Volume Iii Part 35 (1/2)
”'Let him enter, and admit no one else until he has gone,” said Cethegus. ”Meanwhile send quickly for Piso, the tribune.”
And he rose to meet Anicius, who now entered the room.
Anicius was no longer a youth, and his delicate features were much improved by the expression of resolution which at this moment rested upon them. He was dressed very simply, and his hair, which was usually curled, now hung straight down.
”You remind me of your beautiful sister, Anicius.”
With these words the Prefect received his visitor.
”It is on her account, Cethegus, that I come,” said Anicius gravely.
”You are the oldest friend of my father and of our house. You hid Severinus and me from our enemies, and a.s.sisted us to escape at your own risk. You are the only man in Byzantium to whom I can appeal in a mysterious affair. A few days ago I received this incomprehensible letter, 'To the son of my patron; Corbulo the freedman----”
”Corbulo? I know that name!”
”He was the freedman of my father, with whom my mother and sister took refuge, and who----”
”Fell before Rome with your brother!”
”Yes. But he only died after being carried into the Gothic encampment, for he was taken prisoner, together with my dying brother, in the village _ad aras Bacchi_. So I am told by one of Belisarius's mercenaries called Sutas, who was taken prisoner at the same time, And who has now brought me the letter which Corbulo could not finish. Read it for yourself.”
Cethegus took the small wax tablet with its scarcely legible writing and read:
”'The legacy of your dying brother, and his last words were: Anicius must revenge our mother, our sister, and myself. It was the same enemy of our house, the same demon who----'”
”The letter ends here,” said Cethegus.
”Yes. Corbulo lost his senses and never again became conscious, the mercenary said.”
”There is not much to be made of this,” observed Cethegus, shrugging his shoulders.
”No; but the mercenary Sutas--they were all in the same tent--heard a few words spoken by my dying brother to Corbulo, which may give us the key to the letter.”
”Well?” asked Cethegus, with concealed anxiety.
”Severinus said: 'I suspect it. He knew of the ambush--he sent us to meet certain death.'”
”Who?” asked Cethegus quietly.
”That is just what I want to find out.”
”You have no suspicion?”
”No; but it cannot be impossible to discover the man who is meant.”
”How will you manage it?”
”'Sent us to meet certain death,' that can only mean some leader or general who was the cause of my brother's sharing that fatal morning ride out of the Tiburtinian Gate. For Severinus did not at that time belong to the suite of Belisarius. He was a tribune of your legions. If you, Belisarius, and Procopius will earnestly try to find out the man who sent Severinus with Belisarius, you must succeed. For he did not go with other legionaries--none of your legionaries or hors.e.m.e.n accompanied Belisarius.”
”As far as I recollect,” said Cethegus, ”you are right.”
”Not one,” repeated Anicius. ”Procopius--unfortunately he has gone to examine the buildings which Justinian has erected in Asia--was present, and has often told me the names of all who were with him. When he returns, I will make a careful inquiry of what my brother did just before the sally. Into whose house or tent he went--I will not rest, I will ask all the still living comrades of Severinus where they saw him last before he rode out.”