Quo Vadis: A Narrative of the Time of Nero Read online

  Chapter XXIV

  BUT he began also to fear that some outside force might disturb hisdelight. Chilo might give notice of his disappearance to the prefect ofthe city, or to his freedmen at home; and in such an event an invasionof the house by the city guards was likely. Through his head flew thethought, it is true, that in that event he might give command to seizeLygia and shut her up in his house, but he felt that he ought not to doso, and he was not capable of acting thus. He was tyrannical, insolent,and corrupt enough, if need be he was inexorable, but he was notTigellinus or Nero. Military life had left in him a certain feeling ofjustice, and religion, and a conscience to understand that such a deedwould be monstrously mean. He would have been capable, perhaps, ofcommitting such a deed during an access of anger and while in possessionof his strength, but at that moment he was filled with tenderness, andwas sick. The only question for Vinicius at that time was that no oneshould stand between him and Lygia.

  He noticed, too, with astonishment, that from the moment when Lygiahad taken his part, neither she herself nor Crispus asked from him anyassurances, just as if they felt confident that, in case of need, somesuperhuman power would defend them. The young tribune, in whose head thedistinction between things possible and impossible had grown involvedand faint since the discourse of the Apostle in Ostrianum, was alsonot too far from supposing that that might take place. But consideringthings more soberly, he remembered what he had said of the Greek, andasked again that Chilo be brought to him.

  Crispus agreed, and they decided to send Ursus. Vinicius, who in recentdays, before his visit to Ostrianum, had sent slaves frequently toChilo, though without result, indicated his lodgings accurately to theLygian; then writing a few words on the tablet, he said, turning toCrispus,--"I give a tablet, for this man is suspicious and cunning.Frequently when summoned by me, he gave directions to answer my peoplethat he was not at home; he did so always when he had no good news forme, and feared my anger."

  "If I find him, I will bring him, willing or unwilling," said Ursus.Then, taking his mantle, he went out hurriedly.

  To find any one in Rome was not easy, even with the most accuratedirections; but in those cases the instinct of a hunter aided Ursus, andalso his great knowledge of the city. After a certain time, therefore,he found himself at Chilo's lodgings.

  He did not recognize Chilo, however. He had seen him but once inhis life before, and moreover, in the night. Besides, that lofty andconfident old man who had persuaded him to murder Glaucus was so unlikethe Greek, bent double from terror, that no one could suppose the twoto be one person. Chilo, noticing that Ursus looked at him as a perfectstranger, recovered from his first fear. The sight of the tablet, withthe writing of Vinicius, calmed him still more. At least the suspicionthat he would take him into an ambush purposely did not trouble him. Hethought, besides, that the Christians had not killed Vinicius, evidentlybecause they had not dared to raise hands on so noted a person.

  "And then Vinicius will protect me in case of need," thought he; "ofcourse he does not send to deliver me to death."

  Summoning some courage, therefore, he said: "My good man, has not myfriend the noble Vinicius sent a litter? My feet are swollen; I cannotwalk so far."

  "He has not," answered Ursus; "we shall go on foot."

  "But if I refuse?"

  "Do not, for thou wilt have to go."

  "And I will go, but of my own will. No one could force me, for I am afree man, and a friend of the prefect of the city. As a sage, I havealso means to overcome others, and I know how to turn people into treesand wild beasts. But I will go, I will go! I will only put on a mantlesomewhat warmer, and a hood, lest the slaves of that quarter mightrecognize me; they would stop me every moment to kiss my hands."

  He put on a new mantle then, and let down a broad Gallic hood, lestUrsus might recognize his features on coming into clearer light.

  "Where wilt thou take me?" asked he on the road.

  "To the Trans-Tiber."

  "I am not long in Rome, and I have never been there, but there too, ofcourse, live men who love virtue."

  But Ursus, who was a simple man, and had heard Vinicius say that theGreek had been with him in Ostrianum, and had seen him with Croton enterthe house in which Lygia lived, stopped for a moment and said,--"Speakno untruth, old man, for to-day thou wert with Vinicius in Ostrianum andunder our gate."

