annr.pandora-第20部分

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　I　headed　straight　for　the　slave　markets。
　Jacob　was　right　about　the　population　here。　The　city　was　filled　with　men　and　women　of　all　nations。　Many　women　walked　in　pairs；　arm　in　arm。
　Loose　Greek　cloaks　were　entirely　acceptable　here；　and　so　were　long　exotic　Phoenician　or　Babylonian　gowns；　both　for　men　and　women。　Long　hair　among　the　men　was　mon；　as　were　heavy　beards。　Some　women　went　about　in　tunics　no　longer　than　a　man's。　Others　were　pletely　veiled；　revealing　only　the　eyes；　as　they　walked；　acpanied　by　guards　and　servants。
　The　streets　were　cleaner　than　they　might　have　been　in　Rome；　the　sewage　flowing　to　wider　gutters　in　the　center　and　more　swiftly　to　its　destination。
　Long　before　I　reached　the　Forum；　or　the　central　plaza；　I　had　passed　three　different　doors　in　which　rich　courtesans　stood　arguing　sarcastically　over　price　with　wealthy　young　Greeks　and　Romans。
　One　said；　as　I　passed；　to　a　handsome　young　man；　〃You　want　me　in　bed'？　You're　dreaming。　Any　of　the　girls　you　can　have；　as　I　told　you。　If　you　want　me；　go　home　and　sell　everything　you　own！〃
　Rich　Romans　in　their　full　togas　stood　at　the　corner　wine　shops；　and　respected　my　quick　glance　away　with　a　simple　nod　as　I　passed。
　Pray　none　of　them　would　recognize　me！　It　was　not　a　likely　thing；　by　any　means；　and　we　were　so　far　from　Rome；　and　I　had　lived　so　long　in　my　Father's　house；　happily　reprieved　by　him　from　banquets　and　suppers；　and　even　ceremonial　gatherings。
　The　Forum　was　far　larger　than　I　had　remembered　from　my　brief　glimpse。　When　I　came　to　the　edge　of　it　and　beheld　the　huge　square　flooded　with　sun；　flanked　on　all　sides　with　porticoes　or　Temples　or　Imperial　buildings；　I　was　amazed。
　In　the　canopied　markets；　everything　was　for　sale；　silversmiths　grouped　together；　the　weavers　in　their　own　place；　the　silk　merchants　in　a　row；　and　I　could　see　down　the　side　street　that　came　in　to　my　right　that　it　was　dedicated　to　the　sale　of　slaves　…　the　better　slaves；　who　might　never　have　to　go　to　an　auction　block。
　Far　away　I　saw　the　high　masts　of　the　ships。　I　could　smell　the　river。　There　stood　the　Temple　of　Augustus；　its　fires　burning；　its　uniformed　Legionnaires　in　lazy　readiness。
　I　was　hot　and　anxious；　because　my　mantle　kept　slipping；　in　fact；　all　this　silk　seemed　to　slip　and　to　slide；　and　there　were　many　open　wine　gardens　where　women　gathered　in　groups；　chatting。　I　could　have　found　a　place　near　enough　to　someone　to　have　a　drink。
　But　I　had　to　have　a　household。　I　had　to　have　loyal　slaves。
　Now；　in　Rome；　of　course　I　had　never　gone　to　a　slave　market。　I　would　never　have　had　to　do　such　a　thing。　Besides；　we　had　so　many　families　of　slaves　on　our　land　in　Tuscany　and　in　Rome　that　we　seldom　if　ever　bought　a　new　slave。　On　the　contrary；　my　Father　had　a　habit　of　inheriting　the　decrepit　and　wise　from　his　friends；　and　we　had　often　teased　my　Father　about　the　Academy；　which　did　nothing　in　the　slaves'　garden　but　argue　about　history。
　But　now　I　had　to　act　the　shrewd　woman　of　the　world。　I　inspected　every　quality　household　slave　on　display；　quickly　settled　upon　a　pair　of　sisters；　very　young　and　very　frightened　that　they　were　going　to　be　auctioned　at　noon　and　go　to　a　brothel。　I　sent　for　stools　and　we　sat　together。
　We　talked。
　They　came　from　a　small　fine　family　household　in　Tyre；　they'd　been　born　slaves。　They　knew　Greek　and　Latin　well。　They　spoke　Aramaic。　They　were　angelic　in　their　sweetness。
　They　had　immaculate　hands。　They　demonstrated　every　skill　I　required。　They　knew　how　to　dress　hair；　paint　a　face；　cook　food。　They　rattled　off　recipes　for　Eastern　dishes　of　which　I'd　never　heard；　they　named　different　pomades；　rouges。　One　of　them　flushed　with　fear；　and　then　said；　〃Madam；　I　can　paint　your　face　for　you；　and　very　quickly　and　perfectly！〃
　I　knew　this　meant　I　had　made　a　mess　of　the　job。
　I　also　knew　that；　ing　from　a　small　household；　they　were　far　more　versatile　than　our　slaves　at　home。
　I　bought　them　both；　the　answer　to　their　prayers；　I　demanded　clean　tunics　of　modest　length　for　both　of　them；　got　the　tunics；　made　of　blue　linen；　though　they　weren't　very　fine；　then　found　a　roaming　merchant　with　an　armful　of　pallae。　I　brought。　each　sister　a　blue　mantle。　They　were　in　such　happiness。　They　were　reticent　and　wanted　their　heads　covered。
