A Struggle For Rome Volume I Part 56

Supported by his arm she climbed the steps, hewn in the rock, which led to the tower-like, loftily-situated villa. Of the gardens, which, as she distinctly remembered, extended on both sides of the narrow path, scarcely the outlines of the rows of trees could be distinguished in the mist.

At last they reached the lofty entrance, a bronze door with posts of black marble.

Dolios knocked upon it with the hilt of his sword; the stroke reverberated dully through the vaulted halls--the door sprang open.

Amalaswintha remembered how she had once entered this door, then almost choked with wreaths of flowers, at the side of her young husband; she remembered with what friendly warmth they had been welcomed by the door-keeper and his wife, at that time also a newly-married couple.

The dark-looking slave with tangled grey hair, who now stood before her with a lantern and a bunch of keys, was a stranger to her.

"Where is Fuscina, the wife of the late ostiarius? Is she no more in the house?" she asked.

"She was long since drowned in the lake," answered the door-keeper indifferently; and went forward with the light.

The Princess followed shuddering; she could not help thinking of the cold black waves which had so dismally licked the planks of the little boat.

They went on through arched courts and pillared halls; all were empty, as if the inhabitants were dead. Their footsteps echoed loudly in the deserted rooms--the whole villa seemed one vast catacomb.

"The house is uninhabited? I need a female slave."

"My wife will attend you."

"Is no one else in the villa?"

"One other slave--a Greek physician."

"A physician? I will see him----"

But at this moment a violent knocking was heard at the outer door.

Amalaswintha started in terror.

"What was that?" she asked, catching Dolios by the sleeve.

She heard the banging of the heavy door as it was closed again.

"It was only some one demanding admittance," said the ostiarius, as he returned and unlocked the door of the room intended for the fugitive Princess.

The close air of a chamber which had not been opened for a long time half suffocated her; but she recognised with emotion the tortoise-sh.e.l.l lining of the walls; it was the same room which she had occupied twenty years ago.

Overpowered by the recollection, she sank upon the small couch, which was covered with dark-coloured cushions.

Dismissing the two men, she drew close the curtains of the couch, and soon sank into an uneasy slumber.

CHAPTER VI.

Thus she lay, she knew not how long, half awake, half dreaming; picture after picture arose in her excited mind.

Eutharic with the expression of constant pain upon his lips--Athalaric as he lay stretched upon his bier, he seemed to sign to her--the reproachful face of Mataswintha--then mist and clouds and leafless trees--then three angry warriors with pale faces and b.l.o.o.d.y garments--and the blind ferryman in the realm of shades.

At another time it seemed to her as if she lay on the steps of the monument in the desolate waste, and again something rustled behind her, and a shrouded figure bent over her, nearer and nearer, oppressing and suffocating her.

Her heart was contracted by fear; she started up terrified, and looked about her. There!--it was no dream-fancy--something really rustled behind the curtains, and a shrouded shadow glided along the wainscoted walls.

With a scream Amalaswintha opened the curtain wide--there was nothing to be seen.

Was it, then, but a dream?

It was impossible to remain alone with her torturing thoughts. She pressed a k.n.o.b of agate on the wall, which set in motion a hammer outside the room.

Very soon a slave appeared, whose features and costume betrayed a higher education.

He introduced himself as the Greek physician. She told him of the terrible dreams and the feverish tremblings by which she had been tormented during the last few hours. He explained the symptoms as the consequence of excitement, perhaps of cold taken during her flight, recommended a warm bath, and left her to order its preparation.

Amalaswintha remembered the splendid baths, which, divided into two stories, occupied the whole right wing of the villa.

The lower story of the large octagonal rotunda, designed for the cold bath, was in immediate connection with the lake. The water was conducted into the bath through sieves, which excluded every impurity.

The upper story, a smaller octagon, was erected over the bath-room of the lower story, the ceiling of which, made of a large circular metal plate, formed the floor of the upper bath, and could be pushed, divided into two semicircles, into the walls; so that both stories then formed an undivided s.p.a.ce, which, for the purposes of cleansing or for games of swimming and diving, could be completely filled with the water of the lake.

Generally, however, the upper story was used only for the warm bath, and was provided with hundreds of pipes, and innumerable dolphin, triton, and Medusa-heads of bronze or marble, through which flowed the scented waters, mixed with oils and essences; while from the gallery all round, upon which the bathers undressed, ornamental steps led down into the sh.e.l.l-shaped porphyry basin of the bath.

As the Princess was recalling these rooms to her memory, the wife of the door-keeper appeared to lead her to the bath.

They pa.s.sed through wide columned halls and libraries--where, however, the Princess missed the capsulas and rolls of Ca.s.siodorus--in the direction of the garden; the slave carrying fine bath-cloths, oil flasks, and the salve for anointment.

At last they arrived at the tower-like octagon of the bath-rooms, which was completely lined and paved with pale grey marble.

They went through the halls and pa.s.sages, which served for the gymnastics and games of ball usually indulged in before and after the bath, past the heating-rooms, undressing and anointing-rooms, directly to the calidarium, or warm bath.

The slave silently opened the door in the marble wall. Amalaswintha went in and stood upon the narrow gallery which ran round the basin.

Immediately before her was a flight of easy steps leading into the bath, out of which warm and delicious odours already arose.

The light fell from above through an octagonal dome of artistically-cut gla.s.s. Close to the entrance into the room a staircase of cedar-wood, consisting of twelve steps, led on to a spring-board.

On the marble walls of the gallery, as well as of the basin, the openings of the water-works and heating-pipes were concealed by marble bas-reliefs.

Without a word, the attendant laid the various articles for the bath upon the soft cushions and carpets which covered the gallery, and turned to go.

"How is it that I seem to know you?" asked the Princess, looking thoughtfully at her. "How long have you been here?"

"Eight days," answered the slave, turning the handle of the door.

"How long have you served Ca.s.siodorus?"

"I serve, and have always served, the Princess Gothelindis."

At this name Amalaswintha started up with a cry and caught at the woman's skirt--too late; she was gone and the door closed, and Amalaswintha heard the key taken from the lock outside.