Read Online The Germanicus Mosaic by Rosemary Rowe - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Rosemary Rowe
Ads: Link
suspect Paulus?’
‘Paulus was not present for the whole procession. He told me so himself.’
‘Really? I suppose we must believe it. Did he say why he left?’
‘I hoped you might tell me that. And how long he was absent.’
Aulus glowered, but he looked uncomfortable.
‘Andretha said nothing about it,’ I went on, conversationally, ‘but you are a paid spy. I had imagined you might have noticed a thing like that?’
Aulus fidgeted again. ‘The truth is, citizen,’ he said shiftily, ‘it is not easy to watch everyone. Once we had got to Glevum we were not necessarily together all the time. People moved to get a better view, or buy things from the street sellers. Besides, when the procession passed, everyone was looking at the marchers . . .’
‘Where did you go yourself, gatekeeper? No – don’t deny it. If you had been there you would have noted Paulus’ absence. You were in Glevum, I presume? You were not left behind to guard the gates?’
He shook his head. ‘No, I was there. Only . . . I was following someone else. This man I told you about.’
‘And who was that?’
He hesitated. Perhaps he was still hoping for money, but I had none to give him. ‘It was Rufus, the lute player. I saw him slip away, and naturally I followed.’
‘Where to?’
‘That is the trouble, I don’t know. I could not follow him for long – I had others to watch. He went out towards the South Gate, hurrying, that is all I know. I think he saw me, because he dived into a shrine. I could hardly follow him there. I thought he had gone to meet that slavegirl of his, but there was no sign of her. I waited a little and then came away.’ He shrugged. ‘I tried to challenge him this morning, but he would not answer me.’
So, I was not far wrong with my guesswork. Aulus had tried to extract a bribe. And probably not for the first time. I had noted the smug smirk when he mentioned the slavegirl.
‘A slavegirl, you say? A secret love affair?’
‘Yes, citizen. Though it was scarcely a secret. Half the villa knew about it. I think even Crassus suspected.’
Aulus had told him, I surmised, hoping to make trouble. Rufus was a slave, and a slave was not entitled to have relations with a woman without his master’s consent. What is more, if the slavegirl belonged to Crassus she was his personal property, and any man who took her without permission was a kind of thief. I was surprised that Crassus had let theft go unpunished, even theft of something as trivial as a slavegirl.
Aulus was watching me. ‘They used to meet,’ he told me, a salacious smile touching his lips, ‘whenever Crassus did not need their services. That was not often, but sometimes he did leave the villa overnight, to attend a banquet, or a gaming feast.’
‘At night?’ I said. ‘Surely the gates are locked?’
‘They are. Anyone coming to the villa would have to knock and wake me. But anyone could unlock the back gate from inside and slip out unobserved. They do not even have to pass this window to do it. But of course, on those occasions I was always awake, waiting for Crassus to come home. They did not know I saw them, but I did. They used to slip up the old lane. Going to the abandoned roundhouse, I imagine. I’ve seen soldiers go that way occasionally with their women, presumably for the same purpose.’
‘Risky,’ I said. ‘It’s a fair step from the villa.’
He shrugged. ‘I would not choose it. The place is dangerous and it stinks. Crassus used to use it for the animals, but it is too ruined even for that. But – where else is there? It is not too far, and it is well out of sight of the villa.’
He was right about that. There is very little privacy for a slave inside a villa, though they must have risked a thrashing if Crassus suspected. I said so.
Aulus smirked. ‘I think Crassus did suspect, but he found other ways to stop them. He always enjoyed that. Choosing the punishment to fit the victim. He fenced off the
‘Paulus was not present for the whole procession. He told me so himself.’
‘Really? I suppose we must believe it. Did he say why he left?’
‘I hoped you might tell me that. And how long he was absent.’
Aulus glowered, but he looked uncomfortable.
‘Andretha said nothing about it,’ I went on, conversationally, ‘but you are a paid spy. I had imagined you might have noticed a thing like that?’
Aulus fidgeted again. ‘The truth is, citizen,’ he said shiftily, ‘it is not easy to watch everyone. Once we had got to Glevum we were not necessarily together all the time. People moved to get a better view, or buy things from the street sellers. Besides, when the procession passed, everyone was looking at the marchers . . .’
‘Where did you go yourself, gatekeeper? No – don’t deny it. If you had been there you would have noted Paulus’ absence. You were in Glevum, I presume? You were not left behind to guard the gates?’
He shook his head. ‘No, I was there. Only . . . I was following someone else. This man I told you about.’
‘And who was that?’
He hesitated. Perhaps he was still hoping for money, but I had none to give him. ‘It was Rufus, the lute player. I saw him slip away, and naturally I followed.’
‘Where to?’
‘That is the trouble, I don’t know. I could not follow him for long – I had others to watch. He went out towards the South Gate, hurrying, that is all I know. I think he saw me, because he dived into a shrine. I could hardly follow him there. I thought he had gone to meet that slavegirl of his, but there was no sign of her. I waited a little and then came away.’ He shrugged. ‘I tried to challenge him this morning, but he would not answer me.’
So, I was not far wrong with my guesswork. Aulus had tried to extract a bribe. And probably not for the first time. I had noted the smug smirk when he mentioned the slavegirl.
‘A slavegirl, you say? A secret love affair?’
‘Yes, citizen. Though it was scarcely a secret. Half the villa knew about it. I think even Crassus suspected.’
Aulus had told him, I surmised, hoping to make trouble. Rufus was a slave, and a slave was not entitled to have relations with a woman without his master’s consent. What is more, if the slavegirl belonged to Crassus she was his personal property, and any man who took her without permission was a kind of thief. I was surprised that Crassus had let theft go unpunished, even theft of something as trivial as a slavegirl.
Aulus was watching me. ‘They used to meet,’ he told me, a salacious smile touching his lips, ‘whenever Crassus did not need their services. That was not often, but sometimes he did leave the villa overnight, to attend a banquet, or a gaming feast.’
‘At night?’ I said. ‘Surely the gates are locked?’
‘They are. Anyone coming to the villa would have to knock and wake me. But anyone could unlock the back gate from inside and slip out unobserved. They do not even have to pass this window to do it. But of course, on those occasions I was always awake, waiting for Crassus to come home. They did not know I saw them, but I did. They used to slip up the old lane. Going to the abandoned roundhouse, I imagine. I’ve seen soldiers go that way occasionally with their women, presumably for the same purpose.’
‘Risky,’ I said. ‘It’s a fair step from the villa.’
He shrugged. ‘I would not choose it. The place is dangerous and it stinks. Crassus used to use it for the animals, but it is too ruined even for that. But – where else is there? It is not too far, and it is well out of sight of the villa.’
He was right about that. There is very little privacy for a slave inside a villa, though they must have risked a thrashing if Crassus suspected. I said so.
Aulus smirked. ‘I think Crassus did suspect, but he found other ways to stop them. He always enjoyed that. Choosing the punishment to fit the victim. He fenced off the
Similar Books