　I　had　no　doubt　of　them。　They　would　have　died　for　me。
　It　didn't　occur　to　me　that　they　were　starving　until；　while　searching　for　other　slaves；　I　heard　a　nasty　slave　dealer　remind　an　impudent　educated　Greek　that　he　would　get　no　food　until　he　was　sold。
　〃Horrors；〃　I　said。　〃You　girls；　you're　probably　hungry。　Go　to　the　cookshop　in　the　Forum。　Look　down　the　street。　See　there；　the　scattering　of　benches　and　tables。〃
　'Mone？〃　they　said　in　dismay。
　〃Listen；　girls。　I　have　no　time　to　feed　you　like　birds　from　my　hand。　Don't　look　any　man　in　the　eye；　eat　and　drink　what　you　want。〃　I　gave　them　a　seemingly　shocking　amount　of　money。　〃And　don't　leave　the　cookshop　till　I　e　for　you。　If　a　man　es　to　you；　pretend　to　be　in　terror；　bow　your　heads　and　protest　as　best　you　can　that　you　don't　speak　his　language。　If　worst　es　to　worst；　go　to　the　Temple　of　Isis。〃
　They　ran　together　down　the　narrow　street　towards　the　distant　banquet；　their　mantles　such　a　beautiful　blue　as　they　ballooned　in　the　breeze　that　I　can　see　it　even　now；　the　color　of　the　sky　streaking　through　the　tight　sweaty　crowds　beneath　the　jumble　of　canopies。　Mia　and　Lia。　Not　hard　to　remember；　but　I　could　not　tell　them　apart。
　A　low　derisive　laughter　surprised　me。　It　was　the　Greek　slave　who　had　just　been　threatened　with　starvation　by　his　Master。
　He　said　to　his　Master：
　'M　right；　starve　me。　And　then　what　will　you　have　to　sell'？　A　sickened　and　dying　man；　instead　of　an　unusual　and　great　scholar。〃
　Unusual　and　great　scholar！
　I　turned　and　looked　at　the　man。　He　sat　on　a　stool　and　did　not　rise　for　me。　He　wore　nothing　but　a　filthy　loincloth；　which　was　plain　stupidity　on　the　part　of　the　merchant；　but　this　neglect　certainly　revealed　that　this　slave　was　one　very　handsome　man；　beautiful　in　face；　with　soft　brown　hair　and　long　almond…shaped　green　eyes；　and　a　sarcastic　expression　to　his　pretty　mouth。　He　was　maybe　thirty　years　old；　perhaps　a　little　younger。　He　was　fit　for　his　age；　as　Greeks　like　to　be；　having　a　sound　musculature。
　His　brown　hair　was　filthy；　had　been　hacked　off　and　around　his　neck　by　a　rope　was　the　most　wretched　small　board　I　ever　beheld；　crowded　with　tiny　cramped　letters　in　Latin。
　Pulling　up　the　mantle　again；　I　stepped　up　very　close　to　his　gorgeous　naked　chest；　a　little　amused　by　his　audacious　stare；　and　tried　to　read　all　this。
　It　seemed　he　could　have　taught　all　philosophy；　all　languages；　all　mathematics；　could　sing　everything；　knew　every　poet；　could　prepare　whole　banquets；　was　patient　with　children；　had　known　military　service　with　his　Roman　Master　in　the　Balkans；　could　perform　as　an　armed　guard；　was　obedient　and　virtuous　and　had　lived　all　his　life　in　Athens　in　one　house。
　I　read　this　a　bit　scornfully。　He　glared　at　me　impertinently　when　he　saw　this　scorn。　Impudently；　he　folded　his　arms　just　below　this　little　plaque。　He　leaned　back　against　the　wall。
　Suddenly　I　saw　why　the　merchant；　hovering　near；　had　not　made　the　Greek　rise。　The　Greek　had　only　one　good　leg。　The　left　leg　below　the　knee　was　made　of　well…carved　ivory；　plete　with　carefully　engraved　foot　and　sandal。　Perfect　toes。　Of　course　it　had　been　pieced　together；　this　fine　ivory　leg　and　foot；　but　in　three　proportionate　sections；　each　girded　with　decorative　work；　and　separate　parts　for　the　feet；　nails　defined　and　sandal　straps　exquisitely　carved。
　I　had　never　seen　such　a　false　limb；　such　a　surrender　to　artifice　rather　than　a　meager　attempt　to　imitate　nature。
　〃How　did　you　lose　your　leg？〃　I　asked　him　in　Greek。　No　answer。　I　pointed　to　the　leg。　No　answer。
　I　asked　again　in　Latin。　Still　no　answer。
　The　slave　trader　was　rising　on　his　toes　in　his　anxiety　and　wringing　his　hands。
　〃Mistress；　he　can　keep　records；　run　any　business；　he　writes　in　perfect　hand；　keeps　honest　numbers。〃
　Hmmm。　So　no　mention　of　tutoring　children？　I　did　not　look　like　a　wife　and　mother。　Not　good。
　The　Greek　sneered　and　looked　away。　He　said　softly　under　his　breath　in　piercing　Latin　that　if　I　did　spend　money　for　him；　I　was　spending　it　for　a　dead　man。　His　voice　was　soft　and　beau