A Victor of Salamis Part 55

"You have seized him?"

"Blessed be Moloch, Baal, and Melkarth! They have poured sleep upon my Lord's enemy." The sailor's Greek was harsh and execrable. "Your servants did even as commanded. The woman let us in. The young man my Lord hates was bound and gagged almost ere he could waken, likewise the fishmonger was seized."

"Bravely done. I never forget good service. And the woman?"

"She is retained likewise. I have hastened hither to learn the further will of my Lord."

Democrates arose hastily.

"My himation, staff, and shoes, boy!" he ordered. "I will go forth myself.

The prisoners are still at the fishmonger's house?"

"Even so, Excellency."

"I go back with you. I must see this stranger with my own eyes. There must be no mistake."

Scodrus stared widely when he saw his master go out into the dark, for his only escort a black Carthaginian sailor with a dirk a cubit long.

Democrates did not even ask for a lantern. None of the servants could fathom their master's doings of late. He gave strappings when they asked questions, and Bias was away.

The streets of Trzene were utterly deserted when Democrates threaded them. There was no moon, neither he nor his companion were overcertain of the way. Once they missed the right turn, wandered down a blind alley, and plunged into a pile of offal awaiting the scavenger dogs. But finally the seaman stopped at a low door in a narrow street, and a triple rap made it open. The scene was squalid. A rush-candle was burning on a table. Around it squatted seven men who rose and bowed as the strategus entered. In the dim flicker he could just recognize the burly shipmaster Hasdrubal and gigantic Hib, the Libyan "governor," whose ebon face betrayed itself even there.

"We have expected you, _kyrie_," said Hiram, who was one of the group.

"Thanks be to Hermes and to you all. I have told my guide already I will be grateful. Where is he?"

"In the kitchen behind, your Lordship. We were singularly favoured. Hib had the cord around his arms before he wakened. He could scarcely struggle despite his power. The fishmonger awoke before Hasdrubal could nip him.

For a moment we feared his outcries would rouse the street. But again the G.o.ds blessed us. No one stirred, and we soon throttled him."

"Take the light," ordered Democrates. "Come."

Accompanied by Hiram, the orator entered the kitchen, a small square room.

The white-washed ceiling was blacked around the smoke-hole, a few pots and pans lay in the corners, a few dying embers gleamed on the hearth. But Democrates had eyes only for two objects,-human figures tightly bound lying rigid as f.a.ggots in the further corner.

"Which is he?" asked Democrates again, stepping softly as though going to danger.

"The further one is Phormio, the nearer is my Lord's enemy. Your Excellency need not fear to draw close. He is quite secure."

"Give me the candle."

Democrates held the light high and trod gently over to the prostrate men.

Hiram spoke rightly that his victim was secure. They had lashed him hand and foot, using small chains in lieu of cords. A bit of wood had been thrust into his mouth and tied with twine under the ears. Democrates stood an instant looking down, then very deliberately knelt beside the prisoner and moved the candle closer. He could see now the face hidden half by the tangled black hair and beard and the gag-but who could doubt it?-the deep blue eye, the chiselled profile, the small, fine lips, yes, and the G.o.dlike form visible in its comeliness despite the bands. He was gazing upon the man who two years ago had called him "bosom-friend."

The prisoner looked straight upward. The only thing he could move was his eyes, and these followed Democrates's least motion. The orator pressed the candle closer yet. He even put out his hand, and touched the face to brush away the hair. A long look-and he was satisfied. No mistake was possible.

Democrates arose and stood over the prisoner, then spoke aloud.

"Glaucon, I have played at dice with Fortune. I have conquered. I did not ruin you willingly. There was no other way. A man must first be a friend to himself, and then friendly to others. I have cast in my lot with the Persians. It was I who wrote that letter which blasted you at Colonus.

Very soon there will be a great battle fought in Botia. Lycon and I will make it certain that Mardonius conquers. I am to be tyrant of Athens.

Hermione shall be my wife." The workings of the prisoner's face made Democrates wince; from Glaucon's throat came rattlings, his eyes were terrible. But the other drove recklessly forward. "As for you, you pa.s.s this night out of my life. How you escaped the sea I know not and care less. Hasdrubal will take you to Carthage, and sell you into the interior of Libya. I wish you no misery, only you go where you shall never see h.e.l.las again. I am merciful. Your life is in my hands. But I restore it. I am without blood guiltiness. What I have done you would have done, had you loved as I-had you been under necessity as I. Eros is a great G.o.d, but Anangke, Dame Necessity, is yet mightier. So to-night we part-farewell."

A strong spasm pa.s.sed through the prisoner's frame. For a moment Democrates thought the bonds would snap. Too strong. The orator swung on his heel and returned to the outer room.

