annr.pandora-第23部分

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　He　glared　at　the　merchant　with　great　authority　and　fearless　contempt。
　〃For　a　man　with　one　leg！〃　said　Flavius　between　his　teeth。　〃You　thief！　You　charge　my　Mistress　that；　here　in　Antioch；　where　slaves　are　so　plentiful　the　ships　take　them　on　to　Rome；　for　it's　the　only　way　to　cut　their　losses！〃
　I　was　quite　impressed。　All　had　gone　so　well。　The　darkness　flowed　back　away　from　me；　and　there　seemed　for　the　moment　a　divine　meaning　in　the　warmth　of　the　sun。
　〃You　cheat　my　Mistress　and　you　know　it！　You're　the　scum　of　the　Earth！〃　he　went　on。　〃Madam；　do　we　ever　purchase　from　this　scoundrel　again？　I　advise　never！〃
　The　slave　trader　broke　into　an　inane　smile；　a　hideous　grimace　of　cowardice　and　stupidity；　bowed　and　gave　me　back　a　third　of　what　I'd　given　him。
　I　could　hardly　keep　from　another　burst　of　laughing。　I　had　to　fetch　the　mantle　from　the　ground　again。　Flavius　did　it。　This　time；　I　knotted　it　properly　in　front。
　I　looked　at　the　gold　which　had　been　returned；　scooped　it　up；　entrusted　it　to　Flavius　and　off　we　went。
　When　we　had　plunged　into　the　thick　crowd　in　the　center　of　the　Forum　I　did　laugh　and　laugh　at　the　whole　affair。
　〃Well；　Flavius；　you're　protecting　me　already；　saving　me　money；　giving　me　excellent　advice。　If　there　were　more　men　like　you　in　Rome；　the　world　might　be　better　for　it。〃
　He　was　choked　up。　He　couldn't　talk。　It　was　an　effort　to　whisper：
　〃Lady；　you　have　on　trust　my　body　and　soul　forever。〃
　I　went　up　on　tiptoe　and　kissed　his　cheek。　I　realized　that　his　nakedness；　the　filth　of　the　loincloth；　all　this　was　a　disgrace　he　bore　without　a　sign　of　protest。
　〃Here；〃　I　said；　giving　him　some　money。　〃Take　the　girls　home；　put　them　to　work；　then　you　go　to　the　baths。　Get　clean。　Get　Roman　clean。　Have　a　boy　if　you　want。　Have　two。　Then　buy　fine　clothes　for　yourself；　not　slave　clothes；　mind　you；　but　clothes　that　you　would　buy　for　a　rich　young　Roman　Master！〃
　〃Madam；　please　hide　that　purse！〃　he　said　as　he　took　the　coins。　〃And　what　is　my　Mistress's　name'？　To　whom　shall　I　say　I　belong；　if　asked。〃
　〃To　Pandora　of　Athens；〃　I　said。　〃Though　you　shall　have　to　fill　me　in　on　the　current　state　of　my　birthplace；　because　I　have　never　actually　been　there。　But　a　Greek　name　serves　me　well。　Now；　go。　See；　the　girls　watch！〃
　Lots　of　people　were　watching。　Oh；　this　red　silk！　And　Flavius　was　such　a　splendid　figure　of　a　male。
　I　kissed　him　again；　and　whispered　in　his　ear；　calculatingly；　devil　that　I　am；　〃I　need　you；　Flavius。〃
　He　looked　down　at　me；　awestruck。　〃I　am　yours　forever；　Madam；〃　he　whispered。
　〃Are　you　sure　you　can't　do　with　me　in　bed！〃
　〃Oh；　believe　me；　I　have　tried！〃　he　confessed；　flushing　again。
　I　made　my　hand　into　a　fist　and　punched　his　muscular　arm。
　〃Very　well；〃　I　said。
　The　damsels　had　already　risen；　at　my　gesture。　They　knew　I　sent　him　to　them。
　I　gave　him　my　key；　the　directions　to　my　house；　described　the　particularities　of　its　gate；　and　the　old　bronze　lion　fountain　right　inside　the　gate。
　〃And　you；　Madam？〃　he　asked。　〃You're　going　in　the　crowd　unacpanied？　Madam；　the　purse　is　huge！　It's　full　of　gold。〃
　〃Wait　till　you　see　the　gold　in　the　house；〃　I　said。　〃Appoint　yourself　the　only　one　who　can　open　chests；　and　then　hide　them　in　obvious　places。　Replace　all　the　furniture　I've　smashed　in　my。。。　my　solitude。　There　are　many　pieces　stored　in　rooms　above。〃
　〃Gold　in　the　house！〃　He　was　alarmed。　〃Chests　of　gold！〃
　〃Now；　don't　worry　about　me；〃　I　said。　〃I　know　where　to　seek　help　now。　And　if　you　betray　me；　if　you　steal　my　legacy　and　I　find　my　house　ruined　when　I　return；　I　suppose　I　shall　have　deserved　it。　Cover　up　the　chests　of　gold　with　carpets。　The　place　has　heaps　of　little　Persian　carpets。　Look　upstairs。　And　tend　to　the　Shrine！〃
　〃I　shall　do　everything　you　ask　and　more。〃
　〃So　I　thought。　A　man　who　cannot　lie　cannot　steal。　Now　the　sun　is　intolerable　here。　Go　to　the　girls。　They　wait。〃
　I　turned。
　He　caught　me　by　ing　round　in；　front　of　me。
　〃Madam；　there　is　something　I　must　tell　you。〃
　〃What！〃　I　said　with　an　ominous　face。　〃Not　that　you're　a　eunuch；〃　I　said。　〃Eunuchs　don't　grow　muscles　in　their　arms　and　legs　like　that。〃
