annr.pandora-第8部分

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　To　continue；　Ovid　had　fallen　out　of　favor　with　Augustus；　and　he　had　been　banned；　but　men　like　my　Father　were　not　about　to　burn　their　copies　of　the　Metamorphoses；　or　any　other　of　Ovid's　work；　and　the　only　reason　they　didn't　plead　for　Ovid's　pardon　was　fear。
　The　whole　scandal　had　something　to　do　with　Augustus's　daughter；　Julia；　who　was　a　notorious　slut　by　anyone's　standards。　How　Ovid　became　involved　in　Julia's　love　affairs　I　don't　know。　Perhaps　his　sensuous　early　poetry；　the　Amores；　was　considered　to　be　a　bad　influence。　There　was　also　a　lot　of　〃reform〃　in　the　air　during　the　reign　of　Augustus；　a　lot　of　talk　of　old　values。
　I　don't　think　anyone　knows　what　really　happened　between　Caesar　Augustus　and　Ovid；　but　Ovid　was　banished　for　the　rest　of　his　life　from　Imperial　Rome。
　But　I　had　read　the　Amores　and　the　Metamorphoses　in　well…worn　copies　by　the　time　of　this　incident　which　I　want　to　recount。　And　many　of　my　Father's　friends　were　always　worried　about　Ovid。
　Now　to　the　specific　recollection。　I　was　ten　years　old；　I　came　in　from　playing；　covered　with　dust　from　head　to　foot；　my　hair　loose；　my　dress　torn；　and　breezed　into　my　Father's　large　receiving　room　…　and　I　plopped　down　at　the　foot　of　his　couch　to　listen　to　what　was　being　said；　as　he　lounged　there　with　all　appropriate　Roman　dignity；　chatting　with　several　other　lounging　men　who　had　e　to　visit。
　I　knew　all　of　the　men　but　one；　and　this　one　was　fair…haired　and　blue…eyed；　and　very　tall；　and　he　turned；　during　the　conversation　…　which　was　all　whispers　and　nods　…　and　winked　at　me。
　This　was　Marius；　with　skin　slightly　tanned　from　his　travels　and　a　flashing　beauty　in　his　eyes。　He　had　three　names　like　everyone　else。　But　again；　I　will　not　disclose　the　name　of　his　family。　But　I　knew　it。　I　knew　he　was　sort　of　the　〃bad　boy〃　in　an　intellectual　way；　the　〃poet〃　and　the　〃loafer。〃　What　nobody　had　told　me　was　that　he　was　beautiful。
　Now；　on　this　day；　this　was　Marius　when　he　was　alive；　about　fifteen　years　before　he　was　to　be　made　a　vampire。　I　can　calculate　that　he　was　only　twenty…five。　But　I'm　not　certain。
　To　continue；　the　men　paid　no　attention　to　me；　and　it　became　plain　to　my　ever　curious　little　mind　that　they　were　giving　my　Father　news　of　Ovid；　that　the　tall　blond　one　with　the　remarkable　blue　eyes；　the　one　called　Marius；　had　just　returned　from　the　Baltic　Coast；　and　he　had　given　my　Father　several　presents；　which　were　in　fact　good　copies　of　Ovid's　work；　both　past　and　current。
　The　men　assured　my　Father　that　it　was　still　far　too　dangerous　to　go　crying　to　Caesar　Augustus　over　Ovid；　and　my　Father　accepted　this。　But　if　I'm　not　mistaken；　he　entrusted　some　money　for　Ovid　to　Marius；　the　blond　one。
　When　the　gentlemen　were　all　leaving；　I　saw　Marius　in　the　atrium；　got　a　measure　of　his　full　height；　which　was　quite　unusual　for　a　Roman；　and　let　out　a　girlish　gasp　and　then　a　streak　of　laughter。　He　winked　at　me　again。
