"Too short," said one. "Too thin," said another. "Too small in the foot for her ankle," said a third. "Fools," broke in a fourth, a young man with a fine figure and dark rings round his eyes, "what is the use of trying to cheapen this piece of goods thus in the eyes of the experienced? I say that this Pearl-Maiden is as perfect as those pearls about her own neck; on a small scale, perhaps, but quite perfect, and you will admit that I ought to know."
"Lucius says that she is perfect," remarked one of them in a tone of acquiescence, as though that verdict settled the matter.
"Yes," went on the critical Lucius, "now, to take one thing only, a point so often overlooked. Observe how fresh and firm her flesh is. When I press it thus," and he suited the action to the word, "as I thought, my finger leaves scarcely any mark."
"But my arm does," said a gruff voice beside him, and next moment this scented judge of human beings received the point of the elbow of Gallus between the eyes just where the nose is set into the forehead. With such force and skill was the blow directed that next instant the critic was sprawling on his back upon the pavement, the blood gushing from his nostrils. Now most of them laughed, but some murmured, while Gallus said:
"Way there, friends, way there! I am charged to deliver this lady to the Caesars and to certify that while she was in my care no man has so much as laid a finger on her. Way there, I pray you! And as for that whimpering puppy on his back, if he wishes it, he knows where to find Gallus. My sword will mark him worse than my elbow, if he wants blood-letting, that I swear."
Now with jests and excuses they fell back one and all. There were few of them who did not know that, lame as he might be now, old Gallus was still the fiercest and most dreaded swordsman of his legion. Indeed he was commonly reported to have slain eighteen men in single combat, and when young even to have faced the most celebrated gladiator of the day for sport, or to win a private bet, and given him life as he lay at his mercy.
So they pa.s.sed on through long halls guarded by soldiers, till at length they came to a wide pa.s.sage closed with splendid curtains, where the officer on duty asked them their business. Gallus told him and he vanished through the curtains, whence he returned presently, beckoning them to advance. They followed him down a corridor set with busts of departed emperors and empresses, to find themselves in a round marble chamber, very cool and lighted from above. In this chamber sat and stood three men: Vespasian, whom they knew by his strong, quiet face and grizzled hair; t.i.tus, his son, "the darling of mankind," thin, active, and aesthetic-looking, with eyes that were not unkindly, a sarcastic smile playing about the corners of his mouth; and Domitian, his brother, who has already been described, a man taller than either of them by half a head, and more gorgeously attired. In front of the august three was a master of ceremonies clad in a dark-coloured robe, who was showing them drawings of various sections of the triumphal procession, and taking their orders as to such alterations as they wished.
Also there were present, a treasurer, some officers and two or three of the intimate friends of t.i.tus.
Vespasian looked up.
"Greeting, worthy Gallus," he said in the friendly, open voice of one who has spent his life in camps, "and to your wife, Julia, greeting also. So that is the Pearl-Maiden of whom we have heard so much talk.
Well, I do not pretend to be a judge of beauty, still I say that this Jewish captive does not belie her name. t.i.tus, do you recognise her?"
"In truth, no, father. When last I saw her she was a sooty, withered little thing whom Gallus yonder carried in his great arms, as a child might carry a large doll that he had rescued from the fire. Yes, I agree that she is beautiful and worthy of a very good place in the procession.
Also she should fetch a large price afterwards, for that necklace of pearls goes with her--make a note of this, Scribe--and the reversion to considerable property in Tyre and elsewhere. This, by special favour, she will be allowed to inherit from her grandfather, the old rabbi, Benoni, one of the Sanhedrim, who perished in the burning of the Temple."
"How can a slave inherit property, son?" asked Vespasian, raising his eyebrows.
"I don"t know," answered t.i.tus with a laugh. "Perhaps Domitian can tell you. He says that he has studied law. But so I have decreed."
"A slave," interrupted Domitian wisely, "has no rights and can hold no property, but the Caesar of the East"--here he sneered--"can declare that certain lands and goods will pa.s.s to the highest bidder with the person of the slave, and this, Vespasian Caesar, my father, is what I understand t.i.tus Caesar, my brother, has thought it good to do in the present instance."
"Yes," said t.i.tus in a quiet voice, though his face flushed, "that, Domitian, is what I have thought it good to do. In such a matter is not my will enough?"
"Conqueror of the East," replied Domitian, "Thrower-down of the mountain stronghold called Jerusalem, to which the topless towers of Ilium were as nothing, and Exterminator of a large number of misguided fanatics, in what matter is not your will enough? Yet a boon, O Caesar. As you are great, be generous," and with a mocking gesture he bowed the knee to t.i.tus.
"What boon do you seek of me, brother, who know that all I have is, or,"
he added slowly, "will be--yours?"
"One that is already granted by your precious words, t.i.tus. Of all you have, which is much, I seek only this Pearl-Maiden, who has taken my fancy. The girl only, not her property in Tyre, wherever that may be, which you can keep for yourself."
Vespasian looked up, but before he could speak, t.i.tus answered quickly:
"I said, Domitian, "all I have." This maid I have not, therefore the words do not apply. I have decreed that the proceeds of the sale of these captives is to be divided equally between the wounded soldiers and the poor of Rome. Therefore she is their property, not mine. I will not rob them."
