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Sesostris went about his simple household duties with a long face, and now and then a tear trickled down his cheek. Whatever came of the matter, Artemisia would have to be separated from him. He might never see her again, and the old Ethiopian loved her more than he did life itself. "You will not wrong the girl when she is with you?" he whispered dolefully to Agias.
If not you whom? Take take me!" And she fell forward in a swoon, and Demetrius caught her in his powerful arms. "This is the affianced wife of Quintus Drusus?" he cried to Agias. "None other." "She is worthy of Sextus's son. A right brave lady!" cried the pirate. "But this is no place for her, poor thing.
But Agias was soon gone; and Artemisia spent the rest of the morning and the whole of the afternoon in that very satisfactory Elysium of Syrian pears and honey-apples which Semiramis and Arsinoë supplied in full measure, with Pisander to sit by, and stare, boylike, at her clear, fair profile, and cast jealous glances at Iasus when that young man ventured to utilize his opportunity for a like advantage.
It runs thus, "'My tongue an oath took, but my mind's unsworn. Not an inelegant sentiment, as you must see." We left the excellent man of learning, Pisander, in no happy frame of mind, after Agias had been dragged away, presumably to speedy doom. And indeed for many days the shadow of Valeria's crime, for it was nothing else, plunged him in deep melancholy.
Drusus had ridden hard to get back early from Lanuvium and write some letters to Cornelia, for he had expected that Agias would come on that very afternoon, on one of his regular, though private, visits; and he wished to be able to tell Cornelia that, so long a time had elapsed since he had been warned against Ahenobarbus and Pratinas, and as no attempt at all had been made on his life, her fears for him were probably groundless and the plot had been for some cause abandoned.
"I don't know," he faltered, "there has been a postponement. There was a plan that if Drusus came to the city he was to be lured outside the Esquiline gate, as if going to some villa, and murdered in the sand-pits, as have been many people." "But this plan has been given up? Speak the truth!" sharply demanded Agias. "Yes; for Drusus will not stir from Præneste.
But it was over to the country-house of the Lentuli that Drusus made small delay to hasten, there to be in bliss in company with Cornelia, "And how," he asked, after the young lady had talked of a dozen innocent nothings, "do you like Agias, the boy I sent you?" "I can never thank you enough at least if he is always as clever and witty as he has been since I have had him," was the reply.
Agias indeed found in Demetrius a perfect mine of bloody romance and adventure. It had been the banking clerk's misfortune, not his fault, that every man's hand had been against him and his against every man. Demetrius had been declared an outlaw to Roman authority; and Roman authority at that time stretched over very nearly every quarter of the civilized world.
With such precautions Dumnorix could hardly venture to risk himself and his men, whatever might be the plot. Thus satisfied in mind, Agias arrived at the estate of the Drusi, close to Præneste, and demanded admittance, about two hours before midnight.
Don't look at me this way! Don't say that you mean Artemisia?" "Ai! You know the girl, then?" said the other, with the most excruciating inquisitiveness. "Know her?" raged Agias, "I love the sunbeam on which her eyes rest. Speak! Tell me all, everything, all about it I Quick! I must know!" Pisander drew himself together, and with a deliberation that was nearly maddening to his auditor, began:
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