　Marius　had　his　hair　short　then；　dipped　military…Roman…style　with　a　few　modest　curls　on　his　forehead；　his　hair　was　long　when　he　was　later　made　a　vampire；　and　he　wears　it　long　now；　but　then　it　was　the　typical　boring　Roman　military　cut。　But　it　was　blond　and　full　of　sunlight　in　the　atrium；　and　he　seemed　the　brightest　and　most　impressive　man　I'd　ever　laid　eyes　upon。　He　was　full　of　kindness　when　he　looked　at　me。
　〃Why　are　you　so　tall？〃　I　asked　him。　My　Father　thought　this　was　amusing；　of　course；　and　he　did　not　care　what　anyone　else　thought　of　his　dusty　little　daughter；　hanging　onto　his　arms　and　speaking　to　his　honored　pany。
　〃My　precious　one；〃　Marius　said；　〃I'm　tall　because　I'm　a　barbarian！〃　He　laughed　and　was　flirtatious　when　he　laughed；　with　a　deference　to　me　as　a　little　lady；　which　was　rather　rare。
　Suddenly　he　made　his　hands　into　claws　and　ran　at　me　like　a　bear。
　I　loved　him　instantly！
　〃No；　truly。〃　I　said。　〃You　can't　be　a　barbarian。　I　know　your　Father　and　all　your　sisters；　they　live　just　down　the　hill。　The　family　is　always　talking　about　you　at　the　table；　saying　only　nice　things；　of　course。〃
　〃Of　that　I'm　sure；〃　he　said；　breaking　into　laughter。
　I　knew　my　Father　was　getting　anxious。
　What　I　didn't　know　was　that　a　ten…year…old　girl　could　be　betrothed。
　Marius　drew　himself　up　and　said　in　his　gentle　very　fine　voice；　trained　for　public　rhetoric　as　well　as　words　of　love；　〃I　am　descended　through　my　mother　from　the　Keltoi；　little　beauty；　little　muse。　I　e　from　the　tall　blond　people　of　the　North；　the　people　of　Gaul。　My　mother　was　a　princess　there；　or　so　I　am　told。　Do　you　know　who　they　are？〃
　I　said　of　course　I　knew　and　began　to　recite　verbatim　from　Julius　Caesar's　account　of　conquering　Gaul；　or　the　land　of　the　Keltoi：　〃All　Gaul　is　made　up　of　three　parts。。。〃
　Marius　was　quite　genuinely　impressed。　So　was　everybody　So　I　went　on　and　on；　〃The　Keltoi　are　separated　from　the　Aquitani　by　the　river　Garonne；　and　the　tribe　of　the　Belgae　by　the　rivers　Marne　and　Seine　…〃
　My　Father；　being　slightly　embarrassed　by　this　time；　with　his　daughter　glorying　in　attention；　spoke　up　to　gently　assure　everyone　that　I　was　his　precious　joy；　and　I　was　let　to　run　wild；　and　please　make　nothing　of　it。
　And　I　said；　being　bold；　and　a　born　troublemaker；　〃Give　my　love　to　the　great　Ovid！　Because　I　too　wish　he　would　e　home　to　Rome。〃
　I　then　rattled　off　several　steamy　lines　of　the　Amores：
　
　She　laughed　and　gave　her　best；　whole　hearted　kisses；　They'd　shake　the　three　pronged　bolt　from　Jove's　hand。　Torture　to　think　that　fellow　got　such　good　ones！
　I　wish　they　hadn't　been　of　the　same　brand！
　
　All　laughed；　except　my　Father；　and　Marius　went　wild　with　delight；　clapping　his　hands。　That　was　all　the　encouragement　I　needed　to　rush　at　him　now　like　a　bear；　as　he　had　rushed　at　me；　and　to　continue　singing　out　Ovid's　hot　words：
　
　What's　more　these　kisses　were　better　than　I'd　taught　her；
　She　seemed　possessed　of　knowledge　that　was　new。
　They　pleased　too　well　…　bad　sign！　Her　tongue　was　in　them；
　And　my　tongue　was　kissing　too。
　
　My　Father　grabbed　me　by　the　small　of　my　upper　arm；　and　said；　〃That's　it；　Lydia；　wrap　it　up。〃　And　the　men　laughed　all　the　harder；　miserating　with　him；　and　embracing　him；　and　then　laughing　again。