　〃No；〃　he　said。　Then　he　took　on　a　sudden　gravity。　〃Ovid；　you　spoke　of　Ovid。　Ovid　is　dead。　Ovid　died　two　years　ago　in　the　wretched　town　of　Tomis　on　the　upper　rim　of　the　Black　Sea。　It　was　a　miserable　choice　of　exile；　a　barbarian　outpost。〃
　〃No　one　told　me　this。　What　a　revolting　silence。〃　I　threw　up　my　hands　over　my　face。　The　mantle　fell。　He　retrieved　it。　I　scarce　noticed。　〃I　had　so　prayed　that　Tiberius　would　let　Ovid　e　back　to　Rome！〃　I　told　myself　I　had　no　time　to　stop　for　this。　〃Ovid。　No　time　to　weep　for　him　now。。。〃
　〃His　books　are　no　doubt　plentiful　here；〃　Flavius　said。　〃They　are　very　easily　found　in　Athens。〃
　〃Good；　perhaps　you　will　have　time　to　find　some　for　me。　Now；　I'm　off；　pins　or　tumbled　braids　or　sliding　mantle；　I　do　not　care。　And　don't　look　so　worried。　When　you　leave　the　house；　just　lock　up　the　girls　and　the　gold。〃
　When　I　finally　turned　around　he　was　making　his　way　rather　gracefully　towards　the　girls。　The　sun　rippled　prettily　on　his　well…muscled　back。　His　hair　was　curly　and　brown；　rather　like　my　own。　He　stopped　for　one　moment　when　a　vendor　attacked　him　with　an　armful　of　cheaply　made　tunics；　cloaks　and　whatnot；　more　than　likely　stolen　goods；　full　of　dye　that　would　run　in　the　first　rain；　but　who　knows？　He　bought　a　tunic　hastily　and　slipped　it　over　his　head；　and　purchasing　a　red　sash；　tied　it　around　his　waist。
　Such　a　transformation。　The　tunic　went　halfway　to　his　knees。　That　must　have　been　a　great　relief　to　him；　to　have　on　something　clean。　I　should　have　thought　of　this　before　I　left　him。　Stupid。
　I　admired　him。　Naked　or　clothed；　you　can't　carry　such　beauty　and　dignity　unless　you　have　been　cherished。　He　wore　the　raiment　of　the　affection　bestowed　on　him　and　inscribed　in　the　art　of　his　ivory　leg。
　In　our　brief　encounter；　a　bond　had　been　forged　forever。
　He　greeted　the　girls。　With　his　arms　around　them；　he　guided　them　out　of　the　crowd。
　I　went　straight　to　the　Temple　of　Isis；　and　thereby；　unwittingly；　took　the　first　firm　step　towards　a　larcenous　immortality；　an　inglorious　and　unearned　supernature；　a　never　ending　and　utterly　useless　doom。
　
　
　5
　
　As　soon　as　I　entered　the　Temple　pound　I　was　received　by　several　rich　Roman　women；　who　weled　me　generously。　They　were　all　properly　painted　with　white　on　their　arms　and　their　faces；　well…drawn　eyebrows；　lip　color　…　all　the　details　of　which　I'd　made　a　hash　that　morning。
　I　explained　that　though　I　had　means；　I　was　on　my　own。　They　were　for　helping　me　in　every　way。　When　they　heard　I　had　been　actually　initiated　in　Rome；　they　were　in　awe。
　〃Thank　Mother　Isis　they　didn't　discover　you　and　execute　you；〃　said　one　of　the　Roman　women。
　〃Go　in　and　see　the　Priestess；〃　they　said。　Many　of　them　had　not　yet　undergone　the　secret　ceremonies　and　were　waiting　to　be　called　by　the　goddess　for　this　momentous　event。　There　were　many　other　women　here；　some　Egyptian；　some　Babylonian　perhaps。　I　could　only　guess。　Jewels　and　silks　were　the　order　of　the　day。　Fancy　painted　gold　borders　lined　their　mantles；　some　wore　simple　dresses。
　But　it　seemed　to　me　that　all　of　them　spoke　Greek。
　I　couldn't　bring　myself　to　enter　the　Temple。　I　looked　up　and　saw　in　my　mind　our　crucified　Priests　in　Rome。
　〃Thank　God　you　were　not　identified；〃　said　one。
　〃Quite　a　few　people　fled　to　Alexandria；〃　said　another。
　〃I　raised　no　protest；〃　I　said　dismally。
　There　came　a　chorus　of　sympathy。　〃How　could　you；　under　Tiberius？　Believe　me；　every　one　who　could　escaped。〃
　〃Don't　be　laden　with　misery；〃　said　a　young　blue…eyed　Greek　woman；　very　properly　dressed。
　〃I'd　fallen　away　from　the　worship；〃　I　said。
　Again　came　a　forting　round　of　soft　voices。
　〃Go　in　now；〃　said　one　woman；　〃and　ask　to　pray　in　the　very　sanctuary　of　Our　Mother。　You　are　an　initiate。　Most　of　us　here　are　not。〃
　I　nodded。
　I　went　up　the　steps　of　the　Temple　and　entered　inside　it。
　I　paused　to　shake　from　my　mantle　the　mundane；　that　is；　all　the　trivia　I　had　discussed。　My　mind　was　focused　upon　the　goddess；　and　desperate　to　believe　in　her。　I　loathed　my　hypocrisy；　that　I　used　this　Temple　and　this　worship；　but　then　it　didn't　seem　significant。　My　despair　of　the　three　nights　had　penetrated　too　deep。
　W