annr.pandora-第33部分

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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？〃