The Unwilling Vestal Part 33

THE next day Commodus, officially, in his full regalia as Emperor and Pontifex Maximus, convoyed by a magnificent retinue of gorgeously apparelled gentlemen-in-waiting, equerries, aides, orderlies and pages, and of gaudily uniformed guards, paid a formal visit to the Atrium.

He was received by Lutorius, Causidiena and Numisia, who had been in close conference most of the previous afternoon and until late at night and again most of the morning from dawn. Causidiena, on account of her failing sight, was escorted by Manlia and Gargilia.

After the exchange of ceremonious greetings Commodus asked:

"Where is Brinnaria? Why isn't she here?"

"We thought best," Causidiena replied, "that she should not be present at our conference."

"As to part of it I quite agree," said the Emperor. "Fairness to her requires that much of what we have to say should be said in her absence, as she must be free from any suspicion of partic.i.p.ation in some of our arrangements. But part of what we have to say she must hear and some details I must talk over with her. Send for her, and meanwhile, sit down, all of you, sit down, I say."

Manlia and Gargilia departed to summon Brinnaria.

When she came and had seated herself the Emperor said:

"I've been thinking over this matter ever since you left me. Precious little else did I do yesterday and mighty little sleep did I get last night. I'm not clear yet altogether, but I see daylight on several points.

"What you propose is more or less like interpreting the significance of the appearances seen in the victim's intestines after a sacrifice for a specific object; it amounts to asking a definite question of your G.o.ddess and getting a yes or no answer.

"That is one way to regard it and seems to me correct from the religious point of view.

"But there is another point of view and another way to regard it, not less correct, it seems to me.

"This is a sort of a sporting proposal, like a dicing contest, or any kind of match or wager.

"Now in such matters, it is important, it is of the utmost importance, that there should be no differences of opinion between the princ.i.p.als or among the backers or lookers-on after the contest or during its progress; particularly that no unexpected differences of opinion should crop up after starting the set of actions which determine the decision.

To avoid all such untoward possibilities, every detail must be settled in advance before the matter comes to a test.

"Now, treating your appeal to Vesta not only as a solemn invocation of the G.o.ddess, but also as a sporting chance, I intend to have a definite, unquestionable understanding beforehand on every debatable point.

"You see what I mean?

"Some of the points we others will settle without you, but we shall begin with those which you must settle or share in settling.

"I and Lutorius, Causidiena and Numisia are to be the witnesses to the stipulations and our agreement on any point is to prove that point. I propose to make it impossible for there to be any misunderstanding or disagreement among the four of us, to make it certain that we four think, speak and act unanimously on all points whatever. Nothing must be a.s.sumed, everything must be explicit.

"To begin with, is this a fair statement of your proposal?

"You maintain that you are a worthy priestess of Vesta and wholly acceptable to her. You propose to demonstrate this by asking of her the power to carry water in a sieve in the sight of the whole College of Pontiffs and of such other persons as I may see fit to have present at the test. If you fail you will expect to be tried for misconduct. If you succeed you will expect to be then and there absolved from all accusations and imputations connected with your deportment or behavior.

"Is that a fair statement of your proposal?"

"It is," Brinnaria replied.

"What kind of water do you propose to carry?" Commodus asked. "Spring water, rain-water from a tank, aqueduct-water, or what?"

"I a.s.sumed," said Brinnaria, "that I would carry water from the river, in accordance with the legend of my predecessor: Father Tiber being himself one of our G.o.ds, one of the sternest to evildoers, yet to the righteous most kindly and helpful."

"Excellent!" said the Emperor. "My notion precisely. That is settled. I accordingly appoint as the place of your test the Marble Quay, since the porticoes flanking it shut out the mob and protect the Quay from intruding eyes, and since the s.p.a.ce enclosed by them is ample for the a.s.semblage of the College of Pontiffs, the Senate and the Court officials. Are you satisfied with that place?"

"I am," said Brinnaria.

"In what kind of a sieve do you propose to carry water?" came the next question.

"A sieve," said Brinnaria, "is a sieve."

"Not at all," Commodus objected. "There are sieves and sieves."

"Well, of course," Brinnaria reflected, "I do not mean a broken, worn-out or imperfect sieve, nor one incompetently made."

"Just so," the Emperor amplified. "You propose to carry water in a sieve with a circular rim, without any hole, crevice or crack in it and with a web stretched taut on the rim, evenly woven and of the finest mesh."

"That expresses my unformed idea," said Brinnaria.

"Did you mean a linen sieve," the Emperor asked, "or a horse-hair sieve, or a metal sieve?"

"That," said Brinnaria, "can make no difference, if it fulfills the conditions you have just specified. I leave the choice of material to you."

"That is the correct att.i.tude for you," said Commodus, "and does you credit.

"And now I think we four will settle the other details without you. Do you agree to that?"

"No!" Brinnaria objected. "I think I should be a party to the settling of several other details."

"What are they?" Commodus queried.

"In the first place," said Brinnaria, "there should be the clearest understanding as to how much water I must carry."

"What do you mean?" the Emperor asked.

"Well," Brinnaria expounded, "a drop of water the size of my thumb-nail would not be enough, I presume. That would not be considered as demonstrating my innocence. You would expect me to carry more water than that. On the other hand, to exact that I carry a sieve full of water to the top of the rim, as if it were a pan, would be unfair to me."

"I see," said Commodus. "I should lay down the condition that the water must cover the web of the sieve entirely and touch the rim all round, and that it should be a finger-breadth deep. Deeper than that it need not be, that depth would prove the favor of your G.o.ddess as plainly as if you carried all Tiber. Is that all? If not, what next?"

"Next," she said, "it ought to be definitely agreed how far I must carry the sieve with the water in it."

"You do not need to carry it at all," said Commodus. "If you stand up and hold the sieve of water as high as your chin, you will have proved the favor of your G.o.ddess for you."

Lutorius, tactful and bland, here spoke up.

"Your Majesty," he said, "I doubt whether that will confute Brinnaria's enemies or even convince the majority of the Pontiffs."

"What does it signify?" the Emperor demanded, "whether anybody else is convinced, if I am satisfied?"

"Nothing whatever, your Majesty," said Lutorius, "if you take that view of the matter."

"Perhaps," Commodus admitted, "there may be something in your suggestion. Suppose we make the stipulation that she must carry the sieve of water from the brink of the river to the top of the steps."

"The number of steps," Lutorius reminded him, "varies at different points along the Marble Quay."