Part 15 (1/2)
”Either it must be Severus, or else you!” said Marcia ”Which is it to be?”
Pertinax folded his arms
”I would feel it o too fast Our Commodus is on the throne-”
”And writes proscription lists!” said Marcia ”Who knohat names are on the lists already? Who knohat Bultius Livius may have told hi? Who knohat sextus is doing? If sextus has heard of this crisis he will seize the uard to mutiny or else reach Commodus himself and slay him with his own hand! sextus is a man! Are you no more than Flavia titiana's cuckold and Cornificia's plaything?”
”I arily ”I think of Rome before myself You women only think of passion and ambition Ro the floor again, knitting his fingers behind hi back the Augustan days-if he ht win the warfare that Tiberius lost One Pertinax is nothing in the life of Roe to the Gods-yet too uries are all mixed nowadays I doubt them I mistrust the shaven priests who dole out answers in return for minted money I have knelt before the holy shrine of Vesta, but the Virgins were as vague as the Egyptian who prophesied-”
He hesitated
”What?” deratitude What else does any man receive who serves Rome? They who cheat her are the ones who prosper!”
”Send for Cornificia,” said Marcia ”She keeps your resolution Let her come and loose it!” Pertinax turned sharply on her
”Flavia titiana shall not suffer that indignity Cornificia can not enter this house”
But the e in hier- nails, then clenched his hands again behind hi
”You are the only one who can replace Co Ro a phrase of Cornificia's And since the words were Cornificia's, and stirred the chords of many memories, they produced a sort of half-way resolution
”It is now or never,” Marcia said, goading him But Pertinax shook his head
”I ah I would do my best to save Rome from Severus Dioscuri!-do you realize, this plot to make me emperor is known to not more than a dozen-”
”Therein safety lies,” said Marcia ”Yourself included there can only be a dozen traitors!”
”Rome is too ive him this one chance,” said Pertinax ”I will protect him, unless and until I shall discover proof that he intends to turn on you, or me, or any of my friends”
”You may discover that too late!” said Marcia; but she seeht to the palace- Galen,” she added, ”coaze and shut his lips tight
”Galen,” she said, ”either you will do this or-I have been your friend
Now be you mine! It is too risky to send one ofthe poison with you
Otherwise-you understand?”
”You are extre up his lips
”You will obey?”
”I must,” said Galen But he did not say whether he would obey her or his inclination Pertinax, eyeing him doubtfully, see-tried friendshi+p
”May we depend on you?” he asked He laid a hand on Galen's shoulder, bending over him
”I a to live I will do my best-for you”