Envoy Extraordinary

The Officer of the Guard saluted.

"A prisoner, Caesar. A slave, by the looks of him."

The Emperor tapped the finger of one hand in the palm of the other.

"Escort the Heir Designate through the tunnel, and the slave with him. Two of your men can lead the Lord Mamillius. This is not the moment to extract him.* Ladies, the demonstration is over. You may return to the Villa."

He paused for a moment by the tormentum and looked back at the quay. The guard of honour and the band were stirring feebly like sea-creatures of the shore at the return of the tide.

"Six of your men must hold the tunnel at all costs. They must not stand aside except at your personal order."

"Caesar."

"The remainder can stand by in the garden. Keep them out of sight behind the hedges, at the double."

"Caesar."

The gardens had retained their tranquillity. The Emperor stood by the lily-pond, breathing the aromatic air gratefully. Below him the surface of the sea had begun to appear again. When his breathing was even he turned to the little group of men.

"Will you. behave, Posthumus, if I tell the guard to let you go?"

Posthumus glanced at the dark mouth of the tunnel and the Emperor shook his head.

"Please put the idea of bolting through the tunnel out of your head. The men there have their orders. Come! Let us discuss things reasonably."

Posthumus shook himself free.

"What have you done to my soldiers you-sorcerer?"

"Just an inspection, Posthumus, just the usual line. But I produced it to infinity."

Posthumus reached up and settled his helmet. The scarlet and gold plume was singed.

"What are you going to do with me?

The Emperor smiled wryly.

"Look at Mamillius. Can you imagine him as an Emperor?"

Mamillius was lying across a stone scat on his stomach. Two soldiers held his legs. At the other end a third soldier was heaving back on the jammed helmet.

"The agent's reports were circumstantial."

The Emperor crooked his finger.

"Phanocles."

"Caesar."

"Tell the Heir Designate once and for all what you were going to do."

"I told him, Caesar. No slaves, no war."

Posthumus sneered.

"Bring the slave I caught. He was one of those who burned your ship."

Two soldiers frog-marched the slave forward. He was naked, though the water had dried off him. He was a man to tear a lion apart, bearded, broad, dark and wild.

The Emperor looked him up and down.

"What is he?"

A soldier seized the man's hair, twisted his head sideways and up so that he grinned with pain. Posthumus leaned forward and inspected the notches cut in the slave's ear. He nodded and the soldier let go.

"Why did you do it?

The slave answered him in a voice at once hoarse with shouting and clumsy with disuse.

"I am a rower."

The Emperor's eyebrows climbed.

"In future I must have rowers chained to their oars, or would that be too expensive?"

The slave tried to clasp his hands.

"Caesar-be merciful. We could not kill that man."

"Phanocles?"

"His demon protected him. A plank killed the slave by his side. The crab missed him."

Mamillius came out of his helmet with a shriek. He hurried to the Emperor.

"Mamillius-the crab was not meant for you!"

Mamillius turned excitedly to the slave.

"You did not try to kill me?"

"Why should we, lord? If you use us up, you have a right to. We were bought. But this man does not use us at all. We saw his ship move without oars or sails and against the wind. What use will there be for rowers?"

Phanocles cried out.

"My ship would have set you free!"

The Emperor looked down at the slave thoughtfully.

"Are you happy on your bench?

"The gods know what we suffer."

"Why then?

The slave paused for a moment. When he spoke again the words came by rote out of some deep well of the past.

"I had rather be slave to a smallholder than rule in hell over all the ghosts of men."

"I see."

The Emperor nodded to the soldiers.

"Take him away."

Posthumus laughed unpleasantly.

"That was what a professional sailor thinks of your ship, Greek!"

The Emperor raised his voice.

"Wait. Let us have the verdict of a professional soldier on the thunder-machine. Officer!"

But the officer was already saluting.

"Excuse me, Caesar, but the lady "What lady?"

"They won't let her pass without my orders, Caesar."

Mamillius, shouted in his broken voice. "Euphrosyne!"

The officer came down from the salute.

"Let the lady pass, lads. jump to it"

The soldiers parted from the end of the tunnel and Euphrosyne came, hurrying and shrinking, to Phanocles and the Emperor.

"Where have you been, child? Why weren't you with the others? The quay is dangerous without me!"

But she still said nothing, and the veil shook against her mouth. The Emperor beckoned.

"Stand by me. You are safe now."

He turned back to the officer.

"Officer."

"Caesar."

"Stand easy. Posthumus, ask your questions."

Posthumus surveyed him for a moment.

"Captain. Do you enjoy the prospect of a battle?"

"In defence of the Father of his Country--"

The Emperor waved his hand. "Your loyalty is not in question. Answer, please.

The Captain thought. "On the whole, yes, Caesar."

"Why?"