annr.pandora-第17部分

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　My　heart　beat　fast。　My　limbs　clenched；　then　slackened；　only　to　clench　again。
　At　times；　I　lay　on　the　moist　good　Earth　of　the　courtyard；　for　my　Father；　because　no　one　had　laid　his　body　on　the　moist　good　Earth；　as　it　should　have　been　done；　right　after　his　death　and　before　any　funeral。
　I　knew　suddenly　why　this　disgrace　was　so　important；　his　body　rent　with　wounds　and　not　placed　on　the　Earth。　I　knew　the　gravity　of　this　omission　as　few　have　ever　known　the　meaning　of　anything。　It　was　of　the　utmost　importance　because　it　did　not　matter　at　all！
　Live；　Lydia。
　I　looked　at　the　small　leafy　trees　of　the　garden。　I　felt　a　strange　gratitude　that　I　had　opened　human　eyes　in　this　darkness　on　Earth　long　enough　to　see　such　things。
　I　quoted　Lucretius：
　〃That　which　es　from　Heaven　ascends　to　Heaven〃？
　Madness！
　Alas；　as　I　said；　I　wandered；　crawled；　wept　and　cried　for　three　nights　and　days。
　
　
　4
　
　Finally；　one　morning；　when　the　sun　came　spilling　down　through　the　open　roof；　I　looked　at　the　objects　in　the　room　and　I　realized　I　didn't　know　what　they　were；　or　what　they'd　been　made　for。　I　didn't　know　their　mon　names。　I　was　removed　from　their　definitions。　I　didn't　even　know　this　place。
　I　sat　up　and　realized　I　was　looking　at　the　Lararium；　the　shrine　of　the　household　gods。
　This　was　the　dining　room　of　course；　and　those　were　the　couches；　and　there　the　glorious　conjugal　bed！
　The　Lararium　was　a　high　three…sided　shrine；　a　little　temple　with　three　pediments；　and　inside　stood　figures　of　old　household　gods。　No　one　in　this　profane　city　had　even　taken　them　away　with　the　dead　woman。
　The　flowers　were　dead。　The　fire　had　simply　gone　out。　No　one　had　quenched　it　with　wine；　as　should　have　been　done。
　On　hands　and　knees　I　crawled　in　my　torn　dress　around　the　garden　of　the　peristyle；　gathering　flowers　for　these　gods。　I　found　the　wood　and　made　their　sacred　fire。
　I　stared　at　them。　I　stared　for　hours。　It　seemed　I　would　never　move　again。
　Night　fell。　〃Don't　sleep；〃　I　whispered。　〃Keep　watch　with　the　night！　They　wait　for　you　by　dark；　those　Egyptians！　The　moon；　look；　it's　almost　full；　only　a　night　or　so　from　being　full。〃
　But　the　worst　of　my　agony　had　passed　and　I　was　exhausted；　and　sleep　rose　to　embrace　me。　Sleep　rose　as　if　to　say；　〃Care　no　more。〃
　The　dream　came。
　I　saw　men　in　gilded　robes。　〃You　will　be　taken　now　in　the　sanctum。〃　But　what's　there？　I　didn't　want　to　see。　〃Our　Mother；　our　beloved　Mother　of　Sorrows；〃　said　the　Priest。　The　paintings　on　the　walls　were　rows　upon　rows　of　Egyptians　in　profile；　and　words　made　of　pictures。　Myrrh　burned　in　this　place。
　〃e；〃　said　those　who　held　me。　〃All　the　impurities　have　gone　from　you　now；　and　you　will　partake　of　the　sacred　Fount。〃
　I　could　hear　a　woman　crying　and　moaning。　I　peeped　into　the　great　room　before　I　entered　it。　There　they　were；　the　King　and　the　Queen　on　their　thrones；　the　King　still　and　staring　as　in　the　last　dream；　and　the　Queen　struggling　against　her　golden　fetters。　She　wore　the　crown　of　Upper　and　Lower　Egypt。　And　pleated　linen。　Her　hair　was　not　a　wig　but　real　plaits。　She　cried　and　her　white　cheeks　were　stained　in　red。　Red　stained　her　necklace　and　her　breasts。　She　looked　soiled　and　ignominious。