　But　I　had　to　have　one　final　victory　over　this　team　of　adults。
　〃Pray；　Father；〃　I　said；　〃let　me　finish　with　some　wise　and　patriotic　words　which　Ovid　said：
　〃　'I　congratulate　myself　on　not　having　arrived　into　the　world　until　the　present　time。　This　age　suits　my　taste。'　〃
　This　seemed　to　astonish　Marius　more　than　to　amuse　him。　But　my　Father　gathered　me　close　and　said　very　dearly：
　〃Lydia；　Ovid　wouldn't　say　that　now；　and　now　you；　for　being　such　a。。。　a　scholar　and　philosopher　in　one；　should　assure　your　Father's　dearest　friends　that　you　know　full　well　Ovid　was　banished　from　Rome　by　Augustus　for　good　reason　and　that　he　can　never　return　home。〃
　In　other　words；　he　was　saying　〃Shut　up　about　Ovid。〃
　But　Marius；　undeterred；　dropped　on　his　knees　before　me；　lean　and　handsome　with　mesmeric　blue　eyes；　and　he　took　my　hand　and　kissed　it　and　said；　〃I　will　give　Ovid　your　love；　little　Lydia。　But　your　Father　is　right。　We　must　all　agree　with　the　Emperor's　censure。　After　all；　we　are　Romans。〃　He　then　did　the　very　strange　thing　of　speaking　to　me　purely　as　if　I　were　an　adult。　〃Augustus　Caesar　has　given　far　more　to　Rome；　I　think；　than　anyone　ever　hoped。　And　he　too　is　a　poet。　He　wrote　a　poem　called　'Ajax'　and　burnt　it　up　himself　because　he　said　it　wasn't　good。〃
　I　was　having　the　time　of　my　life。　I　would　have　run　off　with　Marius　then　and　there！
　But　all　I　could　do　was　dance　around　him　as　he　went　out　of　the　vestibule　and　out　the　gate。
　I　waved　to　him。
　He　lingered。　〃Goodbye；　little　Lydia；〃　he　said。　He　then　spoke　under　his　breath　to　my　Father；　and　I　heard　my　Father　say：
　〃You　are　out　of　your　mind！〃
　My　Father　turned　his　back　on　Marius；　who　gave　me　a　sad　smile　and　disappeared。
　〃What　did　he　mean？　What　happened？〃　I　asked　my　Father。　〃What's　the　matter？〃
　〃Listen；　Lydia；〃　said　my　Father。　〃Have　you　in　all　your　readings　e　across　the　word　'betrothed'？〃
　〃Yes；　Father；　of　course。〃
　〃Well；　that　sort　of　wanderer　and　dreamer　likes　nothing　better　than　to　betroth　himself　to　a　young　girl　of　ten　because　it　means　she　is　not　old　enough　to　marry　and　he　has　years　of　freedom；　without　the　censure　of　the　Emperor。　They　do　it　all　the　time。〃
　〃No；　no；　Father；〃　I　said。　〃I　shall　never　forget　him。〃
　I　think　I　forgot　him　the　next　day。
　I　didn't　see　Marius　again　for　five　years。
　I　remember　because　I　was　fifteen；　and　should　have　been　married　and　didn't　want　to　be　married　at　all。　I　had　wriggled　out　of　it　year　after　year；　feigning　illness；　madness；　total　uncontrollable　fits。　But　time　was　running　out　on　me。　In　fact　I'd　been　eligible　for　marriage　since　I　was　twelve。
　At　this　time；　we　were　all　standing　together　at　the　foot　of　the　Palatine　Hill；　watching　a　most　sacrosanct　ceremony　…　the　Lupercalia　…　just　one　of　so　many　festivals　that　were　integral　in　Roman　life。
　Now　the　Lupercalia　was　very　important　to　us；　though　there's　no　way　to　relate　its　significance　to　a　Christian's　concept　of　religion。　It　was　pious　to　enjoy　such　a　festival；　to　participate　as　a　citizen　and　as　a　virtuous　Roman。
　And　besides　it　was　a　great　pleasure。
　So　I　was　there；　not　so　far　from　the　cave　of　the　Lupercal；　watching　with　other　young　women；