annr.pandora-第32部分

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　〃And　in　the　Teutoburg　Forest；〃　I　said　tenderly；　〃that　gloomy　arena　for　our　doom；　did　you　see　all　the　bones　of　our　lost　legions；　scattered　about？〃
　〃Buried　them；　Madam；　with　these　hands！〃　The　Legate　held　up　his　weathered　callused　palms。　〃For　who　could　tell　what　bones　were　ours　and　what　bones　were　theirs？　And　Madam；　the　platform　of　that　cowardly；　sneaking　King　was　still　standing；　from　which　the　loathsome　long…haired　slob　had　ordered　the　sacrifice　to　his　pagan　gods　of　our　men。〃
　Nods　and　noble　mumbles　came　from　the　other　soldiers。
　〃I　was　but　a　small　child；〃　I　said；　〃when　word　came　of　the　ambush　of　General　Varus。　But　I　remember　our　Divine　Emperor　Augustus　…　how　he　let　his　hair　grow　long　in　mourning　and　how　he　would　pound　his　head　on　the　walls；　crying；　Varus；　bring　me　back　my　legions。'　〃
　〃You　actually　saw　him　this　way？〃
　〃Oh；　many　a　time；　and　was　present　one　night　when　he　discussed　his　often　mentioned　thoughts　…　that　the　Empire　must　not　try　to　push　further。　Rather　it　should　police　the　states　which　it　now　contains。〃
　〃Then　Caesar　Augustus　did　say　this！〃　said　the　Legate　in　fascination。
　〃He　cared　about　you；〃　I　said　to　the　Legate。　〃How　many　years　have　you　been　in　the　field'？　Do　you　have　a　wife？〃
　〃Oh；　how　I　long　to　go　home；〃　said　the　Legate。　〃And　now　that　my　General　has　fallen。　My　wife　is　gray…haired　as　I　am。　I　see　her　when　we　go　to　Rome　for　parades。〃
　〃Yes；　and　pulsory　service　was　only　six　years　under　the　Republic；　but　now；　you　must　fight　for　what？　Twelve？　Twenty？　But　who　am　I　to　criticize　Augustus；　whom　I　loved　as　I　loved　my　Father　and　all　my　dead　brothers'？〃
　Lucius　could　see　what　was　happening。　He　sputtered　when　he　spoke：
　〃Tribune；　read　my　Safe　Conduct！　Read　it！〃
　The　Legate　looked　truly　annoyed。
　My　brother　marshaled　what　he　could　of　his　rhetoric；　which　wasn't　much。　〃She　lies。　She　is　condemned。　Her　family　is　dead。　I　was　pelled　to　bear　witness　to　Sejanus　because　they　sought　to　kill　Tiberius　himself！〃
　〃You　turned　on　your　own　family？〃　asked　the　soldier。
　〃Oh；　don't　wear　yourself　out　with　this；〃　I　said。　〃The　man　has　harried　me　all　day。　He　has　discovered
　that　I　am　a　woman　alone；　an　heiress；　and　thinks　that　this　is　some　uncivilized　outpost　of　the　Empire　where
　he　can　bring　a　charge　against　a　Senator's　daughter　with　no　proof。　Dear　lunatic；　do　pay　attention。　Julius
　Caesar　gave　Antioch　its　municipal　standing　less　than　one　hundred　years　ago。　There　are　legions　stationed
　here；　are　there　not'？〃
　I　looked　at　the　Legate。
　The　Legate　turned　and　glowered　at　my　trembling　brother。
　〃What　is　this　Safe　Conduct？〃　I　asked。　〃This　bears　the　name　Tiberius。〃
　The　Legate　snatched　it　from　Lucius　before　Lucius　could　respond　and　handed　the　scroll　to　me。　I　had　to
　take　my　hand　off　my　dagger　to　unroll　the　paper。
　〃Ah；　Sejanus　of　the　Praetorian　Guard！　I　knew　it。　And　the　Emperor　probably　knows　nothing　of　it。
　Tribune；　do　you　know　those　palace　guards　make　one　and　one　half　times　what　a　Legionnaire　makes？　And
　now　they　have　these　Delatores；　given　incentive　to　charge　others　with　crimes　for　one…third　of　the　condemned　man's　property！〃
　The　Legate　was　now　sizing　up　my　brother　and　every　flaw　in　Lucius　shone　in　the　light；　his　cowardly
　posture；　his　trembling　hands；　his　shifty　eyes；　his　growing　desperation　in　the　pursing　of　his　lips。
　I　turned　to　Lucius。
　〃Do　you　realize；　you　madman；　whoever　you　are；　what　you　are　asking　of　this　seasoned　and　wise　Roman　officer'？　What　if　he　should　believe　your　insane　lies？　What　will　bee　of　him　when　the　letter　arrives　from　Rome　inquiring　into　my　whereabouts　and　the　disposition　of　my　fortune！〃
　〃Sir；　this　woman　is　a　traitor。〃　shouted　Lucius。　〃On　my　honor　I　swear　…〃
　〃What　honor　is　that？〃　asked　the　soldier　under　his　breath。　His　eyes　fixed　on　Lucius。
　〃If　Rome　were　such；〃　I　said；　〃that　families　as　old　as　mine　could　be　so　easily　dispatched　as　this　man　asks　you　now　to　do　with　me；　then　why　would　the　widow　of　Germanicus　dare　to　go　before　the　Senate　for　a　trial'？〃