　〃My　Mother；　my　goddess；〃　I　said。　〃But　this　is　an　abomination。〃
　I　forced　myself　to　wake。
　I　sat　up　and　I　laid　my　hand　on　the　Lararium；　and　looked　at　the　spiderwebs　in　the　trees　of　the　garden；　made　visible　by　the　climbing　sun。
　I　thought　I　heard　people　whispering　in　the　ancient　Egyptian　tongue。
　I　was　not　going　to　allow　this！　I　would　not　go　mad。
　Enough！　The　only　man　I　had　ever　loved；　my　Father；　said；　〃Live。〃
　It　was　time　for　action。　To　get　up　and　get　going。　I　was　suddenly　all　strength　and　purpose。
　My　long　nights　of　mourning　and　weeping　had　been　equivalent　to　the　initiation　in　the　Temple；　death　had　been　the　intoxicant；　prehension　had　been　the　transformation。
　It　was　over　now；　and　the　meaningless　world　was　tolerable　and　need　not　be　explained。　And　never　would　it　be；　and　how　foolish　I　had　ever　been　to　think　so。
　The　facts　of　my　predicament　warranted　action。
　I　poured　out　a　cup　of　wine；　and　took　it　with　me　to　the　front　gate。
　The　city　seemed　quiet。　People　weed　to　and　fro；　casting　their　eyes　away　from　a　half…dressed；　ragged　woman　in　her　vestibule。
　At　last　a　workman　trudging　under　his　burden　of　bricks。
　I　thrust　forth　the　wine。　〃I　have　been　ill　for　three　days；〃　I　said。　〃What　of　the　death　of　Germanicus？　How　goes　it　in　the　city？〃
　The　man　was　so　grateful　for　the　wine。　Labor　had　made　him　old。　His　arms　were　thin。　His　hands　shook
　〃Madam；　thank　you；〃　he　said。　He　drained　the　cup；　as　if　he　could　not　stop　himself。　〃Our　Germanicus　was　laid　out　in　the　public　square　for　all　to　see。　How　beautiful　he　was。　Some　pared　him　to　the　great　Alexander。　People　could　not　determine。　Had　he　been　poisoned　or　not？　Some　said　Yes；　some　said　No。
　〃His　soldiers　loved　him。　Governor　Piso；　thank　the　gods；　is　not　here　and　dares　not　e　back。　Germanicus's　wife；　the　gracious　Agrippina；　has　the　ashes　of　Germanicus　in　an　urn　she　carries　next　to　her　breast。　She　sails　for　Rome；　seeking　justice　for　Tiberius。〃
　He　handed　me　the　cup。　〃I　humbly　thank　you。〃
　〃The　city　is　as　usual　again。〃
　〃Oh；　yes；　what　could　stop　this　glorified　marketplace？〃　he　declared。　〃Business　goes　on　as　always。　The　loyal　soldiers　of　Germanicus　keep　the　peace；　waiting　for　justice。　They　will　not　let　the　murderous　Piso　return；　and　Sentius　gathers　to　himself　here　all　who　served　under　Germanicus。　The　city　is　happy。　The　flame　burns　for　Germanicus。　If　there　is　war；　it　won't　be　here。　Don't　worry。〃
　〃Thank　you；　you　have　helped　me　marvelously　much。〃
　I　took　the　cup；　locked　the　gate；　shut　the　door　and　went　into　action。
　Nibbling　on　enough　bread　to　give　me　strength；　and　murmuring　aloud　the　mon　sense　of　Luretius；　I　surveyed　the　house。　It　had　a　large　luxurious　bath　on　the　right　side　of　the　courtyard。　Full　of　light。　Water　flowed　steadily　from　the　seashells　of　the　nymphs　into　the　plastered　basin；　and　the　water　was　fine。　There　was　no　need　to　light　a　fire　for　it。
　In　the　bedchamber　were　my　clothes。
