Read Online Lest Darkness Fall by L. Sprague de Camp - Free Book Online

no
answer, he went on: "It must have been something in those books. I'm glad
I never learned to read. You get all worked up over things that happened long
ago. I'd rather dream about my beaut — oop! I'm sorry, boss; I won't
mention it again."
     
    -
     
                Padway and Thomasus the
Syrian sat, along with several hundred naked Romans, in the steam room of the
Baths of Diocletian. The banker looked around and leered: "I hear that in
the old days they let the women into these baths, too. Right mixed in with the
men. Of course that was in pagan times; there's nothing like that now."
     
                "Christian morality, no
doubt," said Padway dryly.
     
                "Yes," chuckled
Thomasus. "We moderns are such a moral people. You know what the Empress
Theodora used to complain about?"
     
                "Yes," said
Padway, and told Thomasus what the empress used to complain about.
     
                "Damn it!" cried
Thomasus. "Every time I have a dirty story, either you've heard it, or you
know a better one."
     
                Padway didn't see fit to
tell the banker that he had read that bit of dirt in a book that hadn't yet been
written, namely, the Anecdotes by Procopius of Caesarea.
     
                Thomasus went on: "I've
got a letter from my cousin Antiochus in Naples. He's in the shipping business.
He has news from Constantinople." He paused impressively. "War."
     
                "Between us and the Empire?"
     
                "Between the Goths and
the Empire, anyway. They've been carrying on mysterious dickerings ever since
Amalaswentha was killed. Thiudahad has tried to duck responsibility for the
murder, but I think our old poet-king has come to the end of his rope."
     
                Padway said: "Watch
Dalmatia and Sicily. Before the end of the year —" He stopped.
     
                "Doing a bit of
soothsaying?"
     
                "No, just an
opinion."
     
                The good eye sparkled at
Padway through the steam, very black and very intelligent. "Martinus, just
who are you?"
     
                "What do you
mean?"
     
                "Oh, there's something
about you — I don't know how to put it — not just your funny way of putting
things. You produce the most astonishing bits of knowledge, like a magician
pulling rabbits out of his cap. And when I try to pump you about your own
country or how you came hither, you change the subject."
     
                "Well —" said
Padway, wondering just how big a lie to risk. Then he thought of the perfect
answer — a truthful one that Thomasus would be sure to misconstrue. "You
see, I left my own country in a great hurry."
     
                "Oh. For reasons of
health, eh? I don't blame you for being cagy in that case." Thomasus
winked.
     
                When they were walking up
Long Street toward Padway's house, Thomasus asked how the business was. Padway
told him: "Pretty good. The new still will be ready next week. And I sold
some copper strip to a merchant leaving for Spain. Right now I'm waiting for
the murder."
     
                "The murder ?"
     
                "Yes, Fritharik and
Hannibal Scipio didn't get along. Hannibal's been cockier than ever since he's
had a couple of men under him. He rides Fritharik."
     
                " Rides him?"
     
                "American vernacular,
literally translated. Meaning that he subjects him to constant and subtle
ridicule and insult. By the way, I'm going to pay off your loan when we get
home."
     
                "Entirely?"
     
                "That's right. The
money's in the strong box waiting for you."
     
                "Splendid, my dear
Martinus! But won't you need another?"
     
                "I'm not sure,"
said Padway, who was sure that he would. "I was