　〃They　are　all　executed；〃　said　my　brother；　who　was　at　his　worst　and　most　solemn；　and　seemed　to　have　lost　all　touch　with　the　effect　of　his　words；　〃every　one　of　them；　because　they　were　in　a　plot　to　kill　Tiberius　and　I　was　given　Safe　Conduct　and　passage　out　for　reporting　them；　as　was　my　duty；　to　the　Delatores；　and　to　Sejanus；　with　whom　I　spoke　myself！〃
　The　possibilities　were　making　themselves　known　slowly　to　the　Legate。
　〃Sir；〃　I　said　to　Lucius；　〃have　you　anything　else　on　your　person　that　identifies　you'？〃
　〃I　don't　need　anything　else！〃　said　Lucius。　〃Your　fate　is　death。〃
　〃Same　as　it　was　for　your　Father？〃　asked　the　Legate；　〃and　your　wife？　Had　you　children？〃
　〃Throw　her　into　prison　tonight；　and　write　to　Rome！〃　declared　Lucius。　〃You'll　see　that　I　speak　the　truth！〃
　〃And　where　will　you　be；　whoever　you　are；　while　I　am　in　prison？　Looting　my　house？〃
　〃You　slut！〃　shouted　Lucius。　〃Don't　you　see　this　is　all　feminine　wiles　and　lurid　distraction！〃
　There　was　shock　among　the　soldiers；　revulsion　in　the　face　of　the　Legate。　Flavius　moved　next　to　me。
　〃Officer；〃　asked　Flavius　with　tempered　dignity；　〃what　am　I　allowed　to　do　on　behalf　of　my　Mistress　against　this　madman？〃
　〃You　use　such　words　again；　Sir；〃　I　said　firmly　to　Lucius；　〃and　I'll　lose　my　patience。〃
　The　Legate　took　Lucius's　arm。　Lucius's　right　hand　went　to　his　dagger。
　〃Just　who　are　you？〃　the　Legate　demanded。　〃Are　you　one　of　the　Delatores？　You　tell　me　you　turned　on　your　whole　family'？〃
　〃Tribune；〃　I　said；　laying　the　gentlest　touch　yet　on　his　arm。　〃My　Father's　roots　went　back　to　the　time　of　Romulus　and　Remus。　We　know　no　origins　other　than　those　in　Rome。　It　was　the　same　with　my　Mother；　who　was　herself　the　daughter　of　a　Senator。　This　man　is　saying　rather。。。　horrible　things。〃
　〃So　it　seems；〃　said　the　Legate；　narrowing　his　gaze；　as　he　inspected　Lucius。　〃Where　are　your　friends　here；　your　panions；　where　do　you　live？〃
　〃You　can't　do　anything　to　me！〃　said　Lucius。
　The　Legate　glared　at　Lucius's　hand　on　the　dagger。
　〃You　prepare　to　draw　that　against　me！〃　asked　the　Legate。
　Lucius　dearly　was　at　a　loss。
　〃Why　did　you　e　to　Antioch？〃　I　demanded　of　Lucius。　〃Were　you　the　bearer　of　the　poison　that　killed　Germanicus？〃
　〃Arrest　her！〃　shouted　Lucius。
　〃No；　I　don't　believe　my　own　accusation。　Not　even　Sejanus　would　put　such　treachery　in　the　hands　of　a　petty　scoundrel　like　you！　e　now；　what　else　do　you　have　on　your　person　to　connect　you　with　this　family；　this　Safe　Conduct　which　you　say　came　from　the　pen　of　Sejanus？〃
　Lucius　was　utterly　baffled。
　〃I　certainly　have　nothing　belonging　to　me　to　connect　me　to　your　wild　and　bloody　sagas　and　tales；〃　I　said。
　The　Legate　interrupted　me。　〃Nothing　to　connect　you　to　this　name？〃　He　took　the　Safe　Conduct　from　my　hand。
　〃Absolutely　nothing；〃　I　said；　〃nothing　but　this　madman　here　who　is　spouting　horrors；　and　would　lead　the　world　to　believe　that　our　Emperor　has　lost　his　wits。　Only　he　connects　me　with　his　bloody　plot　without　witness　or　verification；　and　hurls　insults　at　me。〃
　The　Legate　rolled　up　the　Safe　Conduct。　〃And　your　purpose　here；　Madam？〃　he　asked　in　a　whisper。
　〃To　live　in　peace　and　quiet；〃　I　said　softly。　〃To　live　in　safety　and　under　the　true　shelter　of　Roman　rule。〃
　Now　I　knew　the　battle　had　been　won。　But　something　else　was　required　to　seal　the　victory。　I　took　another　gamble。
　Slowly　I　reached　for　my　dagger　and　slowly　I　brought　it　out　of　its　sling。
　Lucius　leapt　back　at　once。　He　drew　his　dagger　and　lunged　at　me。　He　was　immediately　stabbed　by　the　Legate　and　at　least　two　of　the　soldiers。
　He　hung　there　bleeding　on　their　weapons；　staring　from　right　to　left；　and　then　he　spoke；　but　his　mouth　was　too　full　of　blood。　His　eyes　widened；　it　seemed　again　he　would　speak。　Then；　as　the　soldiers　withdrew　their　daggers；　his　body　folded　up　on　the　cobblestones　at　the　foot　of　the　stairs。
　My　brother　Lucius　was　quite　mercifully　dead。
　I　looked　at　him　and　shook　my　head。
　The　Legate　looked　at　me。　This　was　a　significant　moment；　and　I　knew　it。
　〃What　is　it；　Tribune；〃　I　asked；　〃that　separates　us　from　the　long…haired　barbarians　of　the　North？　Is　it　not　law'？　Written　law？　Traditional　law？　Is　it　not　justice？　That　men　and　women　are　called　to　account　for　what　they　do？〃
　〃Yes；　Madam；〃　he　said。
　〃You　know；〃　l　went　on　in　a　rever