Part 46 (1/2)

Cras.h.!.+ and with the stroke, a torrent of wild shouts, oaths, and imprecations burst forth from many score throats.

Cras.h.!.+ The slaves sleeping near the front door began to howl and shout. The great Molossian hound that stood watch was barking and snapping. The Gallic maid sprang from her pallet by Cornelia's door, and gave a shrill, piercing scream. Artemisia was sitting up on her bed, rubbing her eyes, blinking at the strange light, and about to begin to cry. Cornelia ran over the floor to her.

”_A! A!_ what is going to happen!” whimpered the girl.

”I do not know, _philotata_”[164] said Cornelia in Greek, putting her hand on Artemisia's cheek; ”but don't cry, and I'll soon find out.”

[164] Dearest one.

Cras.h.!.+ and at this the door could be heard to fall inward. Then, with yells of triumph and pa.s.sion, there was a great sweep of feet over the threshold, and the clang of weapons and armour. Cornelia found herself beginning to tremble. As she stepped across the room, she pa.s.sed before her largest mirror, whereon the outside light was s.h.i.+ning directly. She saw herself for an instant; her hair streaming down her back, her only dress her loose white tunic, her arms bare, and nothing on her throat except a string of yellow amber beads. ”And my feet are bare,” she added to herself, diverted from her panic by her womanly embarra.s.sment. She advanced toward the door, but had not long to wait.

Down below the invaders had burst loose in wild pillage, then up into the sleeping room came flying a man--Phaon, his teeth chattering, his face ghastly with fright.

”Domina! domina!” and he knelt and seized Cornelia's robe. ”Save, _A!_ save! We are undone! Pirates! They will kill us all! _Mu! mu!_ don't let them murder me!”

A moment longer and Cornelia, in her rising contempt, would have spurned him with her foot. There were more feet on the stairway.

Glaring torches were tossing over gold inlaid armour. A man of unusual height and physique strode at the head of the oncomers, clutching and dragging by the wrist a quivering slave-boy.

”Your mistress, boy! where is she? Point quickly, if you would not die!” cried the invader, whom we shall at once recognize as Demetrius.

Cornelia advanced to the doorway, and stood in her maidenly dignity, confronting the pirates, who fell back a step, as though before an apparition.

”I am the Lady Cornelia, mistress of the villa,” she said slowly, speaking in tones of high command. ”On what errand do you come thus unseasonably, and with violence?”

Whereat, out from the little group of armed men sprang one clad in costly, jewel-set armour, like the rest, but shorter than the others, and with fair hair flowing down from his helmet on to his shoulders.

”Domina, do you not know me? Do not be afraid.”

”Agias!” cried Cornelia, in turn giving back a step.

”a.s.suredly,” quoth the young h.e.l.lene, nothing dismayed; ”and with your leave, this great man is Demetrius, my cousin, whose trade, perchance, is a little irregular, but who has come hither not so much to plunder as to save you from the clutches of his arch-enemy's son, Lucius Ahen.o.barbus.”

Cornelia staggered, and caught the curtain in the doorway to keep from falling.

”Has Master Drusus sent him to me?” she asked, very pale around the lips.

”Master Drusus is at Corfinium. No one knows what will be the issue of the war, for Pompeius is making off. It is I who counselled my cousin to come to Baiae.”

”Then what will you do with me? How may I dare to trust you? Deliver myself into the hands of pirates! Ah! Agias, I did not think that _you_ would turn to such a trade!”

The youth flushed visibly, even under the ruddy torchlight.

”Oh, lady,” he cried, ”have I not always been true to you? I am no pirate, and you will not blame my cousin, when you have heard his story. But do not fear us. Come down to the s.h.i.+p--Fabia is there, waiting for you.”

”Fabia!” and again Cornelia was startled. Then, fixing her deep gaze full on Agias, ”I believe you speak the truth. If not you--whom?

Take--take me!”

And she fell forward in a swoon, and Demetrius caught her in his powerful arms.

”This is the affianced wife of Quintus Drusus?” he cried to Agias.