　Roman　dresses　were　simple；　as　you　know；　just　long　shifts　or　tunics；　and　we　wore　two　or　three　of　them；　plus　an　outdoor　coverup　tunic；　the　stola；　and　finally　the　palla；　or　mantle；　which　hung　to　the　ankles　and　belted　below　the　breasts。
　I　chose　the　finest　tunics；　posing　three　layers　of　gossamer　silk；　and　then　a　brilliant　red　palla　that　covered　me　from　head　to　toe。
　In　all　my　life；　I　had　never　had　to　put　on　my　own　sandals。　This　was　hysterically　funny　and　annoying！
　All　my　toilet　articles　had　been　laid　out　on　tables　which　held　burnished　mirrors。　What　a　mess！
　I　sat　down　in　one　of　the　many　gilded　chairs；　pushed　the　burnished　metal　mirror　dose；　and　tried　to　work　with　the　paints　as　my　slaves　had　always　done。
　I　managed　to　darken　my　eyebrows；　but　my　horror　of　the　painted　Egyptian　eyes　stopped　me。　I　rouged　my　lips；　put　some　white　powder　on　my　face；　but　that　was　it。　I　couldn't　attempt　powdering　my　arms；　as　would　have　been　done　for　me　in　Rome。
　I　don't　know　what　I　looked　like。　Now　I　had　to　braid　this　damned　hair；　and　I　managed　it；　and　fixed　the　braids　in　a　big　coil　on　the　back　of　my　head。　I　used　enough　pins　for　twenty　women。　Dragging　down　the　loose　curls　around　my　face；　on　my　forehead　and　cheeks；　I　saw　in　the　mirror　a　Roman　woman；　modest　and　acceptable；　I　thought；　her　brown　hair　parted　in　the　middle；　her　eyebrows　black　and　her　lips　rosy　red。
　Gathering　up　all　this　drapery　was　the　biggest　nuisance。　I　attempted　to　match　length　with　length。　I　tried　to　get　the　silk　stola　straight　and　then　belt　it　tightly　beneath　my　breasts。　I　mean；　all　this　folding；　all　this　drapery　and　fastening。　I'd　always　had　slave　girls　around　me。　Finally　with　two　undertunics　and　a　long；　fine　red　stola；　I　snatched　up　a　silk　palla；　a　very　large　one；　fringed　and　decorated　all　over　with　gold。
　I　put　on　rings；　bracelets。　But　I　intended　to　hide　under　this　mantle　as　much　as　possible。　I　could　remember　my　Father　cursing　every　day　of　his　life　that　he　had　to　wear　the　toga；　the　official　outer　garment　of　the　highborn　Roman　male。　Well；　only　prostitutes　wore　togas。　At　least　I　didn't　have　to　cope　with　that。
　I　headed　straight　for　the　slave　markets。
　Jacob　was　right　about　the　population　here。　The　city　was　filled　with　men　and　women　of　all　nations。　Many　women　walked　in　pairs；　arm　in　arm。
　Loose　Greek　cloaks　were　entirely　acceptable　here；　and　so　were　long　exotic　Phoenician　or　Babylonian　gowns；　both　for　men　and　women。　Long　hair　among　the　men　was　mon；　as　were　heavy　beards。　Some　women　went　about　in　tunics　no　longer　than　a　man's。　Others　were　pletely　veiled；　revealing　only　the　eyes；　as　they　walked；　acpanied　by　guards　and　servants。
　The　streets　were　cleaner　than　they　might　have　been　in　Rome；　the　sewage　flowing　to　wider　gutters　in　the　center　and　more　swiftly　to　its　destination。
　Long　before　I　reached　the　Forum；　or　the　central　plaza；　I　had　passed　three　different　doors　in　which　rich　courtesans　stood　arguing　sarcastically　over　price　with　wealthy　young　Greeks　and　Romans。
　One　said；　as　I　passed；　to　a　handsome　young　man；　〃You　want　me　in　bed'？　You're　dreaming。　Any　of　the　girls　you　can　have；　as　I　told　you。　If　you　want　me；　go　home　and　sell　everything　you　own！〃
　Rich　Romans　in　their　full　togas　stoo