreams。 Dreams are nothing； and dreams will pass。〃
〃Then the dreams came from him； this hideous burnt killer？〃
〃I can't figure it！〃 he said。 〃But don't think on the images。 Don't feed him now with your mind。〃
〃He reads minds；〃 I said； 〃just as you do。〃
〃Yes。 But you can cloak your thoughts。 It's a mental trick。 You can learn it。 You can walk with your soul locked up in a little metal box in your head。〃
I realized he was in much pain。 An immense sadness came from him。 〃This cannot be allowed to happen！〃 he insisted。
〃What is that； Marius？ You speak about the woman's voice； you …〃
〃No； be quiet。〃
〃I will not！ I will get to the bottom of this！〃
〃You must take my instructions！〃 He stepped forward and again he reached to touch me； to take me by the arms； as my Father might have done； but then he did not。
〃No； it is you who must tell me everything；〃 I said。
I was amazed at the whiteness of his skin； its utter blemishless perfection。 And once again the radiance of his eyes seemed almost impossible。 Inhuman。
Only now did I see the full glory of his long hair。 He did look like the Keltoi； who had been his ancestors。 His hair touched his shoulders。 It was a gleaming gold； overly bright； yellow as corn and full of soft curls。
〃Look at you！〃 I whispered。 〃You're not alive！〃
〃No； take your last look； for you are leaving here！〃
〃What？〃
