Volume I Part 20 (1/2)
”The cutler, Caius Volero!”
”Volero! Ha!” cried Lentulus, starting. ”Indeed! indeed! that may well be.
By whom, then, were you urged to the deed, and when?”
”Paullus Caecilius Arvina tempted us to the deed, by the offer of ten thousand sesterces! We met him by appointment upon the Caelian hill, at the head of the Minervium, a little before sunrise, the day before yesterday.”
”Ha!” and for a moment or two Lentulus fixed his eyes upon the ground, and pondered deeply on what he had just heard. ”Have ye seen Volero since?”
”No, Praetor.”
”Nor heard anything concerning him?”
”Nothing!” said Stolo. But he spoke with a confused air and in an undecided tone, which satisfied the judge that he was speaking falsely.
Rufinus interposed, however, saying-
”But I have, n.o.ble Lentulus. I heard say that he _was_ murdered in his own booth, that same night!”
”And having heard this, you told it not to Stolo?”
”I never thought about it any more,” answered Rufinus doggedly, seeing that he had got into a sc.r.a.pe.
”That was unfortunate, and somewhat strange, too, seeing that you came hither together to speak about the very man. Now mark me. Volero _was_ that night murdered, and it appears to me, that you are bringing this accusation against a young patrician, in order to conceal your own base handiwork in the deed. Fellows, I grievously suspect you.”
”Wrongfully, then, you do so,” answered Stolo, who was the bolder and more ready witted of the two. ”Rufinus ever was a forgetful fool; and I trow I am not to be brought into blame for his folly.”
”Well for you, if you be not brought into more than blame! Now, mark me well! can you prove where you were that night of the murder, excellent Stolo?”
”Ay! can I,” answered the man boldly. ”I was with stout Balatro, the fisherman, helping to mend his nets until the fourth hour, and all his boys were present, helping us. And then we went to a cookshop to get some supper in the ox forum, and thence at the sixth hour we pa.s.sed across to Lydia's house in the Cyprian lane, and spent a merry hour or two carousing with her jolly girls. Will that satisfy you, Lentulus?”
”Ay, if it can be proved,” returned the Praetor. ”And you, Rufinus; can you also show your whereabout that evening?”
”I can,” replied the fellow, ”for I was sick abed; and that my wife can show, and Themison the druggist, who lives in the Sacred Way. For she went to get me an emetic at the third hour; and I was vomiting all night. A poor hand should I have made that night at murder.”
”So far, then,” replied Lentulus, ”you have cleared yourselves from suspicion; but your charge on Arvina needs something more of confirmation, ere I dare cite a Patrician to plead to such a crime! Have you got witnesses? was any one in sight, when he spoke with you on the Minervium?”
”There was one; but I know not if he will choose to speak of it?”
”Who was it?” exclaimed Lentulus, growing a little anxious on the subject, for though he cared little enough about Arvina, he was yet unwilling to see a Patrician arraigned for so small a matter, as was in his eyes the murder of a mechanic.
”Why should he not speak? I warrant you I will find means to make him.”
”It was my patron, Lentulus.”
”Your patron! man!” he cried, much astonished. ”What, Catiline, here?”
”Catiline it was! my Praetor.”
”And have you consulted with him, ere you spoke with me?”