"The night wanes, _kyrie_," remarked Hasdrubal; "if these good people are to be taken to the ship, it must be soon."

"As you will. I do nothing more concerning them."

"Fetch down the woman," ordered Hasdrubal; in the mongrel Greek current amongst Mediterranean sea-folk. Two of his seamen ascended the ladder and returned with Lampaxo, who smirked and simpered at sight of Democrates and bobbed him a courtesy.

"The traitor is seized, your Excellency. I hope your Excellency will see that he drinks hemlock. You will be merciful to my poor husband, even if he must be arrested for the night. G.o.ds and G.o.ddesses! what are these men doing to me?"

A stalwart Carthaginian was in the act of knotting a cord around the good woman's arms preparatory to pinioning them.

"_Kyrie! kyrie!_" she screamed, "they are binding me, too! Me-the most loyal woman in Attica."

Democrates scowled and turned his back on her.

"Your Lordship surely intended this woman to be taken also," suggested Hiram, sweetly. "It cannot be he will leave such a dangerous witness at large."

"Of course not. Off with her!"

"_Kyrie! kyrie!_" was her shriek, but quickly ended, for Hasdrubal knitted his fingers around her throat.

"A gag," he ordered, and with a few more struggles Lampaxo stood helpless and silent.

A little later the band was threading its stealthy way down the black streets. Four of the Carthaginians carried Glaucon, slung hands and feet over a pole. They dared not trust him on his feet. Phormio and Lampaxo walked, closely pinioned and p.r.i.c.ked on by the captain's dagger. They were soon at the deserted strand, and their ship's pinnace lay upon the beach.

Democrates accompanied them as far as the dark marge, and watched while the boat glided out into the gloom of the haven. The orator paced homeward alone. Everything had favoured him. He had even cleared himself of the curse of the Furies and the pursuit of Nemesis. He had, he congratulated himself, shown marvellous qualities of mercy. Glaucon lived? Yes-but the parching sand-plains of Libya would be as fast a prison as the grave, and the life of a slave in Africa was a short one. Glaucon had pa.s.sed from his horizon forever.

CHAPTER x.x.xV

MOLOCH BETRAYS THE PHNICIAN

Even whilst the boat pulled out to the trader, Hiram suggested that since his superior's "unfortunate scruples" forbade them to shed blood, at least they could disable the most dangerous captive by putting out his eyes. But Hasdrubal, thrifty Semite, would not hearken.

"Is not the fellow worth five hundred shekels in the Carthage market?-but who will give two for a blind dog?"

And once at the ship the prisoners were stowed in the hold so securely that even Hiram ceased to concern himself. In the morning some of the neighbours indeed wondered at Phormio's closed door and the silence of the jangling voice of Lampaxo; but the fishmonger was after all an exile, and might have returned suddenly to Attica, now the Persians had retreated again to Botia, and before these surmises could change to mis...o...b..ing, the _Bozra_ was bearing forth into the aegean.

The business of Hasdrubal with the _Bozra_ at Trzene appeared simple. The war had disturbed the Greek harvests. He had come accordingly with a cargo of African corn, and was taking a light return lading of olive oil and salt fish. But those who walked along the harbour front remarked that the _Bozra_ was hardly a common merchantman. She was a "sea-mouse," long, shallow, and very fast under sail; she also carried again an unwontedly heavy crew. When Hasdrubal's cargo seemed completed, he lingered a couple of days, alleging he was repairing a cable; then the third morning after his nocturnal adventure a cipher letter to Democrates sent the Carthaginian to sea. The letter went thus:-

"Lycon, in the camp of the Greeks in Botia, to Democrates in Trzene, greeting:-The armies have now faced many days. The soothsayers declare that the aggressor is sure to be defeated, still there has been some skirmishing in which your Athenians slew Masistes, Mardonius's chief of cavalry. This, however, is no great loss to us. Your presence with Aristeides is now urgently needed. Send Hasdrubal and Hiram at once to Asia with the papers we arranged in Corinth. Come yourself with speed to the army. Ten days and this merry dice-throwing is ended. _Chaire!_"

Democrates immediately after this gave Hiram a small packet of papyrus sheets rolled very tight, with the ominous injunction to "conceal carefully, weight it with lead, and fling it overboard if there is danger of capture." At which Hiram bowed more elegantly than usual and answered, "Fear not; it shall be guarded as the priests guard the ark of Moloch, and when next your slave comes, it is to salute my Lord as the sovran of Athens."

Hiram smiled fulsomely and departed. An hour later the _Bozra_ ran out on the light wind around the point of Calauria and into the sparkling sea to eastward. Democrates stood gazing after her until she was a dark speck on the horizon.