Quo Vadis: A Narrative of the Time of Nero Page 21

  Chapter XXI

  EVERY drop of blood quivered in the young patrician at sight of her.He forgot the crowd, the old man, his own astonishment at theincomprehensible things which he had heard,--he saw only her. At last,after all his efforts, after long days of alarm, trouble, and suffering,he had found her! For the first time he realized that joy might rush atthe heart, like a wild beast, and squeeze it till breath was lost. He,who had supposed hitherto that on "Fortuna" had been imposed a kind ofduty to accomplish all his wishes, hardly believed his own eyes now andhis own happiness. Were it not for that disbelief, his passionatenature might have urged him to some unconsidered step; but he wishedto convince himself first that that was not the continuation of thosemiracles with which his head was filled, and that he was not dreaming.But there was no doubt,--he saw Lygia, and an interval of barely a fewsteps divided them. She stood in perfect light, so that he could rejoicein the sight of her as much as he liked. The hood had fallen from herhead and dishevelled her hair; her mouth was open slightly, her eyesraised toward the Apostle, her face fixed in listening and delighted.She was dressed in a dark woollen mantle, like a daughter of the people,but never had Vinicius seen her more beautiful; and notwithstanding allthe disorder which had risen in him, he was struck by the nobility ofthat wonderful patrician head in distinction to the dress, almost thatof a slave. Love flew over him like a flame, immense, mixed with amarvellous feeling of yearning, homage, honor, and desire. He feltthe delight which the sight of her caused him; he drank of her as oflife-giving water after long thirst. Standing near the gigantic Lygian,she seemed to him smaller than before, almost a child; he noticed,too, that she had grown more slender. Her complexion had become almosttransparent; she made on him the impression of a flower, and a spirit.But all the more did he desire to possess that woman, so different fromall women whom he had seen or possessed in Rome or the Orient. He feltthat for her he would have given them all, and with them Rome and theworld in addition.

  He would have lost himself in gazing, and forgotten himself altogether,had it not been for Chilo, who pulled the corner of his mantle, out offear that he might do something to expose them to danger. Meanwhile theChristians began to pray and sing. After a while Maranatha thunderedforth, and then the Great Apostle baptized with water from the fountainthose whom the presbyters presented as ready for baptism. It seemed toVinicius that that night would never end. He wished now to follow Lygiaas soon as possible, and seize her on the road or at her house.

  At last some began to leave the cemetery, and Chilo whispered,--"Let usgo out before the gate, lord, we have not removed our hoods, and peoplelook at us."

  Such was the case, for during the discourse of the Apostle all had castaside their hoods so as to hear better, and they had not followed thegeneral example. Chilo's advice seemed wise, therefore. Standing beforethe gate, they could look at all who passed; Ursus it was easy torecognize by his form and size.

  "Let us follow them," said Chilo; "we shall see to what house theygo. To-morrow, or rather to-day, thou wilt surround the entrances withslaves and take her."

  "No!" said Vinicius.

  "What dost thou wish to do, lord?"

  "We will follow her to the house and take her now, if thou wiltundertake that task, Croton?"

  "I will," replied Croton, "and I will give myself to thee as a slave ifI do not break the back of that bison who is guarding her."

  But Chilo fell to dissuading and entreating them by all the gods notto do so. Croton was taken only for defence against attack in case theywere recognized, not to carry off the girl. To take her when there wereonly two of them was to expose themselves to death, and, what wasworse, they might let her out of their hands, and then she would hidein another place or leave Rome. And what could they do? Why not actwith certainty? Why expose themselves to destruction and the wholeundertaking to failure?

  Though Vinicius restrained himself with the greatest effort from seizingLygia in his arms at once, right there in the cemetery, he felt that theGreek was right, and would have lent ear, perhaps, to his counsels, hadit not been for Croton, to whom reward was the question.

  "Lord, command that old goat to be silent," said he, "or let me drop myfist on his head. Once in Buxentum, whither Lucius Saturnius took me toa play, seven drunken gladiators fell on me at an inn, and none of themescaped with sound ribs. I do not say to take the girl now from thecrowd, for they might throw stones before our feet, but once she is athome I will seize her, carry her away, and take her whithersoever thoushalt indicate."

  Vinicius was pleased to hear those words, and answered,--"Thus let itbe, by Hercules! To-morrow we may not find her at home; if we surprisethem they will remove the girl surely."

  "This Lygian seems tremendously strong!" groaned Chilo.

  "No one will ask thee to hold his hands," answered Croton.

  But they had to wait long yet, and the cocks had begun to crow beforedawn when they saw Ursus coming through the gate, and with him Lygia.They were accompanied by a number of other persons. It seemed to Chilothat he recognized among them the Great Apostle; next to him walkedanother old man, considerably lower in stature, two women who were notyoung, and a boy, who lighted the way with a lantern. After that handfulfollowed a crowd, about two hundred in number; Vinicius, Chilo, andCroton walked with these people.

