Part 18 (2/2)
So Narcissus, who cared only for sextus, reckoning no other man on earth his friend, went and sat beyond the curtains in the s his ears to catch the conversation and wondering what tragedy the Gods ladiator his philosophy was mixed of fatalism, cynical irreverence, a sehtedness and self-will He reckoned Marcia no better than himself because she, too, was born in slavery-and Pertinax not vastly better than himself because he was a charcoal-burner's son But it did not enter his head just then that hehistory
Marcia well understood hi that he could not escape to confer with the slaves in the corridor, because the door leading to the corridor from the smaller anteroo anything He could be dealt with either way, at her convenience; a reward ht seal his lips, or she could have him killed the instant that his usefulness was ended, which was possibly not yet
”sextus,” she said, ”must be dealt with Pertinax, you are the one who should attend to it As governor of Rohly faithful,” said Pertinax ”He has been very useful to us”
”Yes,” said Marcia, ”but usefulness has li, else the wine spills Galen, go in and see the emperor”
Galen shook his head
”He is a sick man,” said Marcia ”I think he has a fever”
Galen shook his head again
”I will not have it said I poisoned him”
”Nonsense! Who knows that you mixed any poison?”
”sextus, for one,” Galen answered
”Dea dia! There you are!” said Marcia ”I tell you, Pertinax, your sextus may prove to be another Livius! He has been as ubiquitous as the plague He knows everything What if he should turn around and secure hi Commodus all he knows? It was you who trusted Livius Do you never learn by your mistakes?”
”We don't know yet what Livius has told,” said Pertinax ”If he had been tortured-but he was not Commodus slew him with his own hand I know that is true; it was told me by the steward of the bedchamber, who saw it, and who helped to dispose of the body Co spy as Livius, who could be true to nobody but scribbled, scribbled, scribbled in a journal all the scandal he could learn in order to betray anybody when it suited hin that Co to slay that wretch”
”He will have a change of governors of Rome before the day dawns!” Marcia retorted ”If it weren't that he e his mistress at the same time-”
”You would betray me-eh?” Pertinax smiled at her tolerantly
”No,” said Marcia, ”I would let you have your oay and be executed! You deserve it, Pertinax” Pertinax stood up and paced the floor with hands behind him
”I will haveto a stand in front of her ”He who plots against his eainst ainst him I am not sure I am fitted to be Caesar I have none to rally to uard, which is a two-horned weapon; they could turn onon the throne And furthermore, I don't wish to be Caesar Glabrio, for instance, is a better man than I am for the task I will only consent to your desperate course, for the sake of Rons a wholesale massacre And even so, if your name and Galen's and mine are not on his proscription list-if he only intends, that is, to punish Christians and weaken the faction of that Carthaginian Severus, I will observe my oath of loyalty I will counsel moderation but-”
”You are less than half a man without yourto inity I don't believe in it! I will send for Cornificia”
”No, no!” Pertinax showed instant resolution ”Cornificia shall not be dragged in The responsibility is yours andan innocent woman”
For a ered by his innocence, not his assertion of Cornificia's-bemused by the man's ability to believe what he chose to believe, as if Cornificia had not been the very first who plotted to make hiest to the praetorian guard that their interestPertinax; she more than any one had disar to him about Pertinax' lack of self-assertiveness, which had beco his of Pertinax and a number of other important people, Cornificia had underht else have been dangerous
”Your Cornificia,” Marcia began then changed her ood She must play on the man's illusion that he was the master of his oill ”Very well,” she went on, ”Yours be the decision! No woman can decide such issues We are all in your hands- Cornificia and Galen-all of us-aye, and Rome, too-and even sextus and his friends But you will never have another such opportunity It is tonight or never, Pertinax!”
He winced He was about to speak, but soreat door carved with cupids leading to the emperor's bedcha it softly behind him
”Caesar sleeps,” said the child, ”and the wind blew out the lamp He was very cross It is dark It is cold and lonely in there”