Part 18 (1/2)
”He's away nearly all the time,” said Artemisia, very incautiously.
”But _who are_ you? Why do you want to come and see me?”
”Why do I want to look at a flower? Why do I want to hear the nightingale sing? Why do I like a cup of good wine?” laughed Agias.
”Then, fair mistress, you may look for my answer when _you_ have answered all of these questions of mine.”
”I don't see what you mean,” said poor Artemisia, looking dreadfully puzzled.
”I mean,” exclaimed the other, ”what Sappho meant of the bride,--
'She like an apple turned red; which reddens far up on the tree-top:-- Upon the topmost of boughs,--the gatherers they have quite missed it.
Yes, they saw it indeed; but too high to dare try to pluck it.'
Only I, if you don't greatly mind, will be the bold tree-climber and pluck the apple.”
”But I do mind,” cried Artemisia, all blushes, and springing a little back. Old Sesostris looked alarmed.
”You--you mean the girl no ill?” he faltered.
Agias looked from the innocent little thing over to the Ethiop, snapped his finger, and replied:--
”Ill? I am not a human wolf, making pretty objects like this my prey!”
Then, choosing his moment carefully, by a quick turn he confronted Sesostris sternly, and almost thundered: ”_You_ speak of my doing ill to this maiden? You speak--the slave of Pratinas, who is the leader in every vice and wild prank in Rome! Has the slave as well as the master learned to play the hypocrite? Do you want to be tortured into confessing your part in all your master's crimes when the hour of reckoning comes and he is brought to justice. _A! A!_” he went on, seeing that Sesostris was rolling the whites of his eyes, and was trembling in every limb, ”you know for a certainty how and when Pratinas is to have Quintus Drusus killed! Don't deny it. You will soon be in the meshes. Don't hope to escape. If murder comes to Drusus he may perish, but he has friends who will fearfully avenge his death.”
”Mercy! Mercy!” howled the Ethiop, falling on his knees and clutching at the young Greek's robe, ”I know very little of the plot. I only know--”
”Don't equivocate,” thundered Agias. ”If I had known the kind of man you were, I would hardly have saved you from those street ruffians.
You don't deserve to live. Well, the crows will soon have you! You Egyptians believe in a judgment of the dead; what defence can you make before the court of Osiris[99] for being privy to a foul murder?
You'll come back to earth as a fly, or a toad, or a dung-beetle, to pay the penalty for your sins.”
[99] The Egyptian judge of the dead.
”Mercy,” whined Sesostris, who was in a paroxysm of fright. ”Indeed I am innocent! I am only a poor slave! I can't help knowing what Pratinas is doing; but how can I prevent him? Don't look at me so! I am innocent--innocent!”
”I can scarce believe you,” said Agias, affecting great reluctance to show any leniency. ”Doubtless you are steeped in blood. Still, you may save yourself this once. Remember, you are known, and the plans of Pratinas against Drusus are partly known. We know about Dumnorix, and Lucius Ahen.o.barbus, and--”
”Oh!” cried Sesostris, as though a hot iron had touched him, ”I will find out everything, and tell you. Indeed I will. Only do not send me to the rack or crucify me if my master's plans go astray!”
”Well,” said Agias, still simulating hesitancy, ”I will report to my superiors. Perhaps you are not a willing accomplice of your master. In that case, if he is apprehended, your life will doubtless be spared.
But we must thwart his plot before it can be carried out. This you must aid us to do. When will Dumnorix start for Praeneste?”
Again Sesostris quailed. ”I don't know,” he faltered, ”there has been a postponement. There was a plan that if Drusus came to the city he was to be lured outside the Esquiline gate, as if going to some villa, and murdered in the sand-pits, as have been many people.”
”But this plan has been given up? Speak the truth!” sharply demanded Agias.
”Yes; for Drusus will not stir from Praeneste. So there the scheme must be executed, as originally arranged.”
”And Dumnorix will go soon?”