  "Yes, lord," said Chilo, "thy maiden is under powerful protection. Thatis the Great Apostle with her, for see how passing people kneel to him."

  People did in fact kneel before him, but Vinicius did not look at them.He did not lose Lygia from his eyes for a moment; he thought only ofbearing her away and, accustomed as he had been in wars to stratagemsof all sorts, he arranged in his head the whole plan of seizure withsoldierly precision. He felt that the step on which he had decided wasbold, but he knew well that bold attacks give success generally.

  The way was long; hence at moments he thought too of the gulf whichthat wonderful religion had dug between him and Lygia. Now he understoodeverything that had happened in the past, and why it had happened. Hewas sufficiently penetrating for that. Lygia he had not known hitherto.He had seen in her a maiden wonderful beyond others, a maiden towardwhom his feelings were inflamed: he knew now that her religion made herdifferent from other women, and his hope that feeling, desire, wealth,luxury, would attract her he knew now to be a vain illusion. Finally heunderstood this, which he and Petronius had not understood, that thenew religion ingrafted into the soul something unknown to that worldin which he lived, and that Lygia, even if she loved him, would notsacrifice any of her Christian truths for his sake, and that, ifpleasure existed for her, it was a pleasure different altogetherfrom that which he and Petronius and Caesar's court and all Rome werepursuing. Every other woman whom he knew might become his mistress,but that Christian would become only his victim. And when he thoughtof this, he felt anger and burning pain, for he felt that his anger waspowerless. To carry off Lygia seemed to him possible; he was almost surethat he could take her, but he was equally sure that, in view of herreligion, he himself with his bravery was nothing, that his powerwas nothing, and that through it he could effect nothing. That Romanmilitary tribune, convinced that the power of the sword and the fistwhich had conquered the world, would command it forever, saw for thefirst time in life that beyond that power there might be something else;hence he asked himself with amazement what it was. And he couldnot answer distinctly; through his head flew merely pictures of thecemetery, the assembled crowd, and Lygia, listening with her whole soulto the words of the old man, as he narrated the passion, death, andresurrection of the God-man, who had redeemed the world, and promised ithappiness on the other shore of the Styx.

  When he thought of this, chaos rose in his head. But he was broughtout of this chaos by Chilo, who fell to lamenting his own fate. He hadagreed to find Lygia. He had sought for her in peril of his life, and hehad pointed her out. But what more do they want? Had he offered tocarry the maiden away? Who could ask anything like this of a maimed mandeprived of two fing
ers, an old man, devoted to meditation, to science,and virtue? What would happen were a lord of such dignity as Vinicius tomeet some mishap while bearing the maiden away? It is true that the godsare bound to watch over their chosen ones,--but have not such thingshappened more than once, as if the gods were playing games instead ofwatching what was passing in the world? Fortune is blindfold, as iswell known, and does not see even in daylight; what must the case be atnight? Let something happen,--let that Lygian bear hurl a millstone atthe noble Vinicius, or a keg of wine, or, still worse, water,--whowill give assurance that instead of a reward blame will not fall onthe hapless Chilo? He, the poor sage, has attached himself to the nobleVinicius as Aristotle to Alexander of Macedon. If the noble lord shouldgive him at least that purse which he had thrust into his girdle beforeleaving home, there would be something with which to invoke aid incase of need, or to influence the Christians. Oh, why not listen to thecounsels of an old man, counsels dictated by experience and prudence?

  Vinicius, hearing this, took the purse from his belt, and threw it tothe fingers of Chilo.

  "Thou hast it; be silent!"

  The Greek felt that it was unusually heavy, and gained confidence.

  "My whole hope is in this," said he, "that Hercules or Theseus performeddeeds still more arduous; what is my personal, nearest friend, Croton,if not Hercules? Thee, worthy lord, I will not call a demigod, for thouart a full god, and in future thou wilt not forget a poor, faithfulservant, whose needs it will be necessary to provide for from time totime, for once he is sunk in books, he thinks of nothing else; somefew stadia of garden land and a little house, even with the smallestportico, for coolness in summer, would befit such a donor. MeanwhileI shall admire thy heroic deeds from afar, and invoke Jove to befriendthee, and if need be I will make such an outcry that half Rome will beroused to thy assistance. What a wretched, rough road! The olive oilis burned out in the lantern; and if Croton, who is as noble as he isstrong, would bear me to the gate in his arms, he would learn, to beginwith, whether he will carry the maiden easily; second, he would actlike AEneas, and win all the good gods to such a degree that touching theresult of the enterprise I should be thoroughly satisfied."

  "I should rather carry a sheep which died of mange a month ago,"answered the gladiator; "but give that purse, bestowed by the worthytribune, and I will bear thee to the gate."

