Saronia Part 31

'Saronia, Saronia, the Saronide, where art thou--my mother who bore me?

Let me touch thy hand! Speak to me--to me!'

But she grasped the empty s.p.a.ce; not even the echo of a whisper fell.

Then she cried again:

'_Thou_ art _beyond_ my plane, or thou wouldst come to me. Thou art greater than I. Hear me, ye spirits of the air! Listen, spirits of lands and seas! Hearken, ye spirits of Elysium and Hades! Here in the darkness, here in the womb of night, here near the birth of the early dawn, here with a soul storm-tossed and driven, I swear I will find her.

Her G.o.d shall be mine, and where she riseth I will follow. O light, O truth, O love, let me climb your ladders of gold!'

The dawn appeared in the east, breaking the gray on the ocean's rim, and the birds sang forth from the trees in the Sacred Grove.

CHAPTER XXIX

MYRTLE AND OLEANDER

'Varro, goest thou to the Temple to-day?' said Nika.

'Yes, dearest; Chios is to receive the golden crown and freedom of this city.'

'I trust those honours will sit lightly on him.'

'Fear not, Nika. He is very stolid. Really, I do not know what has come to him.'

'I do,' said she laughingly; 'he is in love.'

'Nonsense! Nothing of the kind. He would never trouble about such a thing.'

'How knowest thou?'

'How do I know? Well, really, I cannot answer thee, but thou must know if a man loves there must be something to love. Chios is a confirmed bachelor. I believe he almost hates women; that is to say, as far as making himself a lover. I never even knew him to commit the crime of a weak flirtation.'

'Ah, ah! So much for the reading of a man's mind by a man. Let a woman make up a man, and thou, mighty Roman, read the minds of women. 'Tis more natural.'

'Well, Nika, I must away. I must leave thee. The time is short, and I have business of my own before I go to the Temple. There will be no public demonstration. Chios wishes it so.'

'Before thou dost depart, listen. Something befitting the occasion comes to my mind. Send him a message of congratulation. Write it with thine own hand, and seal it with the stamp of Imperial Rome. He will cherish it more than many crowns.'

'Very thoughtful of thee. It shall be done. The presentation takes place within the Temple. The great priestess will be there, and, if I can so arrange, she, his preserver, shall present it. Nice idea, is it not?'

'Very.'

'Wilt thou witness the ceremony, Nika?'

'No.'

'Farewell, sweet one; I will return before sundown and tell thee all the news.'

The crown and the congratulation were conveyed to the Temple. When the High Priest read the request of the Proconsul, that Saronia should present them, he smiled, saying:

'Let it be so.'

Saronia thought the request unusual, but the priest said:

'Foster the whim; no harm can come of it.'

It was past noon; the great sun shone out with refulgent glory. Not a cloud sailed the azure depths. The birds were sheltering from the heat between the branches of the citron-trees. An eagle flew by flapping its wings as Chios met the Roman at the gateway of the Sacred Shrine.

They moved towards the marble steps, and, ascending past p.r.o.naos and vestibule, went within the gates of ivory and gold and stood near the altar, around which were gathered the High Priest and Priestess and their attendants.

The Proconsul and Chios bowed lowly, and were saluted in return; and the proclamation ran:

'WHEREAS Chios, the Greek of Ephesus, has proved to the people of this city that he possesses heroic courage, and used it well on behalf of a fallen enemy of the Sacred G.o.ddess:

'The PROCONSUL, the COUNCIL, and the PEOPLE request that he be crowned with a crown of gold, and, FURTHER, that the Act be proclaimed at the festival of Dionysus at the Great Theatre, and a place be allotted to him in a Tribe and a Thousand:

'THAT he possesses the privilege of occupying a front seat at the games, and is exempt from paying duty on all articles imported or exported by him, and that he has right to leave or enter the city in time of peace or war.

'THIS DECREE to be inscribed by the Temple Wardens in the Great Temple of Artemis, where other grants of citizens have been subscribed.

'THAT ALL MEN MAY KNOW the people of Ephesus delight to honour such deeds of heroism, whether performed on behalf of a friend or an enemy.'

This read, Saronia the High Priestess bade Chios come to her, and taking the crown from an attendant, she placed it on the brow of the Greek, saying: 'Hail, honoured of the Ephesian people!' And at the same time she handed him the letter sealed with the seal of Rome.

As she did so, she looked steadfastly into his eyes, conveying her thought to him: 'Open it not here.'

He saw the oleander and the myrtle both entwined upon her bosom, and this he understood not.

He placed the parchment within the folds of his robe, and after thanking the givers, he retired with the Proconsul.

After pa.s.sing the precincts of the Temple, the two men wished each other fortune and separated--the Roman to Nika, and Chios to wonder at the twin symbol which graced the bosom of Saronia.

He broke the seal of the parchment; between the folds he saw a tiny sc.r.a.p. He read it--the other was nothing to him.

'To-morrow, when midnight has pa.s.sed, haste to the bend of the river Cayster, which flows by the grove of Hecate. Fear nothing. The child of the Bride of Britain will be there.'

It was from Saronia, and he feared for her. He kissed the tiny sc.r.a.p pa.s.sionately.

'I will be there should all the Furies in Hades block the way....

'By the bend of the river--by the bend of the Cayster which washes the fringe of the horrible grove. I know the place well, where the chrysophrus with golden-coloured head swims to and fro. I know the spot where the iris bends its yellow flowers, where the lordly swans glide past, and the cranes dwell, and the nightingale sings from the silvery leaves of the sacred trees.