Volume Iii Part 56 (1/2)
”The three men only came from Byzantium yesterday evening--they at once demanded your head. But Na.r.s.es said, 'No murder! A just sentence after a process in all form.' 'When is it to be?' asked Anicius. 'So soon as it is time.' 'And Rome?' asked Basiliskos. 'He will never see Rome again!' answered Na.r.s.es.”
”Stop!” cried Cethegus. ”Wait a moment. I must be quite clear.”
He wrote a few lines upon a wax tablet.
”Has Na.r.s.es returned from his bath?”
”Long ago.”
”'Tis well.” He gave the tablet to the sentinel at the door. ”Bring back the answer immediately.--Continue, Syphax.”
But Cethegus could no longer stand still. He began hastily to pace the tent.
”O sir, something monstrous must have happened at Rome--I could not exactly understand what. Anicius put a question; in it he named your Isaurians. Na.r.s.es said, 'I am rid of the chief Sandil,' and he added, laughing, 'and the rest are well cared for in Rome by Aulus and the brothers Macer, my decoy-birds.'”
”Did he name those names?” asked Cethegus grimly. ”Did he use that word?”
”Yes, sir. Then Alboin said, 'It is well that the young tribunes are gone; it would have cost a hard fight.' And Na.r.s.es replied, 'All the Prefect's Isaurians must go. Shall we fight a b.l.o.o.d.y battle in our own camp, and let King Teja burst in upon us?' O sir, I fear that they have enticed your most faithful followers away from you with evil intent.”
”I believe so too,” said Cethegus gravely. ”But what did they say about Rome?”
”Alboin asked after a leader whose name I had never heard before.”
”Megas?” asked Cethegus.
”Yes, Megas! That was it. How did you know?”
”No matter. Continue! What about this Megas?”
”Alboin asked how long Megas had been in Rome. Na.r.s.es said, 'In any case long enough for the Roman tribunes and the Isaurians.'”
Cethegus groaned aloud.
”But,” continued Syphax, ”Scaevola remarked that the citizens of Rome idolised their tyrant and his young knights. 'Yes.' answered Na.r.s.es, 'formerly; but now they hate and fear nothing so much as the man who tried by force once more to make them brave men and Romans.' Then Albinus asked, 'But if they were to take his part again? His name has an all-conquering influence.' Na.r.s.es answered, 'Twenty-five thousand Armenians in the Capitol and the Mausoleum will bind the Romans----'”
Cethegus struck his fist fiercely on his forehead.
”'Will bind them more strictly than Pope Pelagius, their treaty, or their oath.' 'Their treaty and their oath?' asked Scaevola. 'Yes,'
answered Na.r.s.es, 'their oath and treaty! They have sworn only to open their gates to the Prefect of Rome.' 'Well, and then?' asked Anicius.
'Well', they know, and they knew then, that now the Prefect of Rome is called--Na.r.s.es. _To me, not to him_ have, they sworn!'”
Cethegus threw himself upon his couch and hid his face in his purple-hemmed mantle. No loud complaint issued from his heaving chest.
”Oh, my dear master!” cried Syphax, ”it will kill you! But I have not yet finished. You must know all. Despair will give you strength, as it does to the snared lion.”
Cethegus raised his head.
”Finish,” he said. ”What I have still to hear is indifferent; it can only concern me, not Rome.”
”But it concerns you in a fearful manner! Na.r.s.es went on to say, after a few speeches which escaped me in the noise of the waves--that yesterday, at the same time as the long-expected news from Rome----”