Volume I Part 4 (2/2)
Cethegus leaned his head back against the marble moulding, and with his right hand grasped the drinking-cup which stood before him.
”You are unjust, Rusticiana,” he said quietly, ”and confused. You mix the sports of Eros with the works of Eris and the Fates. You know that I was the friend of Boethius, although I kissed his wife. Perhaps just for that reason. I see nothing particular in that. And you--well, Silverius and the saints have forgiven you. You know further, that I hate these Goths, mortally hate them; that I have the will and--more than all others--the power to carry through that which is now your greatest wish, to revenge your father, whom you loved, and your husband, whom you honoured, on these barbarians.
”Therefore you obey my instigations, and you are wise in so doing; for you have a decided talent for intrigue, but your impetuosity often clouds your judgment. It spoils your finest plans. Therefore it is well that you follow cooler guidance. That is all. But now go. Your slave is crouching, drunk with sleep, in the vestibule. She believes that you are in the confessional with friend Silverius. The confession must not last too long. And we also have business to transact. Greet Camilla, your lovely child, for me, and farewell.”
He rose, took her hand, and led her gently to the door. She followed reluctantly, nodded to the priest at parting, looked once more at Cethegus, who appeared not to observe her inward emotion, and went out, slightly shaking her head.
Cethegus sat down again and emptied his cup of wine.
”A strange struggle in this woman's nature,” remarked Silverius, and sat down by Cethegus with stylus, wax-tablets, letters and doc.u.ments.
”It is not strange. She wishes to atone for having wronged her husband by avenging him,” said Cethegus. ”And that she can accomplish this by means of her former lover, makes the sacred duty doubly sweet. To be sure, she is not conscious of it.--But what have we to do?”
The two men now began their business: to consider such points of the conspiracy as they did not judge advisable to communicate to all the members of the league.
”At present,” began the archdeacon, ”it is above all things necessary to ascertain the amount of this fortune of Albinus, and decide upon its appropriation. We a.s.suredly require money, much money.”
”Money affairs are your province,”--said Cethegus, drinking. ”I understand them, of course, but they annoy me.”
”Further,” continued Silverius, ”the most influential men in Sicilia, Neapolis, and Apulia must be won over to our cause. Here is the list of their names, with notes annexed. There are men amongst them who are not to be allured by the usual means.”
”Give it to me,” said Cethegus, ”I will manage that,” And he cut up a Persian apple.
After an hour's hard work, the most pressing business was settled, and the host replaced the doc.u.ments, in a secret drawer in the wall behind the crucifix.
The priest was tired, and looked with envy at his companion, whose powerful frame and indefatigable spirit no late hours or exertion seemed able to exhaust.
He expressed something of the sort, as Cethegus again filled the silver cup.
”Practice, friend, strong nerves, and,” added Cethegus, smiling, ”a good conscience; that is the whole secret.”
”Yes, but in earnest, Cethegus, you are a riddle to me in other respects.”
”I should hope so.”
”Oh ho! do you consider yourself such a superior being that I cannot fathom you?”
”Not at all. But still sufficiently deep to be to others no less a riddle than--to myself. Your pride in your knowledge of mankind may be at ease. I am no wiser about myself than you are. Only fools are transparent.”
”In fact,” said the priest, expatiating on the subject, ”the key to your nature must be difficult to find. For example, look at the members of our league. It is easy to say what motives have led them to join us.
The hot young courage of a Licinius; the pig-headed but honest sense of justice of a Scaevola; as for myself and the other priests--our zeal for the honour of G.o.d.”
”Naturally,” said Cethegus, drinking.
”Others are induced by ambition, or are in hopes that they may cut off the heads of their creditors in a civil war; or they are tired of the orderly condition of this country under the Goths, or have been offended by one of these foreigners. Most of them have a natural repugnance to the barbarians, and are in the habit of seeing in the Emperor alone the master of Italy. But none of these reasons apply to you, and----”
”And,” interrupted Cethegus, ”that is very uncomfortable, is it not?
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