  "Mayst thou knock the great toe from thy foot," replied the Greek;"what profit hast thou from the teachings of that worthy old man, whodescribed poverty and charity as the two foremost virtues? Has he notcommanded thee expressly to love me? Never shall I make thee, I see,even a poor Christian; it would be easier for the sun to pierce thewalls of the Mamertine prison than for truth to penetrate thy skull of ahippopotamus."

  "Never fear!" said Croton, who with the strength of a beast had no humanfeeling. "I shall not be a Christian! I have no wish to lose my bread."

  "But if thou knew even the rudiments of philosophy, thou wouldst knowthat gold is vanity."

  "Come to me with thy philosophy. I will give thee one blow of my head inthe stomach; we shall see then who wins."

  "An ox might have said the same to Aristotle," retorted Chilo.

  It was growing gray in the world. The dawn covered with pale light theoutlines of the walls. The trees along the wayside, the buildings, andthe gravestones scattered here and there began to issue from the shade.The road was no longer quite empty. Marketmen were moving toward thegates, leading asses and mules laden with vegetables; here and theremoved creaking carts in which game was conveyed. On the road and alongboth sides of it was a light mist at the very earth, which promised goodweather. People at some distance seemed like apparitions in that mist.Vinicius stared at the slender form of Lygia, which became more silveryas the light increased.

  "Lord," said Chilo, "I should offend thee were I to foresee the end ofthy bounty, but now, when thou hast paid me, I may not be suspected ofspeaking for my own interest only. I advise thee once more to go homefor slaves and a litter, when thou hast learned in what house the divineLygia dwells; listen not to that elephant trunk, Croton, who undertakesto carry off the maiden only to squeeze thy purse as if it were a bag ofcurds."

  "I have a blow of the fist to be struck between the shoulders, whichmeans that thou wilt perish," said Croton.

  "I have a cask of Cephalonian wine, which means that I shall be well,"answered Chilo.

  Vinicius made no answer, for he approached the gate, at which awonderful sight struck his eyes. Two soldiers knelt when the Apostle waspassing; Peter placed his hand on their iron helmets for a moment, andthen made the sign of the cross on them. It had never occurred tothe patrician before that there could be Christians in the army; withastonishment he thought that as fire in a burning city takes in moreand more houses, so to all appearances that doctrine embraces new soulsevery day, and extends itself over all human understandings. This struckhim also with reference to Lygia, for he was convinced that, hadshe wished to flee from the city, there would be guards willing tofacilitate her flight. He thanked the gods then that this had nothappened.

  After they had passed vacant places beyond the wall, the Christiansbegan to scatter. There was need, therefore, to follow Lygia more froma distance, and more carefully, so as not to rouse attention. Chilo fellto complaining of wounds, of pains in his legs, and dropped moreand more to the rear. Vinicius did not oppose this, judging that thecowardly and incompetent Greek would not be needed. He would even havepermitted him to depart, had he wished; but the worthy sage was detainedby circumspection. Curiosity pressed him evidently, since he continuedbehind, and at moments even approached with his previous counsels; hethought too that the old man accompanying the Apostle might be Glaucus,were it not for his rather low stature.

  They walked a good while before reaching the Trans-Tiber, and the sunwas near rising when the group surrounding Lygia dispersed. The Apostle,an old woman, and a boy went up the river; the old man of lower stature,Ursus, and Lygia entered a narrow vicus, and, advancing still about ahundred yards, went into a house in which were two shops,--one for thesale of olives, the other for poultry.

  Chilo, who walked about fifty yards behind Vinicius and Croton, haltedall at once, as if fixed to the earth, and, squeezing up to the wall,began to hiss at them to turn.

  They did so, for they needed to take counsel.

  "Go, Chilo," said Vinicius, "and see if this house fronts on anotherstreet." Chilo, though he had complained of wounds in his feet, sprangaway as quickly as if he had had the wings of Mercury on his ankles, andreturned in a moment.

  "No," said he, "there is but one entrance."

  Then, putting his hands together, he said, "I implore thee, lord, byJupiter, Apollo, Vesta, Cybele, Isis, Osiris, Mithra Baal, and all thegods of the Orient and the Occident to drop this plan. Listen to me--"

  But he stopped on a sudden, for he saw that Vinicius's face was palefrom emotion, and that his eyes were glittering like the eyes of a wolf.It was enough to look at him to understand that nothing in the worldwould restrain him from the undertaking. Croton began to draw air intohis herculean breast, and to sway his undeveloped skull from side toside as bears do when confined in a cage, but on his face not the leastfear was evident.

  "I will go in first," said he.

  "Thou wilt follow me," said Vinicius, in commanding tones.

  And after a while both vanished in the dark entrance.

  Chilo sprang to the corner of the nearest alley and watched from behindit, waiting for what would happen.