  "Ah!" said Chilo, "then is your house in the Trans-Tiber? I have notbeen long in Rome, and know not how the different parts are named. Thatis true, friend; I was under the gate, and implored Vinicius in the nameof virtue not to enter. I was in Ostrianum, and dost thou know why? I amworking for a certain time over the conversion of Vinicius, and wishedhim to hear the chief of the Apostles. May the light penetrate hissoul and thine! But thou art a Christian, and wishest truth to overcomefalsehood."

  "That is true," answered Ursus, with humility.

  Courage returned to Chilo completely.

  "Vinicius is a powerful lord," said he, "and a friend of Caesar. Helistens often yet to the whisperings of the evil spirit; but if even ahair should fall from his head, Caesar would take vengeance on all theChristians."

  "A higher power is protecting us."

  "Surely, surely! But what do ye intend to do with Vinicius?" inquiredChilo, with fresh alarm.

  "I know not. Christ commands mercy."

  "Thou hast answered excellently. Think of this always, or thou wilt fryin hell like a sausage in a frying-pan."

  Ursus sighed, and Chilo thought that he could always do what he likedwith that man, who was terrible at the moment of his first outburst. So,wishing to know what happened at the seizing of Lygia, he asked further,in the voice of a stern judge,--"How did ye treat Croton? Speak, and donot prevaricate."

  Ursus sighed a second time. "Vinicius will tell thee."

  "That means that thou didst stab him with a knife, or kill him with aclub."

  "I was without arms."

  The Greek could not resist amazement at the superhuman strength of thebarbarian.

  "May Pluto--that is to say, may Christ pardon thee!"

  They went on for some time in silence; then Chilo said:

  "I will not betray thee; but have a care of the watches."

  "I fear Christ, not the watches."

  "And that is proper. There is no more grievous crime than murder. I willpray for thee; but I know not if even my prayer can be effective, unlessthou make a vow never to touch any one in life with a finger."

  "As it is, I have not killed purposely," answered Ursus.

  But Chilo, who desired to secure himself in every case, did not cease tocondemn murder, and urge Ursus to make the vow. He inquired also aboutVinicius; but the Lygian answered his inquiries unwillingly, repeatingthat from Vinicius himself he would hear what he needed. Speaking inthis way, they passed at last the long road which separated the lodgingsof the Greek from the Trans-Tiber, and found themselves before thehouse. Chilo's heart began to beat again unquietly. From dread it seemedto him that Ursus was beginning to look at him with a kind of greedyexpression.

  "It is small consolation to me," said he to himself, "if he kills meunwillingly. I prefer in every case that paralysis should strike him,and with him all the Lygians,--which do thou effect, O Zeus, if thou artable."

  Thus meditating, he wrapped himself more closely in his Gallic mantle,repeating that he feared the cold. Finally, when they had passed theentrance and the first court, and found themselves in the corridorleading to the garden of the little house, he halted suddenly andsaid,--"Let me draw breath, or I shall not be able to speak withVinicius and give him saving advice."

  He halted; for though he said to himself that no danger threatened,still his legs trembled under him at the thought that he was among thosemysterious people whom he had seen in Ostrianum.

  Meanwhile a hymn came to their ears from the little house.

  "What is that?" inquired Chilo.

  "Thou sayest that thou art a Christian, and knowest not that among usit is
the custom after every meal to glorify our Saviour with singing,"answered Ursus. "Miriam and her son must have returned, and perhaps theApostle is with them, for he visits the widow and Crispus every day."

  "Conduct me directly to Vinicius."

  "Vinicius is in the same room with all, for that is the only large one;the others are very small chambers, to which we go only to sleep. Comein; thou wilt rest there."

  They entered. It was rather dark in the room; the evening was cloudyand cold, the flames of a few candles did not dispel the darknessaltogether. Vinicius divined rather than recognized Chilo in thehooded man. Chilo, seeing the bed in the corner of the room, and on itVinicius, moved toward him directly, not looking at the others, as ifwith the conviction that it would be safest near him.

