_ THE house of Vinicius was indeed decked in the green of myrtle
and ivy, which had been hung on the walls and over the doors. The
columns were wreathed with grape vine. In the atrium, which was
closed above by a purple woollen cloth as protection from the
night cold, it was as clear as in daylight. Eight and twelve flamed
lamps were burning; these were like vessels, trees, animals, birds,
or statues, holding cups filled with perfumed olive oil, lamps of
alabaster, marble, or gilded Corinthian bronze, not so wonderful as
that famed candlestick used by Nero and taken from the temple of
Apollo, but beautiful and made by famous masters. Some of the
lights were shaded by Alexandrian glass, or transparent stuffs from
the Indus, of red, blue, yellow, or violet color, so that the whole
atrium was filled with many colored rays. Everywhere was given
out the odor of nard, to which Vinicius had grown used, and which
he had learned to love in the Orient. The depths of the house, in
which the forms of male and female slaves were movmg, gleamed
also with light. In the triclinium a table was laid for four persons.
At the feast were to sit, besides Vinicius and Lygia, Petronius and
Chrysothemis. Vimcius had followed in everything the words of
Petronius, who advised him not to go for Lygia, but to send
Atacinus with the permission obtained from Caesar, to receive her
himself in the house, receive her with friendliness and even with
marks of honor.
"Thou wert drunk yesterday," said he; "I saw thee. Thou didst act
with her like a quarryman from the Alban Hills. Be not
over-insistent, and remember that one should drink good wine
slowly. Know too that it is sweet to desire, but sweeter to be
desired."
Chrysothemis had her own and a somewhat different opinion on
this point; but Petronius, calling her his vestal and his dove, began
to explain the difference which must exist between a trained
charioteer of the Circus and the youth who sits on the quadriga for
the first time. Then, turning to Vinicius, he continued, -- "Win her
confidence, make her joyful, be magnanimous. I have no wish to
see a gloomy feast. Swear to her, by Hades even, that thou wilt
return her to Pomponia, and it will be thy affair that to-morrow she
prefers to stay with thee."
Then pointing to Chrysothemis, he added, -- "For five years I have
acted thus more or less with this timid dove, and I cannot complain
of her harshness."
Chrysothemis struck him with her fan of peacock feathers, and
said, -- "But I did not resist, thou satyr!"
"Out of consideration for my predecessor --"
"But wert thou not at my feet?"
"Yes; to put rings on thy toes."
Chrysothemis looked involuntarily at her feet, on the toes of which
diamonds were really glittering; and she and Petronius began to
laugh. But Vinicius did not give ear to their bantering. His heart
was beating unquietly under the robes of a Syrian priest, in which
he had arrayed himself to receive Lygia.
"They must have left the palace," said he, as if in a monologue.
"They must," answered Petronius. "Meanwhile I may mention the
predictions of Apollonius of Tyana, or that history of Rufinus
which I have not finished, I do not remember why."
But Vinicius cared no more for Apollonius of Tyana than for the
history of Rufinus. His mind was with Lygia; and though he felt
that it was more appropriate to receive her at home than to go in
the role of a myrmidon to the palace, he was sorry at moments that
he had not gone, for the single reason that he might have seen her
sooner, and sat near her in the dark, in the double litter.
Meanwhile slaves brought in a tripod ornamented with rams'
heads, bronze dishes with coals, on which they sprinkled bits of
myrrh and nard.
"Now they are turning toward the Carinx," said Vinicius, again.
"He cannot wait; he will run to meet the litter, and is likely to miss
them!" exclaimed Chrysothemis.
Vinicius smiled without thinking, and said, -- "On the contrary, I
will wait."
But he distended his nostrils and panted; seeing which, Petronius
shrugged his shoulders, and said, -- "There is not in him a
philosopher to the value of one sestertium, and I shall never make
a man of that son of Mars."
"They are now in the Carinaae."
In fact, they were turning toward the Carimr. The slaves called
lampadarii were in front; others called pedisequii, were on both
sides of the litter. Atacinus was right behind, overseeing the
advance. But they moved slowly, for lamps showed the way badly
in a place not lighted at all. The streets near the palace were
empty; here and there only some man moved forward with a
lantern, but farther on the place was uncommonly crowded. From
almost every alley people were pushing out in threes and fours, all
without lamps, all in dark mantles. Some walked on with the
procession, mingling with the slaves; others in greater numbers
came from the opposite direction. Some staggered as if drunk. At
moments the advance grew so difficult that the lampadarii cried, --
"Give way to the noble tribune, Marcus Vinicius!"
