Read Online The Silver Branch [book II] by Rosemary Sutcliff - Free Book Online

him an hour or so since; and now he’s dead, same as the Tribune said. That’s all I know, Caesar.’
    Carausius stood away from the table. ‘It seems that I must come and see for myself.’ Then to Justin and Flavius, ‘You will accompany me.’
    As the little group turned to the doorway, Allectus stepped forward. ‘Caesar, since this is a matter that concerns me somewhat closely, with your leave I also will accompany you.’
    ‘In Typhon’s name come then,’ Carausius said, and strode out with the rest behind him.
    The Guard-house seemed disturbed and excited. In the first cell a drunken legionary was singing.
     
Oh why did I join the Eagles
The Empire for to roam?
Oh why did I leave me pumpkin patch
And me little dun cow at home?
     
    Their footsteps rang hollow down the flagged passageway. The pale blur of a face appeared at the barred squint of a door, and hastily disappeared again as they went by. The voice of the singer fell more faintly behind them.
     
They said I’d rise to Emperor
As sure as sure could be.
If I left me little pumpkin patch
And sailed across the sea.
     
    The door of the farthest cell was ajar, and a sentry who stood before it moved aside to make way for them. The cell was in darkness save for the reflection of the pharos beacon shining down through the high barred window, and the red square of light striped with the shadows of the bars fell full across the figure of the Saxon lying face down on the floor.
    ‘Bring a light, somebody,’ Carausius said, without raising his voice.
    Justin, the surgeon in him suddenly uppermost, had pushed through the rest, and was already kneeling beside the fallen man as the Centurion brought the Guard-room lantern. There was nothing to be done for the Saxon, and one look at him in the lantern light told Justin all he needed to know. ‘Nightshade,’ he said. ‘He’s been poisoned.’
    ‘How?’ Carausius snapped.
    Justin did not answer at once, but picked up the pottery bowl that lay beside the man and sniffed the few thick drops of broth remaining in it. He tasted gingerly, and then spat. ‘Probably in his supper broth. Quite simply.’
    Away down the passage the singer had begun again, in a tone of deep melancholy.
     
So I upped and joined the Eagles,
And I left me little cow,
And I may be Emperor one of these days,
But Mother, just look at me now!
     
    Justin had a sudden insane desire to laugh—to laugh and laugh until he was sick. But the sight of Flavius’s face steadied him.
    It was Allectus who spoke first. ‘Then it must have been one of the prison guard. No one else could have been sure in which bowl to put the poison.’
    ‘No, sir,’ the Centurion contradicted respectfully. ‘That isn’t so, sir. There are only three other men in detention at this moment, and they are all on bread and water for their sins. Easy enough, ’twould be, for anyone to find that out and act according.’
    Flavius cut in—Flavius with very bright eyes in a fierce white face. ‘What matter for the moment how the poison came into the man’s bowl? The thing that matters is why , and the answer to that is plain. Alive, he could tell who it was that he met on the marshes this morning, and what passed between them. Therefore he has died. Caesar, does the proof suffice?’
    ‘It is both chilly and depressing in this place,’ said Carausius. ‘Shall we return to my quarters?’
    And not until they were back in the lamplit office, and the door shut behind them, did he speak again, as though Flavius had but that moment asked his question. ‘The Saxon you caught this morning in the marshes did indeed have dealings with someone in Rutupiae. For that, the proof suffices. No more.’ Then as Flavius made a quick gesture of protest, ‘Nay, hear me out. Had I, or the Camp Commandant or the bath-house sweeper had dealings with this Saxon, we should have had but two courses open to us after he was taken: to contrive his escape, or to kill him before he was