Part 77 (2/2)
Why was a necklace proof of that?
”I o with this” He pulled out another box, a much sold ring with his signet and ancestor, Hercules It was a very s” And indeed, it was not just a ring of his he was pressing into service It was shi+ny, new, and too small for a man ”Now you've spoiled ly
”You wished to marry me?”
”Yes Why would you find that so unbelievable?”
”Because when you were free, you did not Nohen you are married--”
”Ah Perhaps that helped in the decision!” He was laughing
”Don't joke!”
His sht of it The Gods knoas no easy decision But I came here, the decision already made If you would accept me”
How odd this was I had never expected this ”Yes Yes, I accept”
He took the necklace and fastened it around ht of the metal settled like a collar around me He bent and kissed my throat just above the top of the necklace His hands tookon as well
”No,” I said ”Not yet It is bad luck Not before--”
He put his ar theht my breath--- then put my hands on his chest and pushed myself away
”No,” I said ”We do not resuether until after we are ht myself to do I turned away and put a distance between us My heart was beating so fast I could alh up as the necklace
He stared as if I were crazy It was true, he was spoiled No one ever said no to hiht I would
”Let it be soon, then,” he e it,” I said ”And before the cere me the territories we discussed And the divorce request for Octavia”
”No” He balked ”I cannot serve her with papers of divorce while she is carrying ”
Antony Always tenderhearted and noble But he was right And it would be unlike him to be deliberately cruel to anyone
”Very well,” I said ”But soon afterward, you must”
”What sort of ceremony do you wish?”
”Not Roman,” I said He had been married in too many Roman ceremonies, and none of theal there in any case
”We could go to the shrine of Apollo near here,” he said ”It is reputed to be very beautiful, and it is ancient I know you have a fondness for ancient things--”
”No, not Apollo! How can you have forgotten? Apollo is Octavian's patron God!”
”Oh yes Well, what about--”
”I know The Te, since she is my Goddess, and your God is Dionysus We willthere, take vows before the priest, but have our festivities within the palace I wish all your Roman officers to help us celebrate All All of them” I wanted hundreds of witnesses of them” I wanted hundreds of witnesses
”Yes, of course” He threw up his hands ”You don't seem to understand,” he said ”I wish all the world to see! When I came here, I shook the dust of Rome from my boots I leave all that behind, and am not ashamed to stand up before the world itself with you”
I knew that this extraordinarywhat he pleased, without thinking But this time it pleased ood; let him prove it ”Let us hold the ceree in the next few hours”
He did not flinch ”You will find it all done, and done well”
Back in host I was stunned Although I had rehearsed my ”demands,” I had not expected this to happen so fast Tomorrow! To marry a man tomorrohom I had not seen in four years! It was crazy, as crazy as soe in I felt I must be drunk to do it
Iras leapt up, surprised to see me return so early Her eyes fastened on the necklace, and she stared
I touched it lightly ”Do you like it?” I said Indeed, I did feel drunk None of this was real ”It ispresent Yes, I am to marry Tomorrow”
She just sputtered, unable to find words
”You and Charown I brought will be suitable” I had had a special one oedding gown ”You had best get it out and air it Call Charet it out and air it Call Charmian”
Iras rushed off to do so I looked dreamily around the chamber
Married I was to be married--in public In only a few hours
”Mada in ”Married?”
”Yes Tomorrow” I did not have to identify the hed ”After all, our children are three years old!” ”But--”
”Charmian, Iras, your task is toelse”
”That we can do,” said Charmian ”But I must ask--you must ask yourself--and answer before tomorrow--I know you wish to marry Antony, but do you wish to wed Roypt up like this?”
”It is a fair question,” I said ”But by doing this, I hope to preserve Egypt”
I lay in the darkness, the hours passing in this strange city, under this strange sky Nothing was as I had pictured it, adding to the unreality Thus, whatever happened to
Charmian's questionhow to answer it to myself? Because my position was unique, I could not expect to be like any other bride But I felt I wasRome He, like Caesar, was an unusual son of Rome, one who seemed to understand that there were other peoples in the world, and illing to share the stage with thenity and liberty under the Ro would take place in the late afternoon Basins of water froht in to fill a tub for me to bathe in I declined to add any perfume or oil to theypt, and he had pronounced the, milk should have been added Char each ar it before a brazier, brushi+ng it sleamed Then they took a pair of shears and cut a lock of it to be dedicated to Isis before the cereown, a Grecian-style one of pale blue silk, hung airing in the breeze before the openOn a separate cord hungmy face, in accordance with Greek custo theround pearls
I was oddly calm I kneas a reat consequence, I could not dwell on it Imyself to fate It did not feel unkindly
The procession to the Temple of Isis, and the ceremony itself, would be witnessed by only a dozen people Antony would take e, with his chief officer, Canidius Crassus, onIras and Charmian and more staff officers