Part 46 (1/2)
Hands clasped heartily as the twain stood face to face.
”Our rivalry forever more shall be a rivalry which of us can do most to profit Athens,” spoke the returning exile; then Aristeides told how he had even now come from aegina, how he had heard of the clamours to retreat, how retreat was impossible, for the Persians were pressing in. A laugh from Themistocles interrupted.
”My handiwork! Come to the council. They will not believe me, no, not my oath.”
Aristeides told his story, and how his vessel to Salamis had scarce escaped the Egyptian triremes, and how by this time all entrance and exit was surely closed. But even now many an angry captain called him ”liar.”
The strife of words was at white heat when Eurybiades himself silenced the fiercest doubter.
”Captains of h.e.l.las, a trireme of Teos has deserted from the Barbarian to us. Her navarch sends word that all is even as Themistocles and Aristeides tell. The Egyptians hold the pa.s.sage to Eleusis. Infantry are disembarked on Psyttaleia. The Phnicians and Ionians enclose us on the eastern strait. We are hemmed in.”
Once more the orderly turned the water-clock. It was past midnight. The clouds had blown apart before the rising wind. The debate must end.
Eurybiades stood again to take the votes of the wearied, tense-strung men.
”In view of the report of the Teans, what is your voice and vote?”
Before all the rest up leaped Adeimantus. He was no craven at heart, though an evil genius had possessed him.
”You have your will, Themistocles,” he made the concession sullenly yet firmly, ”you have your will. May Poseidon prove you in the right. If it is battle or slavery at dawn, the choice is quick. Battle!”
”Battle!” shouted the twenty, arising together, and Eurybiades had no need to declare the vote. The commanders scattered to their flag-s.h.i.+ps, to give orders to be ready to fight at dawn. Themistocles went to his pinnace last. He walked proudly. He knew that whatever glory he might gain on the morrow, he could never win a fairer victory than he had won that night.
When his barge came alongside, his boat crew knew that his eyes were dancing, that his whole mien was of a man in love with his fortune. Many times, as Glaucon sat beside him, he heard the son of Neocles repeating as in ecstasy:-
”They must fight. They must fight.”
Glaucon sat mutely in the pinnace which had headed not for the _Nausicaa_, but toward the sh.o.r.e, where a few faint beacons were burning.
”I must confer with the strategi as to the morning,” Themistocles declared after a long interval, at which Sicinnus broke in anxiously:-
”You will not sleep, _kyrie_?”
”Sleep?” laughed the admiral, as at an excellent jest, ”I have forgotten there was such a G.o.d as Hypnos.” Then, ignoring Sicinnus, he addressed the outlaw.
”I am grateful to you, my friend,” he did not call Glaucon by name before the others, ”you have saved me, and I have saved h.e.l.las. You brought me a new plan when I seemed at the last resource. How can the son of Neocles reward you?”
”Give me a part to play to-morrow.”
”Thermopylae was not brisk enough fighting, ha? Can you still fling a javelin?”
”I can try.”
”_Euge!_ Try you shall.” He let his voice drop. ”Do not forget your name henceforth is Critias. The _Nausicaa's_ crew are mostly from Sunium and the Mesogia. They'd hardly recognize you under that beard; still Sicinnus must alter you.”
”Command me, _kyrie_,” said the Asiatic.
”A strange time and place, but you must do it. Find some dark dye for this man's hair to-night, and at dawn have him aboard the flag-s.h.i.+p.”
”The thing can be done, _kyrie_.”
”After that, lie down and sleep. Because Themistocles is awake, is no cause for others' star-gazing. Sleep sound. Pray Apollo and Hephaestus to make your eye sure, your hand strong. Then awake to see the glory of h.e.l.las.”