annr.pandora-第28部分

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　Lucius　declared；　〃The　entire　family　stands　condemned。　She　should　be　executed　on　the　spot！〃
　I　decided　my　strategy　as　if　I　were　Caesar　himself。　I　spoke　up　at　once；　proceeding　two　steps　down：
　〃You　are　the　Legate；　are　you　not？　How　tired　you　must　be！〃　I　took　his　hand　in　both　of　mine。　〃Were　you　under　the　mand　of　Germanicus？〃
　He　nodded。
　First　blow　struck！
　〃My　brothers　fought　with　Germanicus　in　the　North；〃　I　said。　〃And　Antony；　the　eldest；　after　the　Triumphal　March　in　Rome；　lived　long　enough　to　tell　us　of　the　bones　found　in　the　Teutoburg　Forest。〃
　〃Ah；　Madam；　to　see　that　field　of　bones；　an　entire　army　ambushed　and　the　bodies　left　to　rot！〃
　〃Two　of　my　brothers　died　in　the　battle。　It　was　in　a　storm；　in　the　North　Sea。〃
　〃Madam；　you　never　saw　such　a　disaster；　but　do　you　think　the　Barbarian　God；　Thor；　could　frighten　our　Germanicus？〃
　〃Never。　And　you　came　here　with　the　General？〃
　〃Went　everywhere　with　him；　from　the　banks　of　the　Elbe　in　the　North　to　the　South　end　of　the　River　Nile。〃
　〃How　marvelous；　and　you　are　so　tired；　Tribune；　look　at　you；　you　need　sleep。　Where　is　the　famous　Governor　Gnaeus　Calpurnius　Piso？　Why　did　it　take　him　so　long　to　quiet　the　city？〃
　〃Because　he's　not　here；　Madam；　and　he　doesn't　dare　to　e　back。　Some　say　he　makes　a　mutiny　in　Greece；　others　that　he　flees　for　his　life。〃
　〃Stop　listening　to　her！〃　shouted　Lucius。
　〃He　was　never　much　loved　in　Rome；　either；〃　I　said。　〃It　was　Germanicus　whom　my　brothers　loved　and　my　Father　praised。〃
　〃Indeed；　and　if　we　had　been　given　one　more　year　…　one　more　year；　Madam　…　we　could　have　extinguished　the　fire　of　that　bloody　upstart　King　Arminius　forever！　We　didn't　even　need　that　long！　You　spoke　of　the　North　Sea。　We　fought　on　all　terrain。〃
　〃Oh；　yes；　in　the　thick　of　the　forest；　and　tell　me　this；　were　you　there；　Sir；　when　they　found　the　lost　standard　of　General　Varus's　legions？　Is　the　story　true！〃
　〃Ah；　Madam；　when　that　golden　eagle　was　raised；　you　never　heard　such　cries　as　from　the　soldiers。〃
　〃This　woman　is　a　liar　and　a　traitor；〃　shouted　Lucius。
　I　turned　on　him。　〃Don't　push　me　too　far！　You're　past　all　patience　now。　Do　you　even　know　the　numbers　of　the　Legions　of　General　Varus　who　were　ambushed　in　the　Teutoburg　Forest？　I　thought　not！　They　were　the　Seventh；　the　Eighth　and　the　Ninth。〃
　〃Right；　correct；〃　said　the　Legate。　〃And　we　could　have　wiped　out　those　tribes　pletely。　The　Empire　would　reach　to　the　Elbe！　But　for　some　reason；　and　mine　is　not　the　place　to　question；　our　Emperor　Tiberius　called　us　back。〃
　〃Hmmm；　and　then　condemns　your　beloved　leader　for　going　to　Egypt。〃
　〃Madam；　it　was　no　trip　to　seize　power；　Germanicus's　trip　to　Egypt。　It　was　because　of　a　famine。〃
　〃Yes；　and　Germanicus　had　been　declared　Imperium　Maius　of　all　the　Eastern　provinces；〃　I　said。
　〃And　there　was　so　much　trouble！〃　said　the　Legate。　〃You　can　not　imagine　the　morale；　the　habits　of　the　soldiers　here；　but　our　General　never　slept！　He　went　directly　when　he　heard　of　the　famine。〃
　〃And　you　with　him？〃
　〃All　of　us；　his　cohorts。　In　Egypt　he　delighted　in　seeing　the　old　monuments。　So　did　I。〃
　〃Ah；　how　marvelous　for　him。　You　must　tell　me　about　Egypt！　You　know　that　I；　as　a　Senator's　daughter；　cannot　go　to　Egypt　any　more　than　can　a　Senator。　I　would　so　love　…〃
　〃Why　is　that；　Madam？〃　asked　the　Legate。
　〃She's　lying　to　you！〃　roared　Lucius。　〃Her　whole　family　was　murdered。〃
　'Very　simple　reason；　Tribune；〃　I　said　to　the　Legate。　〃It's　no　state　secret。　Rome　is　so　dependent　upon　Egypt　for　corn　that　the　Emperor　wants　to　prevent　the　country　from　ever　falling　under　the　control　of　a　powerful　traitor。　Surely　you　grew　up　as　I　did　in　dread　of　another　Civil　War。〃
　〃I　put　my　faith　in　our　Generals；〃　said　the　Legate。
　〃You　are　right　to　do　so。　And　you　saw　nothing　from　Germanicus　but　loyalty；　is　that　not　so？〃
　〃It　is　absolutely　so。　Ah；　Egypt。　We　saw　such　Temples　and　statues！〃
　〃The　singing　statues；〃　I　asked；　〃did　you　see　them；　the　colossal　man　and　woman　who　wail　in　the　rising　of　the　sun。〃
　〃Yes；　I　heard　it；　Madam；〃　he　said；　nodding　furiously。　〃I　heard　the　sound！　It　is　magical。　Egypt　is　full　of　magic！〃
　〃Hmmm。〃　A　tremor　ran　through　me。　I　banished　it。　In　a　flash　I　saw　two　images　mixed：　that　of　the　tall　Roman　in　his　toga；　and　that　of　a　burnt　and　cunning　creature！　Think　straight；　Pandora！
　〃And　in　the　Temple　of　Ramses　the　Great；〃　said　the　Legate；　〃one　of　the　Priests　read　the　writing　on　the　walls。　All　about　victory'？　All　about　battle？　We　laughed　because　nothing　really　changes；　Madam。〃
　〃And　Governor　Piso；　do　you　believe　these　rumors'？　Can　we　not　speak　safely　of　them；　of　rumors　as　if　rumors　were　not　things？〃
　〃Everyone　here　despises　him！〃　said　the　Legate。　〃He　was　a　bad　soldier；　plain　and　simple！　And　Agrippina　the　Elder；　Germanicus's　beloved　wife；　is　on　her　way　to　Rome　now　with　the　General's　ashes。　She　will　officially　accuse　the　Governor　before　the　Senate！〃
　〃Yes；　how　courageous　of　her；　and　that　is　how　it　should　be　done。　If　families　are　judged　without　trial；　then　we　have　fallen　into　tyranny；　haven't　we'？　Here；　our　friendly　lunatic；　don't　you　agree　to　that？〃
　Lucius　was　speechless。　He　turned　red。
　〃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　p