"Virtuous man! No wonder that the legions love him who cannot withdraw one lot from a sale of thousands, even to please an only brother,"
soliloquised Domitian.
"If you wish for the maid," went on t.i.tus, taking no heed of the insult, "the markets are open--buy her. It is my last word."
Suddenly Domitian grew angry, the false modesty left his face, his tall form straightened itself, and he stared round with his blear, evil-looking eyes.
"I appeal," he shouted, "I appeal from Caesar the Small to Caesar the Great, from the murderer of a brave barbarian tribe to the conqueror of the world. O Caesar, t.i.tus here declared that all he has is mine. Yet when I ask him for the gift of one captive girl he refuses me. Command, I pray you, that he should keep his word."
Now the officers and the secretaries looked up, for of a sudden this small matter had become very important. For long the quarrel between t.i.tus and his jealous brother had smouldered, now over the petty question of a captive it had broken into flame.
The face of t.i.tus grew hard and stern as that of some statue of the offended Jove.
"Command, I pray you, father," he said, "that my brother should cease to offer insult to me. Command also that he should cease to question my will and my authority in matters great or small that are within my rule.
Since you are appealed to as Caesar, as Caesar judge, not of this thing only but of all, for there is much between him and me that needs to be made plain."
Vespasian looked round him uneasily, but seeing no escape and that beneath the quarrel lay issues which were deep and wide, he spoke out in his brave, simple-minded fashion.
"Sons," he said, "seeing that there are but two of you who together, or one after the other, must inherit the world, it is an evil-omened thing that you should quarrel thus, since on the chances of your enmity may hang your own fates and the fates of peoples. Be reconciled, I pray you. Is there not enough for both? As for the matter in hand--this is my judgment. With all the spoils of Judaea, this fair maid is the property of t.i.tus. t.i.tus, whose boast it is that he does not go back upon his word, has decreed that she shall be sold and her price divided between the sick soldiers and the poor. Therefore she is no longer his to give away, even to his brother. With t.i.tus I say--if you desire the girl, Domitian, bid your agent buy her in the market."
"Aye, I will buy her," snarled Domitian, "but this I swear, that soon or late t.i.tus shall pay the price and one that he will be loth to give."
Then followed by his secretary and an officer, he turned and left the audience hall.
"What does he mean?" asked Vespasian, looking after him with anxious eyes.
"He means that----" and t.i.tus checked himself. "Well, time and my destiny will show the world what he means. So be it. As for you, Pearl-Maiden, who, though you know it not, have cost Caesar so dear, well, you are fairer than I thought, and shall have the best of places in the pageant. Yet, for your sake, I pray that one may be found who, when you come to the market-place, may outbid Domitian," and he waved his hand to show that the audience was at an end.
CHAPTER XXII
THE TRIUMPH
Another week went by and the eve of the Triumph was at hand. On the afternoon before the great day sewing-women had come to the house of Gallus, bringing with them the robe that Miriam must wear. As had been promised, it was splendid, of white silk covered with silver discs and having the picture of the gate Nicanor fashioned on the breast, but cut so low that it shamed Miriam to put it on.
"It is naught, it is naught," said Julia. "The designer has made it thus that the mult.i.tude may see those pearls from which you take your name."
But to herself she thought: "Oh! monstrous age, and monstrous men, whose eyes can delight in the disgrace of a poor unfriended maiden. Surely the cup of iniquity of my people is full, and they shall drink it to the dregs!"
That same afternoon also came an a.s.sistant of the officer, who was called the Marshal, with orders to Gallus as to when and where he was to deliver over his charge upon the morrow. With him he brought a packet, which, when opened, proved to contain a splendid golden girdle, fashioned to the likeness of a fetter. The clasp was an amethyst, and round it were cut these words: "The gift of Domitian to her who to-morrow shall be his."
Miriam threw the thing from her as though it were a snake.
"I will not wear it," she said. "I say that I will not wear it; at least to-day I am my own," while Julia groaned and Gallus cursed beneath his breath.
Knowing her sore plight, that evening there came to visit her one of the elders of the Christian Church in Rome, a bishop named Cyril, who had been the friend and disciple of the Apostle Peter. To him the poor girl poured out all the agony of her heart.
"Oh! my father, my father in Christ," she said, "I swear to you that were I not of our holy faith, rather than endure this shame I would slay myself to-night! Other dangers have I pa.s.sed, but they have been of the body alone, whereas this----. Pity me and tell me, you in whose ear G.o.d speaks, tell me, what must I do?"
"Daughter," answered the grave and gentle man, "you must trust in G.o.d.
Did He not save you in the house at Tyre? Did He not save you in the streets of Jerusalem? Did He not save you on the gate Nicanor?"
"He did," answered Miriam.
"Aye, daughter, and so shall He save you in the slave-market of Rome. I have a message for your ear, and it is that no shame shall come near to you. Tread your path, drink your cup, and fear nothing, for the Lord shall send His angel to protect you until such time as it pleases Him to take you to Himself."
Miriam looked at him, and as she looked peace fell upon her soul and shone in her soft eyes.