  "Oh, lord, why didst thou not listen to my counsels?" exclaimed he,putting his hands together.

  "Silence!" said Vinicius, "and listen!"

  Here he looked sharply into Chilo's eyes, and spoke slowly withemphasis, as if wishing the Greek to understand every word of his as acommand, and to keep it forever in memory.

  "Croton threw himself on me to kill and rob me, dost understand? Ikilled him then, and these people dressed the wounds which I received inthe struggle."

  Chilo understood in a moment that if Vinicius spoke in this way it mustbe in virtue of some agreement with the Christians, and in that case hewished people to believe him. He saw this, too, from his face; hence inone moment, without showing doubt or astonishment, he raised his eyesand exclaimed,--"That was a faith-breaking ruffian! But I warned thee,lord, not to trust him; my teachings bounded from his head as do peaswhen thrown against a wall. In all Hades there are not torments enoughfor him. He who cannot be honest must be a rogue; what is more difficultthan for a rogue to become honest? But to fall on his benefactor, a lordso magnanimous--O gods!"

  Here he remembered that he had represented himself to Ursus on the wayas a Christian, and stopped.

  "Were it not for the 'sica,' which I brought, he would have slain me,"said Vinicius.

  "I bless the moment in which I advised thee to take a knife even."

  Vinicius turned an inquiring glance on the Greek, and asked,--"What hastthou done to-day?"

  "How? What! have I not told thee, lord, that I made a vow for thyhealth?"

  "Nothing more?"

  "I was just preparing to visit thee, when this good man came and saidthat thou hadst sent for me."

  "Here is a tablet. Thou wilt go with it to my house; thou wilt find myfreedman and give it to him. It is written on the tablet that I havegone to Beneventum. Thou wilt tell Demas from thyself that I went thismorning, summoned by an urgent letter from Petronius." Here he repeatedwith emphasis: "I have gone to Beneventum, dost understand?"

  "Thou has gone, lord. This morning I took leave of thee at the PortaCapena, and from the time of thy departure such sadness possesses methat if thy magnanimity will not soften it, I shall cry myself to death,like the unhappy wife of Zethos [Aedon turned into a nightingale] ingrief for Itylos."

  Vinicius, though sick and accustomed to the Greek's suppleness, couldnot repress a smile. He was glad, moreover, that Chilo understood in aflash; hence he said,

  "Therefore I will write that thy tears be wiped away. Give me thecandle." Chilo, now pacified perfectly, rose, and, advancing a few stepstoward the chimney, took one of the candles which was burning at thewall. But while he was doing this, the hood slipped from his head, andthe light fell directly on his face. Glaucus sprang from his seat and,coming up quickly, stood before him.

  "Dost thou not recognize me, Cephas?" asked he. In his voice there wassomething so terrible that a shiver ran through all present.

  Chilo raised the candle, and dropped it to the earth almost the sameinstant; then he bent nearly double and began to groan,--"I am not he--Iam not he! Mercy!"

  Glaucus turned toward the faithful, and said,--"This is the man whobetrayed--who ruined me and my family!"

  That history was known to all the Christians and to Vinicius, who hadnot guessed who that Glaucus was,--for this reason only, that he faintedrepeatedly from pain during the dressing of his wound, and had not heardhis name. But for Ursus that short moment, with the words of Glaucus,was like a lightning-flash in darkness. Recognizing Chilo, he was athis side with one spring, and, seizing his arm, bent it back,exclaiming,--"This is the man who persuaded me to kill Glaucus!"

  "Mercy!" groaned Chilo. "I will give you--O lord!" exclaimed he, turninghis head to Vinicius, "save me! I trusted in thee, take my part. Thyletter--I will deliver it. O lord, lord!"

  But Vinicius, who looked with more indifference than any one at what waspassing, first because all the affairs of the Greek were more or lessknown to him, and second because his heart knew not what pity was,said,--"Bury him in the garden; some one else will take the letter."

