Part 3 (2/2)

The latter phrase proved a cunning one. The few likely buyers who had been attracted to the catasta by the youthful appearance of the girl--hoping to find willingness, even if skill were wanting--now quickly drew away.

Of a truth there was no guarantee as to her health and a sick slave was a burden and a nuisance.

”Ten aurei then,” said Hun Rhavas raising the hammer, whilst with hungry eyes the mother watched his every movement.

A few more seconds of this agonising suspense! Oh! ye G.o.ds, how this waiting hurts! She pressed her hands against her side where a terrible pain turned her nearly giddy.

Only a second or two whilst the hammer was poised in mid air and Hun Rhavas' furtive glance darted on the praefect to see if he were still indifferent! Menecreta prayed with all her humble might to the proud G.o.ds enthroned upon the hill! she prayed that this cycle of agony might end at last for she could not endure it longer. She prayed that that cruel hammer might descend and her child be delivered over to her at last.

CHAPTER IV

”Hope deferred maketh the heart sick.”--PROVERBS XIII. 12.

Alas, the Roman G.o.ds are the G.o.ds of the patricians! They take so little heed of the sorrows and the trials of poor freedmen and slaves!

”Who ordered the hat to be put on this girl's head?” suddenly interposed the harsh voice of the praefect.

He had not moved away from the rostrum all the while that the throng of obsequious sycophants and idle lovesick youths had crowded round Dea Flavia. Now he spoke over his shoulder at Hun Rhavas, who had no thought, whilst his comfortable little plot was succeeding so well, that the praefect was paying heed.

”She hath no guarantee, as my lord's grace himself hath knowledge,” said the African with anxious humility.

”Nay! thou liest as to my knowledge of it,” said Taurus Antinor. ”Where is the list of goods compiled by the censor?”

Three pairs of willing hands were ready with the parchment rolls which the praefect had commanded; one was lucky enough to place them in his hands.

”What is the girl's name?” he asked as his deep-set eyes, under their perpetual frown, ran down the minute writing on the parchment roll.

”Nola, the daughter of Menecreta, my lord,” said one of the scribes.

”I do not see the name of Nola, daughter of Menecreta, amongst those whom the State doth not guarantee for skill, health or condition,”

rejoined the praefect quietly, and his rough voice, scarcely raised above its ordinary pitch, seemed to ring a death-knell in poor Menecreta's heart.

”Nola, the daughter of Menecreta,” he continued, once more referring to the parchment in his hand, ”is here described as sixteen years of age, of sound health and robust const.i.tution, despite the spareness of her body. The censor who compiled this list states that she has a fair knowledge of the use of unguents and of herbs, that she can use a needle and plait a lady's hair. Thou didst know all this, Hun Rhavas, for the duplicate list is before thee even now.”

”My lord's grace,” murmured Hun Rhavas, his voice quivering now, his limbs shaking with the fear in him, ”I did not know--I----”

”Thou didst endeavour to defraud the State for purposes of thine own,”

interposed the praefect calmly. ”Here! thou!” he added, beckoning to one of his lictors, ”take this man to the Regia and hand him over to the chief warder.”

”My lord's grace----” cried Hun Rhavas.

”Silence! To-morrow thou'lt appear before me in the basilica. Bring thy witnesses then if thou hast any to speak in thy defence. To-morrow thou canst plead before me any circ.u.mstance which might mitigate thy fault and stay my lips from condemning thee to that severe chastis.e.m.e.nt which crimes against the State deserve. In the meanwhile hold thy peace. I'll not hear another word.”

But it was not in the negro's blood to submit to immediate punishment now and certain chastis.e.m.e.nt in the future without vigorous protestations and the generous use of his powerful lungs. The praefect's sentences in the tribunal where he administered justice were not characterised by leniency; the galleys, the stone-quarries, aye! even the cross were all within the bounds of possibility, whilst the scourge was an absolute certainty.

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