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he maintains an appearance of independence and neutrality, committed to finding "truth" rather than achieving a partisan agenda. He combines the skills of the investigator with those of the diplomat. This could be his chief value in a crisis: as a go-between trusted by both sides."
" 'On the other hand, some see him as a wily pragmatist, exploiting the trust of powerful men without giving them full allegiance. What sort of man hires out his integrity, case by case?"
" 'In the event of an unprecedented crisis, where will his true allegiance lie? He has a fine house on the Palatine and has managed to stay out of debt (another factor in his independence); it is hard to see how revolution or civil war could be to his interest. On the other hand, his unconventional family of adoptees and manumitted slaves indicates a man with little concern for traditional Roman values. Most troublesome is his connection to Caesar through his son Meto. This, more than anything else, may act to pull him into Caesar's orbit."
" 'Conclusion: Gordianus may be of use to the Great One, but should be carefully watched.' "
Diana looked up. "That's all of it."
I wrinkled my nose. " 'A wily pragmatist?' " That stung as sharply as the gossip about Meto.
"Actually, I think it's flattering, on the whole," said Diana. "It makes you out to be a rather subtle fellow."
"Subtle fellows lose their heads in times like these."
"Then Davus shall be safe, at least." She looked at me with a straight face, then laughed. I managed a smile. She was only trying to cheer me up, I knew; but she really had no idea of the enormity of the danger that was looming. I suddenly felt a great tenderness for her. I touched her hair.
There was some sort of commotion from the front of the house. Davus left the garden. A moment later he was back. He strode into my study. "Another visitor," he said. His face was pale.
"This late in the afternoon?"
"Yes, father-in-law. The Great One himself."
III
"Pompey? Impossible!"
"Even so, father-in-law, he's waiting in the foyer, with armed bodyguards."
"He's breaking the law, then! Pompey has a standing army. Never mind that his legions are off in Spain— proconsuls in command of armies are not allowed to enter the city walls."
Diana spoke up. " 'Stop quoting laws to us. We carry swords.' " She quoted a phrase which Pompey had made famous when he was in Sicily and some locals objected that he was overstepping their treaties with Rome.
I took a deep breath. "How many men are with him, Davus?"
"Only two in the foyer. The rest of the bodyguards are waiting in the street."
I looked at the pieces of parchment on the tripod table. "Numerius! Where in Hades did his shoes end up? If Pompey finds him barefoot—"
"Calm yourself, father-in-law. His shoes are back on his feet. What do you think I've been doing in the garden all afternoon? I dressed Numerius, put the ring back on his finger, and replaced his moneybag. The body's just as we found it."
"What about his dagger?"
"I put the little key back inside and slipped the dagger back into his sheath."
"And the garrote around his throat?"
Davus nodded grimly. "Still there."
I lowered my gaze to the table. "Everything in place, then— except these pieces of parchment. I meant to put them back before anyone came for the body. If Pompey discovers they're missing—"
Davus frowned. "Perhaps, if we can keep Pompey from seeing Numerius ..."
"Hide the body? I don't think so, Davus. Pompey must know that Numerius came here; that's why he's here himself. If we make some clumsy attempt to hide the body, and Pompey discovers it, how would that look?"
Diana touched my arm. "If you're worried about Pompey catching you with the documents, Papa, we could burn them. There's a fire in the brazier. It would take only a moment."
I stared at the pieces of parchment. "We could burn them, yes. Or stuff them back into Numerius's shoe, if there's time. Either way, we'll never know what else they
" 'On the other hand, some see him as a wily pragmatist, exploiting the trust of powerful men without giving them full allegiance. What sort of man hires out his integrity, case by case?"
" 'In the event of an unprecedented crisis, where will his true allegiance lie? He has a fine house on the Palatine and has managed to stay out of debt (another factor in his independence); it is hard to see how revolution or civil war could be to his interest. On the other hand, his unconventional family of adoptees and manumitted slaves indicates a man with little concern for traditional Roman values. Most troublesome is his connection to Caesar through his son Meto. This, more than anything else, may act to pull him into Caesar's orbit."
" 'Conclusion: Gordianus may be of use to the Great One, but should be carefully watched.' "
Diana looked up. "That's all of it."
I wrinkled my nose. " 'A wily pragmatist?' " That stung as sharply as the gossip about Meto.
"Actually, I think it's flattering, on the whole," said Diana. "It makes you out to be a rather subtle fellow."
"Subtle fellows lose their heads in times like these."
"Then Davus shall be safe, at least." She looked at me with a straight face, then laughed. I managed a smile. She was only trying to cheer me up, I knew; but she really had no idea of the enormity of the danger that was looming. I suddenly felt a great tenderness for her. I touched her hair.
There was some sort of commotion from the front of the house. Davus left the garden. A moment later he was back. He strode into my study. "Another visitor," he said. His face was pale.
"This late in the afternoon?"
"Yes, father-in-law. The Great One himself."
III
"Pompey? Impossible!"
"Even so, father-in-law, he's waiting in the foyer, with armed bodyguards."
"He's breaking the law, then! Pompey has a standing army. Never mind that his legions are off in Spain— proconsuls in command of armies are not allowed to enter the city walls."
Diana spoke up. " 'Stop quoting laws to us. We carry swords.' " She quoted a phrase which Pompey had made famous when he was in Sicily and some locals objected that he was overstepping their treaties with Rome.
I took a deep breath. "How many men are with him, Davus?"
"Only two in the foyer. The rest of the bodyguards are waiting in the street."
I looked at the pieces of parchment on the tripod table. "Numerius! Where in Hades did his shoes end up? If Pompey finds him barefoot—"
"Calm yourself, father-in-law. His shoes are back on his feet. What do you think I've been doing in the garden all afternoon? I dressed Numerius, put the ring back on his finger, and replaced his moneybag. The body's just as we found it."
"What about his dagger?"
"I put the little key back inside and slipped the dagger back into his sheath."
"And the garrote around his throat?"
Davus nodded grimly. "Still there."
I lowered my gaze to the table. "Everything in place, then— except these pieces of parchment. I meant to put them back before anyone came for the body. If Pompey discovers they're missing—"
Davus frowned. "Perhaps, if we can keep Pompey from seeing Numerius ..."
"Hide the body? I don't think so, Davus. Pompey must know that Numerius came here; that's why he's here himself. If we make some clumsy attempt to hide the body, and Pompey discovers it, how would that look?"
Diana touched my arm. "If you're worried about Pompey catching you with the documents, Papa, we could burn them. There's a fire in the brazier. It would take only a moment."
I stared at the pieces of parchment. "We could burn them, yes. Or stuff them back into Numerius's shoe, if there's time. Either way, we'll never know what else they