Lygia saw those dark crowds through the curtains which were
pushed aside, and trembled with emotion. She was carried away at
one moment by hope, at another by fear.
"That is he! --that is Ursus and the Christians! Now it will happen
quickly," said she, with trembling lips. "O Christ, aid! O Christ,
save!"
Atacinus himself, who at first did not notice the uncommon
animation of the street, began at last to be alarmed. There was
something strange in this. The lampadaril had to cry oftener and
oftener, "Give way to the litter of the noble tribune!" From the
sides unknown people crowded up to the litter so much that
Atacinus commanded the slaves to repulse them with clubs.
Suddenly a cry was heard in front of the procession. In one instant
all the lights were extinguished. Around the litter came a rush, an
uproar, a struggle.
Atacinus saw that this was simply an attack; and when he saw it he
was frightened. It was known to all that Caesar with a crowd of
attendants made attacks frequently for amusement in the Subura
and in other parts of the city. It was known that even at times he
brought out of these night adventures black and blue spots; but
whoso defended himself went to his death, even if a senator. The
house of the guards, whose duty it was to watch over the city, was
not very far; but during such attacks the guards feigned to be deaf
and blind.
Meanwhile there was an uproar around the litter; people struck,
struggled, threw, and trampled one another. The thought flashed
on Atacinus to save Lygia and himself, above all, and leave the rest
to their fate. So, drawing her out of the litter, he took her in his
arms and strove to escape in the darkness.
But Lygia called, "Ursus! Ursus!"
She was dressed in white; hence it was easy to see her. Atacinus,
with his other arm, which was free, was throwing his own mantle
over her hastily, when terrible claws seized his neck, and on his
head a gigantic, crushing mass fell like a stone.
He dropped in one instant, as an ox felled by the back of an axe
before the altar of Jove.
The slaves for the greater part were either lying on the ground, or
had saved themselves by scattering in the thick darkness, around
the turns of the walls. On the spot remained only the litter, broken
in the onset. Ursus bore away Lygia to the Subura; his comrades
followed him, dispersing gradually along the way.
The slaves assembled before the house of Vinicius, and took
counsel. They had not courage to enter. After a short deliberation
they returned to the place of conflict, where they found a few
corpses, and among them Atacinus. He was quivering yet; but,
after a moment of more violent convulsion, he stretched and was
motionless.
They took him then, and, returning, stopped before the gate a
second time But they must declare to their lord what had
happened.
"Let Cub declare it," whispered some voices; "blood is flowing
from his face as from ours; and the master loves him; it is safer for
Gulo than for others."
Gulo, a German, an old slave, who had nursed Vinicius, and was
inherited by him from his mother, the sister of Petronius, said, --
"I will tell him; but do ye all come. Do not let his anger fall on my
head alone."
Vinicius was growing thoroughly impatient. Petronius and
Chrysothemis were laughing; but he walked with quick step up and
down the atrium.
"They ought to be here! They ought to be here!"
He wished to go out to meet the litter, but Petronius and
Chrysothemis detained him.
Steps were heard suddenly in the entrance; the slaves rushed into
the atrium in a crowd, and, halting quickly at the wall, raised their
hands, and began to repeat with groaning, -- "Aaaa! --aa!"
Vinicius sprang toward them.
"Where is Lygia?" cried he, with a terrible and changed voice.
"Aaaa!"
Then Gulo pushed forward with his bloody face, and exclaimed, in
haste and pitifully,
"See our blood, lord! We fought! See our blood! See our blood!"
But he had not finished when Vinicius seized a bronze lamp, and
with one blow shattered the skull of the slave; then, seizing his
own head with both hands, he drove his fingers into his hair,
repeating hoarsely, -- "Me miserum! me miserum!"
His face became blue, his eyes turned in his head, foam came out
on his lips.
"Whips!" roared he at last, with an unearthly voice. "Lord! Aaaa!
Take pity!" groaned the slaves.
Petronius stood up with an expression of disgust on his face.
"Come, Chry.. sothemis!" said he. "if 'tis thy wish to look on raw
flesh, I will give command to open a butcher's stall on the
Carina~!"
And he walked out of the atrium. But through the whole house,
ornamented in the green of ivy and prepared for a feast, were
heard, from moment to moment, groans and the whistling of
whips, which lasted almost till morning. _