  It seemed to Chilo that those words were his final sentence. His boneswere shaking in the terrible hands of Ursus; his eyes were filled withtears from pain.

  "By your God, pity!" cried he; "I am a Christian! Pax vobiscum! I ama Christian; and if ye do not believe me, baptize me again, baptize metwice, ten times! Glaucus, that is a mistake! Let me speak, make me aslave! Do not kill me! Have mercy!"

  His voice, stifled with pain, was growing weaker and weaker, when theApostle Peter rose at the table; for a moment his white head shook,drooping toward his breast, and his eyes were closed; but he opened themthen, and said amid silence,--

  "The Saviour said this to us: 'If thy brother has sinned againstthee, chastise him; but if he is repentant, forgive him. And if he hasoffended seven times in the day against thee, and has turned to theeseven times, saying, "Have mercy on me!" forgive him.'"

  Then came a still deeper silence. Glaucus remained a long time with hishands covering his face; at last he removed them and said,--"Cephas, mayGod forgive thy offences, as I forgive them in the name of Christ."

  Ursus, letting go the arms of the Greek, added at once:

  "May the Saviour be merciful to thee as I forgive thee."

  Chilo dropped to the ground, and, supported on it with his hands, turnedhis head like a wild beast caught in a snare, looking around to seewhence death might come. He did not trust his eyes and ears yet, anddared not hope for forgiveness. Consciousness returned to him slowly;his blue lips were still trembling from terror.

  "Depart in peace!" said the Apostle, meanwhile.

  Chilo rose, but could not speak. He approached the bed of Vinicius, asif seeking protection in it still; for he had not time yet to think thatthat man, though he had used his services and was still his accomplice,condemned him, while those against whom he had acted forgave. Thisthought was to come to him later. At present simply astonishment andincredulity were evident in his look. Though he had seen that theyforgave him, he wished to bear away his head at the earliest from amongthese incomprehensible people, whose kindness terrified him almost asmuch as their cruelty would have terrified. It seemed to him thatshould he remain longer, something unexpected would happen again; hence,standing above Vinicius, he said with a broken voice,--

  "Give the letter, lord,--give the letter!"

  And snatching the tablet which Vinicius handed him, he made oneobeisance to the Christians, another to the sick man, pushed alongsidewise by the very wall, and hurried out through the door. In thegarden, when darkness surrounded him, fear raised the hair on his headagain, for he felt sure that Ursus would rush out and kill him in thenight. He would have run with all his might, but his legs would notmove; next moment they were perfectly uncontrollable, for Ursus stoodnear him really.

  Chilo fell with his face to the earth, and began to groan: "Urban--inChrist's name"--

  But Urban said: "Fear not. The Apostle commanded me to lead thee outbeyond the gate, lest thou might go astray in the darkness, and, ifstrength failed thee, to conduct thee home."

  "What dost thou say?" asked Chilo, raising his face. "What? Thou wiltnot kill me?"

  "No, I will not; and if I seized thee t
oo roughly and harmed a bone inthee, pardon me."

  "Help me to rise," said the Greek. "Thou wilt not kill me? Thou wiltnot? Take me to the Street; I will go farther alone."

  Ursus raised him as he might a feather, and placed him on his feet; thenhe conducted him through the dark corridor to the second court. Fromthere was a passage to the entrance and the street. In the corridorChilo repeated again in his soul, "It is all over with me!" Only when hefound himself on the street did he recover and say, "I can go on alone."

  "Peace be with thee."

  "And with thee! and with thee! Let me draw breath."

  And after Ursus had gone, he breathed with a full breast. He felt hiswaist and hips, as if to convince himself that he was living, and thenmoved forward with hurried step.

  "But why did they not kill me?" And in spite of all his talk withEuricius about Christian teaching, in spite of his conversation at theriver with Urban, and in spite of all that he had heard in Ostrianum, hecould find no answer to that question.