Part 18 (1/2)
The centurion uards took sextus by the ar better than to waste energy or arouse anger by resisting
”Then I will go to the coht to him,” Narcissus stammered ”Idiot! Don't you know that Marcia protects Maternus? Otherwise, how should an outlahose face is so well known that you recognized him instantly-how should he dare to approach the palace?”
The centurion touched his forehead
”Mad, I daresay! Go on in Get Marcia's protection for hih-let me look at you”
He s and change into his other foot-gear Then he exaht like this they'd punish ht Let a I spend half as properly behind the neck It's the only way you can tell a slave froht to be recruited from the tailors' shops! Lace up your sandal properly Now- any weapons underneath that tunic?”
Sullenly Narcissus held his arms up and subed, being known as one of Caesar's favorites, but the centurion's suspicions were aroused They were almost confir, lean dagger on the table
”Taken from the prisoner,” he reported ”It was hidden beneath his tunic He looks desperate enough to kill himself, so I left two men to keep an eye on hiain, his mouth half-open
”Whom do you propose to visit in the palace?” he demanded
”Marcia,” said Narcissus
The centurion turned to the decurion
”Go you with him Hand him over to the hall-attendants Bid them pass him from hand to hand into Marcia's presence Don't return until you have word he has reached her”
To all intents and purposes a prisoner, Narcissus wasthe mosaic pavement of a bronze-roofed colonnade, whose marble coluuards, posted near the eaves where water splashed on theed their shi+elds in darkness as the decurion passed; there was not a square yard of the palace grounds unwatched
There was a halt beside the little marble pavilion near the palace steps, where the decurion turned Narcissus over to an attendant in palace unifor favorites of one day in disgrace the next
Within the palace there was draughtily lighted gloom, a sensation of dread andto the euards posted outside the any one; even when the centurion's e was delivered some one had to be sent in first to find out whether Marcia illing, and for nearly half an hour Narcissus waited, biting his lip with impatience
When he was sent for at last, and accompanied in, he found Marcia, Pertinax and Galen seated unattended in the gorgeous, quiet anteroom next to the eh the -shutters, but there was an at climax, like the hush and rumble that precedes eruptions
Marcia nodded and disht Narcissus There was a strained look about her eyes, a tightening at the corners of the mouth Her voice was al bad news, Narcissus! What has happened?”
”sextus has been arrested by the uard!”
Galen came out of a reverie Pertinax bit at his nails and looked startled; worry had made him look as old as Galen, but his shoulders were erect and he was very splendid in his jeweled full dress None spoke; they waited on Marcia, who turned the news over in her mind a minute
”When? Why?” she asked at last
”He proposed I should sht be of service to you He was storht But the centurion of the guard recognized him-knew he is Maternus He refused to summon the co what the guards may do to him They may try to make him talk Please write and order him released”
”Yes, order him released,” said Pertinax
But Marcia's strained lips flickered with the vestige of a smile
”A deter a deterive his own commands sextus is safe where he is Let him stay there until you have power to release him! Go and wait in the outer rooh he could sense the climax with the ht have rushed into the emperor's bedroouard in the eht have opened up a way for liberating sextus But there was irresolution in the air And besides, he knew that sextus would reckon it a treason to himself to be ive betrayal of his friends, Pertinax, and Marcia and Galen